It's interesting - I wouldn't have thought of you, sterling, as a statement necklace person. I
am not one myself. I think it has to do with aesthetic preferences as well as one's preferred level of 'busyness' in outfits. It's not that I never wear necklaces, but they're never the bold, third piece kind. When I've worn those sorts in the past I feel it's forced and too much for me.

Then again, someone earlier in the thread used the phrase "minimalist statement necklace" which to me is an oxymoron, so I guess it depends on what you mean by statement necklace.

After reading these posts, I too am beginning to wonder if the reason I am having trouble identifying necklaces I like is because I don't really like them on myself. I truly enjoy them on other women, but I rarely ever wear necklaces (statement or otherwise). If I should be wearing one, I take it off the minute I walk in the door.

Perhaps I accidentally went down a wrong lane? Luckily I have only looked. Not one single item tempted me and I haven't spent any money.

I love wearing necklaces, and they are often my third piece, but everything I've seen described as a "statement" necklace looks just awful to me--huge and tasteless. A third piece needs to have some substance to it--think beads, not chain--but I don't think it has to be all that. I would forget "statement" for now and just find a couple necklaces that you really like. Take selfies (full length) and look to see if you need to scale up to get that third-piece effect. Baby steps.

"I have accepted that..." sounds like doomsday, and this should be fun!

Looks like we cross-posted. Never mind! If you take your necklace off the moment you get home, you're just not a necklace person!

I have some necklaces that are chunky for me, but not huge and gaudy like in the stores. I think it has to do with scale. I look best with medium scale jewelry because of my medium bone structure. People with fine bone structure need smaller scale jewelry, while people with large bone structure need large scale.

Necklaces have never been my "thing" although I admire them on others. I currently own 3--which I wear sporadically. On the other hand, I adore wearing scarves, so I put my lack of necklace love down to personal taste--in the same category as stilettos, pointy-toed shoes, printed tops, mid-calf skirts, and designer satchels. Great on others, but not for me. Which, to me, is the essence of why it's called PERSONAL style.

I love necklaces but am very choosy about what works for me. I used to feel sort of weird in some of the ones I chose but have since passed those on to others to enjoy. I don't even have an explanation of what I prefer other than it has to have some sort of "organic" feel I guess. I don't like bright colors, turquoise, huge statement pieces, too ethnic, etc. I like more neutral styles in necklaces just like my clothing I suppose. Usually I find one or two each year to add to my collection.

If you haven't tried many Sterling, maybe you should give it a go and try a few on in the store (in the dressing room where you have privacy). Wear something you want to add a necklace to and see which ones feel like they might work. Don't pressure yourself to purchase, just take mental notes or even photos to look at later.

Sterling, what are the reasons you take your necklaces off? Too much weight around your neck, or???

Due to an autoimmune condition, my fingertips are constantly numb and I also lack a thumbnail on one hand. Thus, I have a heck of a time working necklace clasps so I have a hard time putting necklaces ON. Removing them is barely easier. I generally have to try a number to get the right look, including length, I want. But for some reason, I keep buying necklaces.

You can always go for statement earrings or statement bracelets or statement bags or statement prints or. . .

Donna -- I take off all my jewelry/watches/shoes/bra when I come home. I change into what I consider my "lounging clothes." It is like I am "transitioning" from my professional persona to my private persona. Probably more of a mental thing than a comfort thing because I doubt I even realize I am wearing jewelry in the office.

On a side note: I have been shopping necklaces this afternoon just to get an idea of what catches my eye. I seem to gravitate toward beaded necklaces more than any other style. I also seem to like blues and silver.

Sterling, my friend swears by Rocksbox, it is like Stitchfix for jewelry.

