The Surprising Jewelry Styling Hack That Is a Compliment Magnet

"I love your jewelry" is one of the best compliments someone can give you in our book. You see, wardrobes go in and out of style, and bad-skin days happen, but diamonds are forever. It's an unspoken truth that every jewelry lover knows; we understand that nothing else can make you feel shiny and new again. And while most of us agree on the power of a few great pieces, we don't all agree on one styling method in this community: mixing metals in jewelry.

Wearing silver, gold, and other metals together was once deemed a fashion faux pas, but that's slowly changing. Whether it's via viral jewelry trends or demi-fine jewelry brands, we've seen a surprising embrace of mixed-metal pieces across the board that have made this "breach" in jewelry traditions the new norm. But if you're unsure how to wear gold and silver together, you'll want to keep reading, as we've highlighted 10 styling hacks that will make mixing metals all the more stylish. Plus, we've shopped out the pieces you'll need to pull off this look and attract compliments in the process. 

Tip #1: Stack Silver and Gold Rings

For those who have never dared to wear silver and gold together, let us ease you into it. Start by pairing a simple silver ring with a gold one, either stacked on top of each other to create a sculptural feel or spread out across different fingers. 

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Tip #2: Mix and Match Your Earscape

One of the easiest ways to ease into mixing jewelry metals is through your earscape. If you have multiple ear piercings, mix and match silver and gold earrings and cuffs to create a unique look. 

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Tip #3. Use Diamond Pieces to Pull Gold and Silver Together

Let's be honest: Mixing metals can be tough to figure out, especially if you're wearing pieces from different brands. One of the ways to make the metals look unified is to use diamonds or other stones. It's all about having gemstones that pull together the contrasting metals—e.g., diamond rings in gold styled with bracelets in silver to create a harmonious look.

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Tip #4: Mismatch Your Chain Necklace and Rings

If you're still dubious about mixing metals, then you'll want to follow two simple principles: space and simplicity. Don't style the mismatched jewelry right on top of each other. Instead, choose one part of your body (e.g., hand or ankles) dedicated to gold and another part to silver (possibly your neckline or ears) so that the mismatched metals aren't as obvious. Second, opt for simple, sculptural pieces that will look cool together even if they're not the same metal type. 

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Tip #5: Layer Silver and Gold Cuffs

Another way you can mix and match metals is by layering gold and silver cuffs, bracelets, or bangles. You can opt for dainty ones with diamonds to pull the metals together, or you can lean fully into the look by opting for oversized cuffs.

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Tip #6: Pair a Simple Silver Chain With a Gold One

Once you've gotten comfortable with mixing metals, it becomes easier to start mixing larger statement pieces like necklaces. However, if you're still a bit timid about it, an excellent insider trick is to opt for simple chains around the same length and with a similar plated shine to make it feel cohesive.

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Tip #7: Pair a Watch With a Contrasting Metal Bracelet

An unexpected way you can embrace mixing metals is through timepieces. You can do this one of two ways. The first is removing the hard work by opting for a watch made of gold and silver. Or if you want to get creative with your styling, you can pair your solid metal watch with a tennis bracelet in a contrasting metal.

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Tip #8: Use Pearls to Pull Together Silver and Gold Jewelry

While the most common way to pair mismatched metals together is through diamonds, layering, or even two-tone pieces, there is another surprising way to do the same: pearls. Much like diamonds, pearls look good with both metals, so they act as a unifier, allowing you to mix and match pieces and still look polished. Our tip is to pair at least one gold-setting pearl piece with a silver one to button up the styling. 

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#9. Layer to the Max

When in doubt, the easiest way to pull off styling various metals together is by just committing to it fully—more is more, after all. Don't shy away from layering the silver and gold necklaces, bracelets, and even rings to the max. It may seem a little extra, but we can guarantee it will turn heads (in a good way). 

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#10. Opt for Mixed-Metal Pieces

You've made it to the end of this story, and hopefully by now, you will feel fully confident in your ability to mix jewelry metals. Still, if you find yourself stressed over if you can break this "rule," then you'll want to embrace the most straightforward hack in this story: two-tone jewelry. Buying necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and other pieces with silver and gold takes the stress out of trying to style these metals together and ensures you look stylish. 

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Next: 6 Formerly "Dated" Jewelry Trends That Will Be Big This Fall