A necklace listed at 18 inches means nothing until you know where 18 inches lands on you. Two inches is the difference between a chain that sits neatly in the hollow of your throat and one that disappears under a collar.
Where each length falls
| Length | Where it sits | Works well with |
|---|---|---|
| 14" | Choker — around the base of the neck | Open and off-shoulder necklines, strapless |
| 16" | At the base of the throat, just above the collarbone | Crew necks, most everyday tops |
| 18" | Just below the collarbone | The safest all-round length, and the best for a pendant |
| 20" | Upper chest, a few inches below the collarbone | V-necks, and layering underneath an 18" |
| 24" | At or just above the bust line | Long pendants, worn over knitwear |
These are guides, not laws. A 16-inch chain sits differently on a 13-inch neck than on a 16-inch one, which is why the next section matters.
How to check a length on yourself
Take a tape measure, hold one end at the back of your neck, bring both sides round to the front and let the loop hang. Where it falls is where a necklace of that length will sit. Do it once for 16, 18 and 20 inches and you will never have to guess again.
If you do not have a tape measure, a shoelace and a ruler work the same way.
How our lengths are measured
Every chain length on this site is measured end to end, including the clasp. Some retailers exclude it, which is how a chain arrives an inch shorter than you expected. If an extender chain is included, the listing gives its length separately.
Matching length to neckline
The simplest rule that actually works: a necklace should either sit above the neckline or well below it, never right on the edge of it. A chain that lands exactly on a collar or a neckline competes with the garment and both lose.
- Crew neck: 16" sits above it. 20" and longer sit clearly below. Avoid 18" on a high crew.
- V-neck: follow the V. An 18" or 20" pendant sitting inside the opening looks deliberate.
- Button-down, collar open: 16" sits in the open collar. Longer chains disappear into the placket.
- Turtleneck: go long — 20" or 24" over the fabric.
- Strapless or off-shoulder: a 14" choker, or a short chain with a small pendant.
Layering without tangling
Leave at least two inches between layers. 16" with 20" works; 16" with 18" spends the day twisting around itself. Mix one plain chain with one pendant rather than two pendants, and keep the chain weights different — two identical fine chains tangle more than a fine chain and a heavier one.
Buying for someone else
18 inches is the safest gift length by a wide margin. It works on most necklines and most people, and it is the length most pendant chains are designed around. If you know they wear a choker, 14 or 16. If you have no idea, 18.
Browse necklaces and pendants, or see the full size and fit guide.