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Can You Wear Gold and Silver Jewelry Together?
You've probably heard the age-old style advice not to wear gold and silver together. What used to be a fashion faux pas is now widely embraced in the 2020s. The fun thing about fashion rules is that they change with the whims of the designers who are bold enough to influence them. There was a time when royals only wore gold and silver, but that has changed too.
This bit of old advice has always been circulated because gold tends to be a warm metal, and silver is cool, so they bring out different skin tones. While it can make it challenging to mix metals–it's not impossible. In fact, we're seeing more designers create mixed metal pieces that work. Forget the notion that it is tacky or bad luck to wear gold and silver jewelry together. Here are some great tips for making mixed metals work for you.
Wearing Gold and Silver Jewelry Together
Some might say it looks tacky, but mixing gold and silver jewelry can be very on-trend when it's done right. Keep in mind that when using the word “tacky,” some people are holding on to outdated style advice, and others could be referring to an example of poor taste. Either way, the idea that people should wear their gold and silver separately is arguably best left in the past, especially if you know how to leverage them together in a balanced and stylish way.
But how, exactly, do you balance your gold and silver jewelry together well? How do you know if you’ve gone too far or just aren’t pulling off the look you’re striving for?
Below, we’ll discuss some of the tips, tricks, and practices you can leverage when donning a stellar combination of gold and silver jewelry to help ensure you’re elevating your style without stepping into the so-called realm of “tacky.”
USE AN ANCHOR PIECE
There is definitely a right and a wrong way to wear gold and silver jewelry together. When choosing which pieces to wear, keep in mind that less is more. It's better to choose a couple of intentional pieces than to put a piece of jewelry on every ear, finger, and wrist.
Even when you’re not trying to find a balance when combining silver and gold accessories, wearing too much jewelry can quickly lead to an unflattering look. In some cases, you might even find yourself in a situation where it looks more like your jewelry is wearing you rather than the other way around.
It’s generally best to start with a primary or anchor piece of jewelry you can build around by adding other accessories to your outfit to avoid this issue, especially when mixing metals. The goal of the additional accessories should be to complement the anchor piece and help keep your outfit as balanced as possible.
Related: How to Wear a Statement Necklace
Choose one primary piece of jewelry to be the focal point of your other accessories or even your whole outfit. This is usually a statement necklace, but a pair of chandelier earrings or layered bangles work well too. Any other pieces you choose to wear should be based on this anchor piece. If you want to mix metals, try to find an anchor piece that already incorporates gold and silver.
Coordinate with Aesthetics
Everything doesn't need to be a perfectly matched set. Focus on coordinating colors, patterns, or themes to bring a cohesive look with mixed metals instead. Keep all pieces small, dainty, and simple if you prefer a minimalist look. If you want to go bold with a big statement necklace, pair it with a sizable pair of studs.
Other elements to coordinate:
- Gemstones
- Pearls
- Drop Style Pendants
- Vintage Style
- Boho Style
When you coordinate your jewelry based on aesthetics, it can take a lot of the pressure off the need to ensure that everything matches perfectly- which can be tricky to accomplish when matching metals. By focusing on matching the aspects above, you can easily pull together a wide selection of gorgeous jewelry that work well together, even if they’re made of different metals like gold and silver.
Mix and Match by Strategically Layering Pieces
Layered looks seem to be a popular way to mix and match your metals. Stacked rings or bracelets and multiple necklaces can take ordinary pieces and turn them into a collective statement piece look. But layering can also go very wrong.
We already mentioned how wearing too much jewelry can quickly lead to a fashion disaster, so you must be careful about what pieces you layer and how many you leverage at once.
We recommend that you begin by deciding what style you're going for. If you're layering for everyday casual, it will look different than if you are layering for a cocktail party. For Zoom, go minimal. Mix it up with something fun and quirky for a dinner date that highlights your personality.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Layering Jewelry
Next, choose one focal point. There's no need to adorn your entire body with every piece of jewelry you own. Of course–you love it all. That's why you've carefully selected it for your collection. But you only need one focal point. A pair of earrings or a necklace with presence can be a good choice.
Keep patterns random. If you're stacking rings, avoid repetitive patterns like gold, silver, gold, silver. Lay it out and see what works. Sometimes the color of the gold or the sheen of the metal can make a big difference when coordinating one metal with another.
Lackore Couture is a handcrafted line of jewelry that is a little fun and unique. Dress up your personal style with our trendy pieces. Shop now.
Do Gold and Silver React Negatively to Each Other?
Perhaps you've heard that gold and silver should not be stored together. There is some truth to that, but it's not what you think. It applies to long-term storage and not styling an outfit that you'll wear for a few hours. Let's take a look.
Silver is an active metal, meaning that exposure to oxygen causes oxidation over time, turning the silver black on the surface. Gold does not oxidize. If you tend to store mixed metals together, some of the oxidation from your silver jewelry can transfer to the gold, causing discoloration.
You may notice a smoky white or reddish-black discoloration on your gold jewelry. This tarnish on your gold and silver jewelry can be cleaned off with soap and warm water. So it doesn't permanently damage your mixed metals. And even when you store them separately, each will lose its luster to tarnish over a few months. So, you might clean your mixed metals more frequently, but you'll be cleaning your jewelry all the same.
Related: How to Store Jewelry
Cleaning Gold and Silver Jewelry
Silver-plated and gold jewelry can be cleaned by diluting a few drops of mild soap in warm water and placing the jewelry in the mixture. Use your fingertips to gently rub the pieces clean. Then, remove them from the soapy water and rinse them under warm water. Dry and buff the pieces with a soft, lint-free cloth, to avoid damaging the metal or any of the adornments included on the piece.
Pure silver jewelry can be cleaned the same way as real silver flatware. Line a bowl with aluminum foil and dissolve baking soda and salt into boiling water. Transfer the water to the aluminum foil-lined bowl and submerge your jewelry. Let it sit for up to 10 minutes. Carefully remove the jewelry from the bowl and rinse under warm water—Dry and buff with a soft, lint-free cloth.
Whether you should rely on weekly, monthly, or occasional cleanings of your gold and silver jewelry depends on how regularly you use them, what kind of pieces they are, and how quickly they seem to tarnish. Many jewelry experts recommend cleaning your jewelry at least once a month to keep them looking as gorgeous as possible.
However, pieces that tend to get dirtier more often- like earrings and rings- can be cleaned bi-weekly. Doing so should help prevent their loss of color and luster while ensuring they stay as hygienic as possible.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON MIXING METALS
So, can you wear gold and silver jewelry together? The answer is an absolute yes! You can wear gold and silver together if you're intentional about choosing the right pieces that are coordinated using a theme or style instead of metal. Keeping a few essential style rules in mind, you can create a trendy look with mixed metals. But more importantly, by letting go of outdated advice, you avoid looking too matchy-matchy.
Our passionate team of jewelry artisans at LaCkore Couture sincerely hope you’ll take our advice and let go of those outdated rules about what jewelry you can and can’t wear together. Take the chance to experiment and discover your unique style using a gorgeous combination of gold and silver pieces! Don’t let anyone try to hold you back!
If you’d like a little help finding the best pieces to combine to help elevate your look or add a crucial finishing touch to a few of your favorite outfits, please consider checking out our shop!
We offer a massive range of gold and silver necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings that are bound to help you master the art of mixing and matching your jewelry.
Lackore Couture is your go-to for unique and trendy handcrafted jewelry. Browse our collections for your mixed metal style today.
