12 May 2026 · Styling · 4 min read
How to layer chains without tangling
Three rules we follow in the studio for chains that hang clean.
Layering is less about adding more and more about choosing what sits where. In the studio we keep a short rule book that lets us combine three or four chains and still have each piece read as itself.
Rule one: vary the gauge. A 1.0mm cable beside a 1.8mm rope reads as intentional; two chains of the same weight read as a mistake. We almost never wear two pieces from the same series at once.
Rule two: stagger the lengths in 5cm increments. Anything closer than that and the clasps wander into each other within an hour of wear. A 40 / 45 / 50 trio is our most-used combination.
Rule three: anchor the stack with one piece that has a pendant or a soldered charm. That single point of weight settles the rest of the chains and stops them from sliding around the collarbone.
If you do tangle, lay the chains flat on a soft cloth, loosen the knot with a sewing pin, and finish with a drop of baby oil. Never pull — gold fill stretches before it snaps.
“A stack should feel composed, not collected. Three pieces chosen well will always beat seven thrown on in a rush.”
Building a starter stack
If you're starting from zero, begin with a 40cm choker in your lightest gauge, a 45cm cable in a medium weight, and a 50cm rope or paperclip with a single pendant. Those three lengths cover almost every neckline in your wardrobe.
We recommend mixing finishes only after you're comfortable with the silhouette. A first stack reads cleanest when everything sits in the same metal family — all warm, all cool, never both on the first try.
Dressing the stack up or down
For the office, drop the pendant chain and let the two shorter pieces do the work under a collar. For evening, swap the medium chain for a soldered piece so the stack stays put through dinner.
On weekends, add a fourth chain — usually a beaded or pearl strand — at the longest length. The texture break keeps the stack from reading too uniform.
The takeaway
- ●Vary chain gauge by at least 0.4mm between pieces.
- ●Stagger lengths in 5cm increments to keep clasps from migrating.
- ●Anchor every stack with one weighted or pendant piece.
- ●Detangle with a pin and a drop of baby oil — never pull.
Written by
Amelia Tan
Founder & Lead Stylist
