How to Mix Metals

For a long time, mixing metals felt like a dirty word we shouldn’t say, nevermind try, especially if you grew up a millennial like me. If you were wearing gold, all metal details and jewelry should be gold, and the same goes for silver. But can we all collectively agree that that’s a tad limiting in terms of creativity and self-expression? Rules are meant to be broken! Today I’m sharing how to effectively mix metals to create your dream jewelry stack.

The Necklace Stack

When incorporating two-tone elements into any stack, it’s important to first consider which tone you want to be the anchor, and which will be more of a whisper. I’m more of a gold girlie, so when I build a two-tone stack, silver tends to be a quiet participant in the stack itself. With any good stack, you want to play with texture, size, visual interest and in this case colour. I started with a gold choker that offers a lot of visual interest based on the size of the link. It gives the look of an old watch band, creating an eye-catching texture. From there I wanted a gold chain that was a bit more simple and classic to balance the statement energy of the choker. For variety in size, I added a thin silver chain for our two-tone whisper, which perfectly fits in between the two other chains. Lastly, I added a hint of personalization with my monogram chain, a letter for me, Niall and our beloved Bitzer.

The Bracelet Stack

I tend to get most adventurous when it comes to a bracelet stack. I love to try different combinations, whether it’s a link style, shape, charms or bigger silver moments. I started this stack with two classic gold bangles, one thicker than the other, but both clean in line and texture. After that I added a bracelet that offers a little more intricacy with the link, creating an almost slinky effect, to juxtapose the other two bangles. From there I started to make it sing with silver, adding a bold squiggle line and a two-tone sphere bracelet. When mixing metals, don’t be afraid to be a little nonsensical when it comes to your pairings, as long as they’re anchored with some simplicity, they’ll tell a beautiful story.

The Ear Stack

Last but certainly not least, a mixed metal ear stack! If you own jewelry pieces that already inhabit both metals, lean into it, my friend. Use the piece as a jumping-off point and let it do the work for you! I love these beautifully classic earrings because they offer an elegant heirloom energy, feeling like an earring of the past, while still being modern for today. To further enhance this mixed metal moment I added simple silver and gold earring cuffs. Mixing metals doesn’t have to be complicated, it can actually be quite simple if you let it! Just go with your instincts and you’ll navigate the exciting new world of mixing metals.

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