I wear statement necklaces but pretty much all of them are hand made by local makers:). This is a great way to get quality and reasonable prices and also have something a little unique. xxx

I keep checking in because I am dwelling on this exact issue myself. I'm all about sort-of functional minimalism and I don't tolerate fussiness at all. On the flip side, I feel like my outfits look a little bare or unfinished, so I've been considering adding another piece. Statement necklaces don't seem right for me. Maybe not scarves either. So I've been thinking about other ways to add interest--more textural blouses like a chunkier or ribber knit, a layering tee or dickie showing at either the neck or the hem, bigger earrings, dressier belts, statement shoes. The outfits in the inspo photos I pin generally aren't accessorized. I know that these outfits really make an impact because of the high-end fabrications and excellent cut, but maybe they also get a lot of interest from graphic poses and photo cropping?

Yes, I don't like the ones that a lot of the stores seem to be showing-sort of large fake gems. But there are many others available, and, as mentioned before, multiple strands also work well. Sounds like you are starting to figure out what you like.

Emily wrote: I'm all about sort-of functional minimalism and I don't tolerate fussiness at all. On the flip side, I feel like my outfits look a little bare or unfinished, so I've been considering adding another piece.

I am all about functional minimalist (although I didn't know that term until just this moment)!!!! I can't tolerate fussiness AT ALL!!!!!

When we were all doing that 30 x 30 challenge, I hesitated to post WIWs because I was always wearing one simple top and one nondescript bottom. No third piece (a topper would have been out of the question and earrings didn't seem to function as a third piece). I felt bare and unfinished. I was honestly embarrassed. But I couldn't exactly put my finger on the problem.

Then when I was in Atlanta I saw women using amazing necklaces to finish their ensembles!! It was all so obvious to me that all I needed was a necklace to "finish" my ensembles.

I should note that the women I was researching were in a significantly different financial class in comparison to me. Their necklaces stood out as unique, fascinating, and one-of-kind. When I say "statement" I don't necessarily mean big. I think I mean "WOW."

So the next step in my style journey is to learn to finish my outfits. I like the idea of a necklace in concept, but I seem to be having trouble implementing the idea. I am not sure what the problem is. I certainly love necklaces on other women and I have certainly browsed necklaces in stores and the internet, yet I consistently walk away. I walk away because nothing says my name. Nothing speaks to me.

This is going to be an ongoing process. I am happy with my wardrobe. Now I want to consciously add a third piece. As the weather cools down, I can experiment with scarfs. I can start playing with some of the necklaces I currently own to see what works and what doesn't work. I am going to consider this more "data gathering" than anything else. I don't have to buy anything I just have to experiment and seek formulas.

I pinned this necklace guide eons ago - although I haven't worn necklaces much in the past year or so.

I also found this older post recently, on how to wear a scarf as a statement necklace in warmer weather. I wish I had found this back in May!
http://www.maitaispicturebook......-high.html

More scarves as necklaces on Maitai: http://www.maitaispicturebook......0necklaces

LBD? Did you include the necklace link?

The first scarf link is genius.

Maybe someone has already suggested this but I wonder if you've gone to Finds here on YLF and just looked at necklaces to see if any of those strike your fancy?

I didn't think of that TexStyle. What a good idea.

What you and Emily K said really resonates with me. I feel like I am making progress on the basics, but need more finish. Yet in my very casual life, necklaces and scarves often feel fussy. Angie's point about needing to get used to accessories is a good one too. Lots of great ideas in this thread - thank you to all for their thoughts!

I think I like scarves because they can be thrown on casually and removed easily. A necklace seems like more of a commitment. I wear toppers frequently but also like the additional pattern/texture possibilities of scarves since I don't wear a lot of patterned clothing.

This is the link that necklace photo came from, on Pinterest. I haven't really looked at the website, I don't know if it's a legit blog or one of those sketchy sales sites. I think the site was using someone else's photo.

http://luxuria-jewellery.blogs.....-your.html

ETA: looks like a legit blog. I'm always skeptical about Pinterest.

Thanks LBD. The cheat sheet will come in handy.

Do you wear any necklace at all?
Maybe start small, like a small strand of pearls and see how you feel about it.

