With the festive season in full swing and Christmas and New Year parties on the horizon, we take a look at the best jewellery options for wearing to parties and events and how to match your jewellery with your outfit.
Earrings
The neckline of your dress and how you want to wear your hair are factors that should affect your choice of earrings. If the top of your dress has a lot of embellishment, or you will be wearing eye-catching hair accessories, then you may want to opt for a more understated pair of earrings, as you don’t want the earrings and the dress competing for attention.
If you are wearing a simple, classic evening dress, then you can afford for your earrings to be a little bolder. For example, a simple evening dress can be a great partner to some statement earrings that complement the colour of the dress.
These gold and diamond earrings with a white pearl drop are a wonderful example of the type of jewellery you can wear with an evening dress that doesn’t feature a busy neckline. The sparkling diamonds and the white freshwater pearl command attention without being ostentatious, which works particularly well with solid colour dresses, or to complement subtle gold detailing elsewhere in the outfit.
Necklaces
In most situations, a necklace is a perfect pairing for an evening gown, providing a touch of elegance that enhances the whole outfit. When choosing the right jewellery for your evening wear, the neckline of your dress should determine the style of necklace you opt for; for example, a strapless dress would look best with a statement piece that pops out, as it will be set against a neutral backdrop.
There’s no reason that a necklace and a pair of earrings can’t be worn together as part of an evening outfit unless you have particularly large and bold earrings that would make your neckline seem too busy if worn alongside anything else. It’s important to find the right balance between your earrings and your necklace, so try and match pieces that have a similar feature, such as the same type of gemstone.
This sterling silver choker necklace is an incredibly versatile piece for evening wear because it has a timeless design that is perfect for making a subtle statement. This piece can be paired with many different outfits, including an off-the-shoulder dress or a top with a plunging neckline.
Bracelets
You may be starting to see a pattern here, but the type of bracelets you choose for your evening wear should take inspiration from the other jewellery pieces in the outfit. This may mean you balance out chunky jewellery elsewhere by opting for a slimmer, more delicate bracelet with some matching or complementary features, such as the colour of the material. However, if your other pieces aren’t too bold, you may opt to try and match the style for a more uniform look.
This chunky sterling silver bangle is a wonderful addition to many evening wear attires. The concave shape and gently hammered finish provide a unique design while also catching the light in a way that highlights the texture of the piece and provides a hint of sparkle. Even though it is a chunky style, it is still subtle enough to provide graceful contrast even with a formal dress.
Rings
A beautiful ring or two are the perfect finishing touch for evening wear but, once again, you need to be mindful of the other pieces you have on, as not all jewellery works well when it is competing for attention with other pieces.
If you do think your outfit has breathing room for a ring or two, then try to complement the colour, stones and design of the other pieces, especially if you are wearing a bracelet, as the two will be in close proximity, and a clash of styles will be more noticeable.
This chunky statement wrap ring can be worn on its own or with a gold-coloured bangle or bracelet. The contemporary style of this piece is evocative of a gold ribbon wrapped around the finger and makes quite the statement, but the lack of gemstones or additional flourishes means that you can confidently pair it with a complementary bracelet or another ring.
Hopefully this guide to the best jewellery for evening wear has been helpful to you. Your personal taste should always be the most important factor in your choice of jewellery, but it is always best to be mindful of how your different pieces play off each other and your outfit.
If you are looking for inspiration, you can browse our jewellery collections to get started.
