Beaded necklaces and the “lengths we go to”

I design unique beaded necklaces in a wide variety of lengths to appeal to women of all sizes, shapes and fashion preferences. Click/tap photo to visit my shop!

Finding the best fit for necklaces is a bit trickier than compared to bracelets or anklets. Whereas with bracelets and necklaces, too small means too tight and uncomfortable, and too big means it can fall off, get caught on something or get lost. But with necklaces, as long as it’s an inch longer than your neck circumference, length just means it will extend to a different point beneath your neckline or outfit. And we need lots of necklaces not only to go with different colour aesthetics of tops and outfits, but to look great with different styles of clothing and suit different necklines.

Sometimes we aim for a certain look, like a short choker length that sits above a crew neckline, but mid-length necklaces can sit above or below a crew neck, sometimes you even want it a bit longer so it overlaps the shirt. It’s a nice look when wearing a lower v-neck, to have a necklace hang just above it with your bare skin as the back drop. But with crew neck tops or dresses, the necklace can sit on top of your shirt between your chest and the top of your neckline and look great. If you have a larger chest, you want to make sure a necklace is either just above your cleavage or much lower and weighted down, so it doesn’t get hooked on one side, if you know what I mean! (LOL) That kind of repeated “wardrobe malfunction” would get annoying throughout the day!!!

The photo above will take you to my necklace section and in each of the listings, you’ll see lots of photos of each piece, including a modelled shot, so you can see where the necklace falls and how it hangs. (To gauge size and fit, my snug neck measurement is 13 1/4 inches.) The larger a neck is, the shorter the necklace will sit.

Check out this quick video on how to measure your neck and see how necklaces of different lengths fit with different tops! (You don’t need to have a TikTok account to watch this video, and it will open a separate window so you don’t lose this blog!)

If you want a shorter necklace to show just above the necklace and not disappear under it, measure your neck with a flexible tape measure (you can get one from a dollar store or check your household sewing kit), and add 2 - 3 inches. If you’re looking for a beaded necklace to wear with a specific top or dress, try it on as you measure so you can estimate the length based on where you’d like it to fall.

You’ve probably heard of the term “choker” but there are other nicknames for necklace lengths! Sometimes searching by numbers and definitely a range of numbers can be tricky because there may be variance in how a necklace is listed by the designer/seller/brand, like using number words instead of actual numbers, or listing a series vs range of numbers (like 15, 16, 17 inches vs, 15 - 17 inches) so the nicknames might be a better way to search for a necklace of a specific length. There may be a variance between brands, but the range below is what I use to describe my necklaces. Click on these links to see which of my necklaces fall into these length categories:

Choker (15 - 17 inches)

Princess (17 - 19 inches)

Matinee (20 - 24 inches)

Opera (26 - 34 inches)

Rope (36 inches) I don’t have any at the moment, but I do have some extra long lanyards, so check those out or request a custom necklace!

Are clasps included in the length of a necklace?

Yes! Mine are, because clasps and the finishing parts contribute to the overall length of a necklace. So when you order a necklace of a specific length, I will take the clasp dimensions into account. I do jewelry math! :)

Here’s a link to my ALL of my women’s necklaces where you can browse by photo and click to see more photos and details about each piece. Each one is unique, so you’ll definitely find a piece to suit your the aesthetic and style!

Please remember, one of the advantages to shopping at my online boutique is that if you fall for a necklace that isn’t your ideal length, just let me know and I can “perfect” it for you!

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