Hooked on Him: How to Buy Your Boyfriend a Necklace He’ll Actually Wear
We curated this list of considerations to keep in mind when looking for a necklace for your boyfriend. Men can be a bit hesitant about wearing jewelry, especially if they haven’t in the past, so it’s important to get it right. With a little help from this article, he’ll be grateful that you introduced him to something new.
Gone are the days when men’s jewelry was defined by wedding rings and watches. The men’s jewelry market continues to be on the rise, with sales of men’s fine jewelry reaching $5.3 billion as of 2017. Of all the jewelry trends in men’s fashion, necklace sales have increased the most in recent years.
There are plenty of advice articles out there for men who want to buy a necklace for their girlfriend or wife. However, the dilemma of how and what to buy for men is largely uncharted territory. Even if you enjoy shopping and are skilled at picking out gifts, deciding where to start can still be dizzying.
Not to worry! We curated this list of considerations to keep in mind when looking for a necklace for your boyfriend. Men can be a bit hesitant about wearing jewelry, especially if they haven’t in the past, so it’s important to get it right. With a little help from this article, he’ll be grateful that you introduced him to something new.
Start Simple
While it’s a rising trend in the fashion world, it may still seem rare for men to wear necklaces, even if they admire them on others. While more commonplace, it’s still outside many guys’ comfort zones, especially if other guys around them haven’t caught on to this style. So for most men, it’s safe to start with something simple that doesn’t overly stand out.
When deciding what would work for him, don’t overthink it! Take into account the same things you would when buying jewelry for a female friend or family member. The most basic things that go into fashion and what looks best on a person, like his body type and frame as well as his skin tone, hair, face shape, and eye color, are the most important considerations.
Of course, if he’s already started his own collection, or you’ve bought something for him in the past, you can go a little further. Pick something that’s different from what he already owns but still matches his overall taste and style.
Show Him Examples
Since social media websites like Instagram and Snapchat are partially responsible for the popularity of men’s jewelry, there is plenty of content to show your man to find out what kind of jewelry he’d like. There are even accounts specifically devoted to men’s jewelry fashion!
Many male celebrities in film, TV, sports, and music wear necklaces and either post about it on their own social media or can be found on magazine and fashion accounts. Find someone he follows that you can point to and say, “Would you want something like that?” or even “I think that would look great on you.” Even men want to emulate their celebrity idols and you can help keep him up to speed.
All Chained Up
As the old saying goes, there are chains that break you and chain that make you. A chain necklace can certainly make him look more sophisticated and stylish if chosen right. If your man pays even a little attention to fashion and likes to be on trend, he’ll definitely want to add a chain necklace or two to his collection.
There are a few list items you’ll want to check off when you search online or in-store for the right chain. These are, in order of importance, length, width, and style.
Length
The impact a chain has on his look is largely determined by the length and width of the chain. Men’s chain necklaces start at or just below the collarbone (about 20 to 22 inches) and can reach all the way to the chest, at around 30 inches. If you’re including a pendant on the chain, be sure to take that into account when choosing the chain length.
Width
The wider the chain, the more noticeable it will be. It’s especially important to make sure that the chain matches his usual style – or at least doesn’t stray too far from it. Does he like to show off and be seen? Then maybe he’d like a wider look, like a The Curb stainless steel heavy curb chain. If you’re buying something for daily wear, something more subtle might be better for the office as well as date night and guys’ night.
Style
The metal used to make a chain can be shaped in different patterns for new twists on a familiar look. Popular men’s chain styles include curb, wheat, foxtail, and figaro (see chart below). Thinner chain styles include the box and rope styles, which can also be seen in women’s chains, but are usually wider for men.
Price ranges vary greatly for chains depending on the type of metal (usually silver, gold, or white gold) and design. If you’re conservative about your spending right now, you can still find a necklace that he’ll want to keep as a go-to accessory. Our collection of affordable men’s jewelry at the Lavari Outlet is proof!
Personalize It with a Pendant
The final frontier in buying men’s necklaces is whether you want to pick out a pendant for him to pair with a chain, leather, rope, or other strand of necklace. A popular choice for men’s necklaces, crosses, come in all shapes and sizes and can even sport a little bling if he’s into that.
Dog tag necklaces can be a great way for your guy to pull off wearing a pendant in the ultimate masculine form. They can look just like Army tags or be stylized with color and texture.
If your guy is a hippie, surfer, or otherwise laid-back kind of person, he might enjoy wearing a men’s choker. This may seem like a throwback, but it’s a trend in men’s jewelry that never really went away. Don’t worry – they’ve evolved since the 90s.
There are many more pendant styles for men to choose from. If you really want to hit him with a thoughtful gift, pick something based on his interests, get the pendant engraved, or have one custom made. While pendants are flashy and can even be a status symbol, some men see them as more feminine and won’t be attracted to that style. If he’s not into them, don’t push the issue or try to convince him otherwise.
Follow His Lead
We don’t have to tell you that any jewelry you wear should align with your overall style, and that applies to your partner as well. If he’s not one to dress flashy on a regular basis, he probably won’t be interested in flashy jewelry, except maybe for special occasions.
Keep in mind what he normally wears and go from there. You don’t want to push your own style – or anyone else’s – onto another person, especially your man. But if he’s not that into jewelry yet, you can give him a reason to be by choosing a piece he’ll want to wear all the time. The holidays are approaching, but you still have plenty of time to look at options. Our Metro collection is designed with men in mind and is a great place to start!