Men's Guide to Wearing Necklaces

The men's guide to wearing necklaces | How to buy a necklace for men

Men's Necklace

There's a bit of a barrier for men to overcome when it comes to any kind of jewellery, and necklaces are considered to be one of the most difficult items of clothing.

But take a cue from the professionals - men can and do look great wearing necklaces. It just takes a little know-how.

Necklaces and men's style

A necklace for a man is a little different than one for a woman.

For one thing, men will never wear what you might call "costume jewellery" - the big, chunky pieces with rows of gemstones that you see with evening gowns. That's a women's fashion only.

There is also much less of an idea among designers that jewellery should be the centrepiece of an outfit. Men's jewellery should complement, not overpower.

This means that necklaces should be a little more robust and rough around the edges. Good jewellery for men should look natural - like you've been wearing it for years, having been given it by your grandfather who wore it years before you.

Gold and silver necklaces

You'll see some brighter, shinier stuff, of course, and even the massive "bling" of urban caricature. And there will also be some very light and fragile designs here and there, but both extremes are exceptions to the rule. They attract people's attention precisely because they are so offbeat.

Most men who wear necklaces well will not stand out because of their jewellery. They will just perceive them as "stylish", and then notice the accents over time.

The not-so-simple guide to buying stylish jewellery for men

Gone are the days when a man's jewellery choices were limited to a single wedding ring and nothing more. Your friends may have heard that jewellery is not really a man's thing. Well, that, my friends, is nonsense.

Vikings wore jewellery. Kings wore jewellery. In fact, pretty much every important man in history wore silver and gold. So don't let naysayers discourage you. Men wearing gold is a telltale sign of a confident, distinguished, well-dressed man.

Oddly enough, when it comes to stylish jewellery for men, the only rule is that there are no rules. So rock that ring on your right hand like a grizzly type. From dads to bachelors, hipsters to old-timers and everyone in between, men should never feel out of place wearing their favourite piece of jewellery. Take my fashion tip below to heart if you will, but also take it with a grain of salt. After all, fashion rules are meant to be broken.

Necklaces as a statement

Necklaces are the epitome of fashionable jewellery for men. In fact, you probably already own one or two. They look great with a T-shirt and jeans, but also with button-down shirts and trousers. Silver is fine, but you should also own a yellow gold chain. There's something about yellow gold jewellery that drives the ladies crazy.

Try these necklaces:

Keep a basic chain in your necklace collection. Find out what suits you best and wear it till you drop! Add an eye-catching pendant that has meaning to you, be it a cross, an engraved dog tag or a unique keepsake. Then try wearing this necklace over your tie to your next formal event - you're sure to catch everyone's eye (in a good way).

You should keep your distance from these necklaces:

Stacking necklaces is perfectly fine, but keep it simple, Mr T. I pity the fool who overdoes it with his necklaces and stacks too many necklaces around his neck. And remember, the bigger the pendant, the more sass it takes to wear it. Maybe skip those gaudy necklaces unless you're meant to star in a music video.