Do you wear rings?
A belt? There was a blogger who wore a red belt every day as her signature item.

You could also make a print a your statement. Like a leopard print belt or watch or shoes. If you keep it small, it won't feel too loud.

But yes, you need to add something to your outfits, IMO.

Thanks Smittie. I agree with you. I do wear pearls. I own beautiful sets of pearls. But I do need to start adding in some sort of third element.

Maybe consider some varying lengths (and maybe colors) of pearl strands to layer together, depending on the shape and neckline of your top? Stacking a few simpler necklaces can be a statement, too, and gives you options to go sleek or complex depending on outfit and mood.

Just did an Etsy search for "long pearl necklace" and there are lots of options, including some that mix leather or other materials for some interesting and different effects. I kind of like this one, which can be worn long or wrapped around twice to make it shorter (or five times around the wrist as a bracelet):

https://www.etsy.com/listing/2.....ather-long

I'm jumping back in here - this is an interesting thread - because you've said something that struck a chord with me. You used the words "bare and unfinished" , describing how you felt when wearing a plain top and plain bottom. You know, I love a minimal aesthetic, and one thing I've noticed from years of reading fashion magazines and studying editorial shoots and looking at photos of stylishly and minimally dressed women is that they use hair and makeup to make a statement that SUPPORTS their minimalism and creates further definition to their look.....thereby taking away that "bare" look. The ones who do it best often have bolder brows, maybe a bolder lip, and carefully cut and coloured hair that works with this pared-back look. I wish I had the kind of hair that could support this look - you know, strongly -swept back and richly coloured .....Then you can get away with wearing just a turtleneck, pants and loafers and not look like you didn't finish getting dressed. Sorry for rambling - maybe this was more for my own entertainment than yours - lol.

Whoops, I see that is was Emily K who used those words, not you. Sorry.

@Lisap, what you wrote about what you've observed in magazines about this minimal look is so interesting. I'd love to see some photos of the women you're thinking of -- especially what the
"strongly swept back hair" looks like. (maybe in a different thread if it's interesting enough to you to start a new one.) I think you've put words to something I've been thinking about but don't have the ability to picture for myself.

I agree that a distinctive belt can be your third piece. Don't know if you wear belts, though.

I have only skimmed the comments and plan to come back to read more when I am able. But I did want to pop in and say I empathize with your situation here, as I am another who feels a bit helpless in the face of jewellery (especially necklaces) and frustrated at how others seem to "get it" so effortlessly.

Like you, I had at one time an idea that a necklace might become my "third piece" especially in summer -- but alas, that was not to be and I finally had to acknowledge it. First, I haven't got a clue about how to pick them, and the reason is, I don't truly enjoy wearing most of them! Like you, I'd rip them off the minute I got in the door.

Ironically, the minute I accepted that, I started finding necklaces I like!! I'm not joking. I now have a lovely and distinctive, minimalist choker style necklace that works inside a shirt collar type top. (An anniversary gift from Mr. Suz). I also have a slightly more elaborate necklace with turquoise stones that is adjustable at several shorter lengths. Add a couple of pendants of various sizes on longer and shorter chains -- including my latest "fitness monitor," which is called a Bellabeat Leaf Urban, and can be worn as a necklace, clip, or bracelet. (I mostly wear it as a clip and sometimes inside my clothing so it is invisible -- but it is nice to have an option). Finally, I added big blingy thing full of sparkles for when I need to go out.

All of these are lovely. All are my favoured silver tone metal (some with additional stoens.) and I truly enjoy wearing them. ON OCCASION.

But they cannot be my reliable "third piece." Nor are they my "signature" jewellery. Signature jewellery means earrings (which never make me feel unlike myself), my watch, a bracelet, and sometimes a belt. Also a substantial ring.

Like Gaylene, I love scarves. i wear those pretty easily. But a necklace is another thing entirely and it is not for me.

Why can't your fabulous bags be your "third piece"?