How to Choose the Right Jewellery for High Fashion Events

High fashion events call for a more elevated standard of jewellery; it’s a completely different way of styling your outfit, and what you choose needs to be carefully curated with your outfit. It needs to be considered coherent with the overall look and strong enough to make an impact and hold its own, not to be swallowed by the rest of the details.

So how exactly do you do this?

Read The Dress Code First

Before you do anything else, you need to read the dress code for the event. If there is one, this will give you some indication of what type of jewellery you need as you’ll be picking it based on the outfit and then the event itself.

There are different dress codes based on the actual event, i.e. a fashion show will have different rules than a black-tie charity gala or a gallery opening. Meaning, once you know what you need to wear, your jewellery can then be chosen around the outfit. A formal event might require more restraint on your jewellery than a fashion event, where you’ve got more freedom to be creative with your choices.

Let the Silhouette Guide You

The silhouette of your outfit should guide you in every decision you make regarding accessories. If you’re going for a more structured architectural look, then your jewellery needs to be focused more on clean lines with minimal ornamentation. You’re best opting for items that echo the geometry of the outfit, not fight against it.

A fluid draped silhouette can take something with more detail and movement. The trick is to pinpoint key pieces that feel like they belong to the same visual language as the outfit itself.

Pick One Statement Piece

It can often be tempting to go bigger, especially if you’re focusing on pieces of jewellery. But the key here isn’t to go big or flashy for the sake of going big and flashy. 

It’s about choosing a piece that leads the outfit.

It might be a statement ring with a single gemstone standing proud in its setting allowing it to accentuate your outfit. Or a distinctive brooch or bold drop earrings. The idea here is to let everything around the piece support it.

A good choice is to choose an antique piece that is unique and different, so it commands attention without overpowering the outfit. For example, finding the right gemstones in antique rings can give your outfit that subtle elevation that pulls everything together.

Get the Scale Right

The size of the jewellery in relation to where you’re wearing it and the complexity of your outfit matters here. Wearing something too small will mean it gets lost in the outfit, while an overly complex piece going on a detailed outfit can look too much and detract from the final look.

You need to assess the visual weight of the jewellery against the completed look. Factor in how you’ll be wearing your hair and your makeup style, if applicable.

An elaborate updo will change the length of the earrings you wear, while an outfit that sits high on your chest will impact the type of necklace the outfit needs.

Images from the top: Yusuf Celik and Kunal Lakhotia via pexels.com