Do you remember the days when it was a total fashion faux-pas if mixed metal jewellery was worn together? The shock of wearing a gold bracelet and a silver necklace - gone. The days of single coloured metal ensembles are no more, as they can appear too matchy-matchy, instead of modern. Now, mixed silver and gold jewellery has become one of the hottest fashion trends and is considered a stylish way to accessorise.
You’ve likely built up a collection of various colours of jewellery as trends have changed over time, so it may be daunting to hear that you can now get them all out and mix them. This is because it’s not as simple as just popping on a silver ring and a gold bangle. Too much of one metal creates a loud clash of colour and if you wear too many metallic, the shine can be so distracting.
Luckily, we have put together a style guide on how to mix silver and gold jewellery and look stylish doing so. But first, there are a few things to consider before wearing mixed silver and gold jewellery…
1. Wedding Rings Don’t Count
As you’re likely to wear your wedding ring every day and will hardly take it off, it doesn’t need to be counted in your accessory additions. Who needs the stress of worrying about if your wedding ring is gold and your favourite bracelet is silver? So, when thinking about how to wear mixed metal jewellery, exclude your wedding ring.
2. Don’t Try to Match Hardware
Almost all accessories have hardware on them, whether it’s a purse, a pair of boots or some sunglasses. They could have zippers or buckles, you name it. So, unless the hardware is a major part of the piece, there’s no need to consider these when combining mixed metal jewellery. However, if this is going to stress you out, we recommend buying accessories with less hardware on them.
Right, now those are out of the way, let's get on with how to style your mixed metal jewellery.
3. Consider the Main Jewellery Areas
The main jewellery areas are the regions on a person’s body where jewellery is typically worn - the neck, ears, wrists and fingers. When styling your mixed silver and gold jewellery, you don’t need to accessorise all of these areas. Instead, what you want to do is consider the placement of your pieces. If you have some mixed gold and silver earrings, ensure that they are a similar theme or size as this creates a chic look.
4. Layers, Layers and More Layers
When wearing mixed metal jewellery, it’s extremely common to layer up different pieces on top of each other.
Can You Layer Silver and Gold Necklaces?
Layering silver and gold necklaces are a perfect example of wearing mixed metal jewellery well. If you usually wear a set of necklaces that are all matching and one colour, try to find one or two necklaces that are a different metal with a similar style and swap them in for ones in your set. When layering necklaces, try to opt for ones that are various lengths to avoid them tangling together.
It’s not just necklaces that you can layer, it works the same way with other pieces. For example, if you have a watch that’s one metal, try adding a bracelet or bangle of the other metal and pop them all on the same wrist. Wearing mixed metal jewellery all in one place makes it look intentional and stylish.
5. Balance
Even though we’ve talked about layering, it’s important when you do this that you think about the balance of your pieces. So, when you’ve layered your mixed silver and gold jewellery, take a step back and assess whether you’ve got too much of one metal colour on. For example, a few gold bracelets and a silver rings - can you mix silver into your wrist more? When wearing mixed metal jewellery, try to combine silver and gold jewellery evenly throughout your look, like some mixed gold and silver earrings or necklaces.
6. Tone
There are two types of tone that you can consider when wearing mixed metal jewellery. The first is choosing metals that complement your skin tone. Yellow and rose gold complement warmer skin undertones, whereas silver and white gold complement cooler undertones. If you’re unsure of what your skin’s undertone is, you can identify it here.
The second type of tone that you need to think about when wearing mixed silver and gold jewellery is the overall tone of the piece. Different types of jewellery communicate different tones, for example, pendant necklaces appear young and carefree, whilst gemstones signal femininity and sophistication.
7. Put Some Thought Into It
Even though wearing mixed metal jewellery is now thought to be modern and trendy, you still need to think about the pieces you put together. They need to have a purpose. Don’t just throw different styles and metals together, as this is still a no-no. As long as you layer correctly to strike the right balance, your mixed silver and gold jewellery will look like they belong together.
8. Find a Mixed Metal Piece
So, to answer the question ‘is it OK to mix metals in jewellery?’, the answer is yes, but it needs to be well-thought-out. If you’re unsure that you’ll be able to keep up with our style tips, don’t worry. An alternative is to just buy a mixed metal piece that naturally incorporates two or more metals already. For example, some mixed gold and silver earrings or necklaces. This will cut your work in half.
We hope you found our guide on how to mixed silver and gold jewellery inspiring. Get mixing those metals today with our collection of mixed silver and gold plated jewellery, including gold necklaces, gold earrings and gold bracelets as well as silver necklaces, silver earrings and silver bracelets.
