When choosing the best jewelry to wear to the office, remember that less is more, especially in professional settings!
When choosing office-appropriate jewelry, look for pieces that are minimal, lightweight, and comfortable. Aim for wearing pieces that will not be a distraction in the workplace and will be wearable for many hours without causing you any discomfort. When accessorizing for the office, remember your jewelry should accentuate your professional attire, not be the focal point of your outfit!
How much jewelry is appropriate in the workplace?
A good rule of thumb is to stick with only 2 or 3 pieces of jewelry. By only choosing a few pieces of jewelry, you can avoid the dreaded “over-accessorized” look. With 2 to 3 pieces of matching jewelry, you can easily hit that sweet spot of looking effortlessly refined. For example, wearing a necklace and a pair of earrings together can make your look much showier, which may not be what you are aiming for at the office.
Of these 2 to 3 pieces, you can keep them all minimal or make one of them a statement piece. But, choose your statement piece wisely! Something like a bold bib necklace or eye-catching dangly earrings can look amazing, but only when they aren’t clashing with your attire. Another good thing to keep in mind is the noise level – it’s best to leave the loud pieces of jewelry for other occasions outside of the office. Jingling and jangling around the office quickly becomes distracting and detracts from your professionalism.
Building Your Office Jewelry Collection
Before you begin building your collection of jewelry to wear to the office, consider what your work wardrobe consists of. If you are a fan of wearing eye-catching, bold outfits, then go for classic, minimalistic jewelry pieces that will work with many different colors and patterns.
If your wardrobe features mostly neutral basics, then you have a little more freedom to throw in pops of color and interesting jewelry designs with more of your outfits. Give yourself the power to mix and match your pieces by filling out your collection with pieces that will all go together seamlessly.
Daily wear will take a toll on your jewelry pieces, so investing in quality, timeless pieces will ensure their durability and longevity. Nobody likes having a necklace break during an important meeting or an earring go missing during the day. While these pieces of jewelry will have a higher price tag, you’ll be able to enjoy them for much longer than their cheaper counterparts and you can trust they won’t break apart at just the wrong moment.
Office Jewelry Examples
Necklaces can easily make or break an outfit. Whether you are going for an eye-catching statement necklace or you prefer a few simple layered ones, one way to ensure that it works with your outfit is to match it to your shirt or dress’s neckline. A good necklace and neckline pairing will maintain balance in your outfit and look far more flattering. Learn more about choosing complementary necklaces here.
A bold, unique ring is a great way to incorporate your personality into your jewelry choices for the office. As long as it is not distracting to you, a statement ring is excellent for adding something striking to your outfit that won’t be too over-the-top. And, of course, engagement rings and wedding bands are always appropriate to wear to the office – just make sure your other ring choices will match and not clash with them!
If you prefer wearing bracelets to the office, keep your choices on the minimal side. Try to only wear one or two bracelets. If you lead meetings and tend to talk with your hands, a bracelet adds an elegant touch, but avoid ones that are noisy or clunky. These bracelets can end up drawing your coworkers’ attention in a bad way and they will miss what you are saying.
For earrings, it’s best to choose ones that will be comfortable to wear all day. Simple stone studs are always a great choice and can go with many different outfits. Small hoops, whether they are just precious metal or have some stones on them, are excellent additions to any jewelry collection. Simple drop earrings can easily add elegance to your work outfit, as well.
When choosing earrings, keep the shape of your face in mind. Certain earring styles will look better on certain face shapes – check our guide to find out which earrings go best with your face shape!
