 |
| 27" Leather and Pendant Necklace |
When shopping for a mens necklace online or for a gift, the length is an important consideration. Just as important as the design and materials, the style of a mens necklace and how it will be worn factor into the selection of a good length based on where it will drape on your chest.
Necklace lengths that are right for an individual’s style are determined by how you will usually wear them. If you regularly wear your necklaces on a bare chest, over a T-shirt or tank top, even underneath a shirt, consider the best choice of necklace length for your personal look.
It is typical for length descriptions of mens necklaces to be approximate, since measurements can be rounded off. Some manufacturers measure the necklace without the closures, so consider that the lengths given may not be precise. How a necklace will drape has an affect on the overall appearance of a necklace when worn, but since material weights and pendant weights will influence each one differently, model depictions may also be inaccurate. To add to the confusion, shirt sizes are not a good way determine a good necklace length since a neck measurement is taken above where a necklace will lay. Body structure and muscle mass also effect how and where a necklace hangs on a chest.
One of the easiest ways to measure where a necklace might fall on your chest or what length you want to look for is to place a washer on a string and knot it where you want your necklaces to fall when it is around your neck. Take it off, cut the string in one location and measure the distance from one cut to the other. Do the reverse if you are considering a necklace and know the length measurement.
Length Comparison
To provide a general picture of length draping, the photograph from PalmLeather.com shows the most common lengths in the marketplace, when placed on a mens torso with a shirt size 'Medium' and a 15-151/2” neck size. The addition of weight such as from a pendant would likely cause each necklace to lower slightly in the center, but unless it is heavy, the droop is more of a "centering" on the chest. Additionally, the type of necklace material will influence the drape of a necklace. For example, a chain necklace will lay differently than a leather necklace. The photograph illustrates approximate necklace draping using rubber cording (buno); a popular necklace material.
Some necklaces are adjustable, providing some variance in length. This is especially true of cotton or leather designs that may offer extra length for wearing or removal with an adjustment option. Ball type chain necklaces are easily shortened to a desired length although most look better when worn at longer lengths.
For some guys who wear more than one necklace at a time, different lengths might not matter unless you want them all the same or for one to stand out from the rest. In any case, with the huge popularity of mens necklaces and a wide selection available, there is likely a length just right for every personal style.
