Necklace Length Chart & Neckline Matcher

Quick answer: a 16 in necklace sits just above the collarbone, 18 in at or just below it, 20 in a few inches below, 24 in at the bust line and 28 to 30 in at or below the sternum (USA Jewels). Jewelers call them choker, princess, matinee and opera. For a V-neck the guides give 14 to 24 in; for strapless and off-the-shoulder, the short lengths.

How to use it

Pick your neckline and type the necklace’s length — measured end to end, clasp included — or tap a common length. You get what three jewelers call that length, where USA Jewels says it falls, and each guide’s lengths for your neckline, with whether yours is inside them, the guides’ own words, the earrings they suggest, and a sketch of where it sits. Add your neck size for the choker that fits you.

Necklace length chart

The names are each jeweler’s own: Blue Nile’s chart, USA Jewels’s neckline guide and the lengths Gabriel & Co. prints in its neckline guide. Where it falls is USA Jewels’s length guide, row by row. A length on the end of a jeweler’s range is inside it, so 14 in is Blue Nile’s collar and its choker, and 24 in its matinee and its opera.

“Average necklace length for a woman: The most common, everyday length is 18 inches, sitting just below the collarbone.” (Blue Nile). USA Jewels names the shorter one: “16 inches is the standard women’s necklace length and the most commonly purchased.” Every chart here is for an average frame — USA Jewels: “Taller or plus-size frame: Longer lengths (18″ to 24″) often look more proportionate. A 16″ choker may look too tight on a longer neck. Consider sizing up 2 inches from the standard recommendation for any style.”

Which length for which neckline

Seven jewelers’ guides, and they do not always agree: for a crew neck JewelryThis says a collar or princess length, USA Jewels a matinee; for a strapless neckline Blue Nile and USA Jewels say a choker, JewelryThis a princess or matinee. The table gives each one’s inches where it prints them, and the spread — the shortest to the longest any of them names.

For a halter or one-shoulder top, Raymond Lee Jewelers: “A lot of women think no necklace, or should we say neck less , is the best choice for a halter or one shoulder top. This is especially true for halter tops that sit high up near your neck.” Outhouse Jewellery on asymmetric necklines: “Asymmetrical necklines already bring visual interest to the outfit, so the necklace should not compete with that structure. Minimal or slightly off-centre necklaces work best, as they complement the asymmetry without overpowering it.” For a square neck no guide prints inches; Raymond Lee Jewelers: “Any length will work just so long as it isn’t past your neckline. A good necklace length will fall somewhere above the neckline.”

What is ours: the count of guides whose lengths hold yours, the spread, the nearer of USA Jewels’ rows for a length between two (a tie goes to the longer), and the sketch, which places each row at a landmark and is not to scale.

Measuring, pendants and layering

Your size. Wrap a tape around your neck where you want the necklace to sit, then USA Jewels: “Add 2 to 4 inches to the measurement (necklaces should drape, not cling)”. Robinson’s Jewelers: “Now, add 2-4 inches to that number to find a comfortable choker length. For example, a 14-inch neck would suit a 16-inch choker perfectly.”

A pendant hangs lower. USA Jewels: “For pendants, consider ordering a chain 1 to 2 inches shorter than your usual preference, or choose an adjustable chain with a sliding bead or multiple clasp positions.” Blue Nile: “Pendant size: Larger pendants tend to pull a necklace lower, so factor that in when comparing lengths.”

Layers. Blue Nile: “For a polished look, keep metal tones consistent, vary chain textures and leave about 2 inches between each piece so every layer stands out.” Gabriel & Co.: “Leave at least two inches of difference between each necklace so they don’t pile on top of each other.”

Worked examples

• 18 in with a V-neck: princess · inside 3 of 4 guides. The guides’ lengths for a V-neck run 14 to 24 in. 18 in: at or just below the collarbone (USA Jewels).
• 18 in with an off-the-shoulder dress: princess · longer than every guide. The guides’ lengths for an off-the-shoulder neckline run 14 to 16 in. 18 in: at or just below the collarbone (USA Jewels). Go shorter — a 14 to 16 in choker.
• 30 in over a turtleneck: opera · inside 3 of 4 guides. The guides’ lengths for a high neck or turtleneck run 16 to 36 in. 30 in: at or below the sternum (USA Jewels).
• A 13 in neck and a strapless dress: a choker of 15 to 17 in; a 16 in necklace is inside 2 of 3 guides.

Common mistakes

• A necklace that ends on the neckline. BriteCo: “The necklace should not end strictly at your neckline, resting on your collar.”
• Forgetting the pendant. A pendant pulls the chain lower than its length says.
• A choker sized to the neck itself. It needs 2 to 4 inches more to drape.
• Layers too close. About 2 inches between each, or they tangle and stack.

Frequently asked questions

On Needle Style

The hair for the neckline: hairstyles for a strapless dress, hairstyles for a one-shoulder dress, hairstyles for an off-the-shoulder dress and hairstyles for a high neck dress. The necklaces: choker necklace designs and layering gold necklaces.

More free tools: the ring size chart, the birthstone finder and the hair length chart.