Nothing ruins a perfect outfit like mismatched, cheap or inappropriate jewelry.  Jewelry is supposed to be the cherry on top for each of outfit; the element that adds a bit to sparkle to complete a look.  The biggest challenge is wearing jewelry without going overboard or being unnoticeable. Therefore this guide will help you manage the  four most commonly worn pieces of jewelry are earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, showing you which ones to wear together and when.

First the basic rules;

Necklaces

A necklace can be used to accentuate one’s height.  If you are very short and want to appear taller, then choose necklaces that are longer especially those that are V-shaped or Y-shaped.  They should go below your bosom but not pass your waist.

If you are tall and want the attention away from your height, choose necklaces that are short either 16 or 18 inches that rest on your collarbone. Choker necklaces can also work to make you look shorter.

When choosing necklaces you also want to think about the volume or chunkiness of the necklace. a large boned or full figured woman will want a necklace that has a little bit of volume – perhaps large chunky stones or a thick link. If you are petite, however larger jewelry may not look right on you and you may want to choose something more delicate.

Earrings

Earrings can work towards or against the shape of your face. Depending on the shape of your face, you can use particular earring styles to emphasize or de-emphasize flaws in the shape. When we talk about face shapes we are referring to the basic shapes of round, rectangle or, heart-shaped, oval, or square

Those with an oval shaped face are the luckiest because they can wear pretty much any style and look good. If your face is round, however, you don’t want to emphasize the fullness so you want to stay away from big button style earrings or hoops. Long earrings or square or rectangular shapes will help to elongate your face.

Heart-shaped faces are thinner by the chin and so you want to wear earrings that can widen out your chin such as triangular shapes or chandeliers.

If your face is long or rectangular shaped you don’t want to wear longer dangling earrings as this will tend to elongate your face. Stick with smaller stubs to match your face shape.

Bracelets and Rings

A lot of times when you talk or when you’re just sitting around your hands are up near your face so you want to choose your bracelets and rings so that the compliment your face as well as your hands.

If you are petite then large chunky bracelets might look awkward, so delicate thin bracelets might be the way to go. On the other hand if you’re large boned or even medium-sized you might look best with a wide bracelet or a stack of bracelets.

When choosing rings, you want to think about the shape of your fingers. Are they long and elegant or short and stubby? Either way you want to make sure your ring does not go over the knuckle as this Is not only uncomfortable but rarely looks good on any hand.

Wearing statement pieces     

If you choose a statement necklace, pair it with a simple and small pair of delicate earrings (or no earrings at all!), a watch or small bracelet, and a few delicate rings. Do not add any other statement pieces.

If you choose statement earrings, pair them with a tiny, delicate necklace. You can add more than one bracelet, but keep them subdued enough that your wrists don’t compete with your ears. And then keep your rings simple and subtle as well.

If you choose a large wrist cuff or stack of bracelets, keep your earrings more subtle (although you can choose something bolder than a pair of tiny studs), your necklace thin and delicate, and your rings super simple (especially if you have a lot of bracelets right next to your hands)

If you choose a statement ring, keep the rest of your fingers empty. One or two super delicate rings is the most you want to add to your hands. Since rings are so far away from your ears and neck, statement earrings and necklaces are okay, just as long as they complement, and don’t compete.

Mixing metals

Mixing a wrist of gold and silver jewelry or a few rose gold and gold necklaces is really beautiful. But if you are wearing all gold jewelry and then one random piece in a different metal, it looks out of place and not cohesive.

Choose one arm

When it comes to bracelets, one arm is usually the one that holds them. Both wrists full of jewelry is too much. But if you feel unbalanced in your wrists (when one is stacked high with bracelets), you can add a couple to your empty arm. Just make sure that one arm is obviously the hero arm and you keep the balance. You could also do a watch on one arm and a stack of bracelets on the other.

Layers

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Actress Tracee Ellis Ross attends “Bvlgari Celebrates Valentine’s Day At Its New Rodeo Store” at the Bvlgari Store on February 12, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images)

American talk show host Oprah Winfrey calls it a gypsy moment. Layering pieces of jewelry together can be fun but remember to create balance within each group of jewelry. Mix thick and delicate bracelets together. Mix regular and midi rings on the same finger. Layer short necklaces with long necklaces. It’s so fun to create personalized stacks of jewelry, just as long as you keep the proportions.

Tip of the day

Once you’ve decided on all your jewelry, put it on, and then take one thing off.  Keep your look practical and simple; remember less is always more!