Get Stacking
Stacking rings and bracelets: it’s fun right? You get to root around inside your jewelry box, and breathe new life into pieces you’d all but forgotten about. You can mix metals, designs, designers, fashions from every age, all laid out on your forearm or your fingers for the world to see. Stacking can be subtle and bohemian; it can be full-glam and rock star. Sky’s the limit.
There aren’t actually a lot of rules to combining crazy amounts of jewelry to create a statement that’s 100% individual (again, that’s the fun of it). But there are a couple to keep in mind, lest you look like you’re trying to rescue as much jewelry as possible from a house that’s burning down. Bear with us as we give a few pointers on how to accessorize your accessories.
Find Your Base
If you’re just becoming familiar with the subtle intricacies of stacking, start at the roots. Find one piece that you love—that cuff your boyfriend gave you years ago—and pick a theme. Match the metal, for instance, and pick out three or four favorites. Having a dominant base piece, and accessorizing it with a few thinner, more delicate pieces, like chains or thin bangles, can create some great texture while you get used to this whole idea.
Start Mixing
But you don’t want to stay super matchy forever. That’s where tying in different types of metals comes into play. Rings are a fun way to play with this idea: pull out your whole collection, and look everything over. Have a collection of thin, rose gold bands? Put them on your index finger. That chunky, platinum signature piece? Front and center on your ring finger. Play around with something small and delicate on your pinky, and top it off with some subtle geometry by adding a couple of wispy diamond bands on top.
Be Negative
There’s a zen, almost meditative element to stacking jewelry. It’s like one of those Japanese gardens that you meticulously rake and arrange until the stars align. So remember that every square inch of finger and forearm doesn’t need to be occupied—and shouldn’t be. If you’re stacking rings, leave one finger bare for some negative space.
Strike a Balance
You have two arms, and ten fingers. If you’re planning on adorning both arms, veer a little on the side of minimalist. If it’s just the one, be a little more heavy-handed, but leave the other arm bare. If you’re one arm is covered, maybe do a little light, tasteful stacking on the fingers of your other hand to even things out. Coco Chanel once said that a woman should look at herself in the mirror before she leaves the house, and remove one accessory. She was known for piling it on, anyway, so we’ll cut her some slack, but she makes a point: your accessories should accent you—not the other way around.
Refer to Your Wardrobe
Obviously, your style is about way more than your accessories, so take day-to-day clothing into account. Donning a cardigan and a pair of slacks (read: standard office attire) might not play well with the late-‘80s Madonna jewelry treatment. But that doesn’t mean that some modifications can’t be made. Stacking can totally work during the 9-to-5. For instance, if you’re wearing a colorful, poppy outfit, keep the jewelry a little more subdued, opting for a grand total of five or six accessories. Going monotone? Gild it up a bit, and stack on a little more, and let the jewelry speak for itself.
Above all, be yourself. This is a cool trend, precisely because it allows your individuality to come to the surface, all at once. So have fun! That’s what it’s all about anyway, right?
Photo courtesy of Pinner & Co.