Accessories are some of the key elements to make a great outfit. Some people like to wear extravagant earrings and bracelets, and some others are okay with just a subtle necklace with a small pendant.
Sometimes, even if we are not used to wearing many accessories in our daily life, it’s nice to get one for special occasions.
However, if you have only a few options, they might be difficult to combine with different outfits. That’s why it could be a good idea to adapt them to your clothes.
One of the features you may need to adapt is the length of your necklaces, as they can create different effects if they are too long or too short, or if they hang below or above your clothes’ neckline. So how to make a necklace shorter?
The first thing you need to consider is whether you want to make a permanent or temporary change. Besides, the type of chain your necklace uses will allow different options. This way you will be able to decide which of the following techniques to use:
- Take it to a jeweler
- Tie a knot
- Fasten it with and earring
- Clasp it on a different link
- Make it longer!
Take your necklace to a jeweler
How to shorten a chain? If you want to make a permanent change in your necklace, the best and easiest option is to take it to a jeweler, who will use the right tools and techniques to fulfill the objective.
Besides, this option can work for any kind of chain. Some designs, like snake chains, do not have links, so it’s not possible to shorten them by yourself.
However, of course, it’s not a quick solution to use right before you are going to a party.
If you always remember to shorten your necklace just when you are leaving, but then forget, we recommend keeping it in your bag so that you can have it fixed next time you casually walk by the jeweler’s.
Make sure the jeweler gives you back the remaining piece of chain that he cut off from the necklace, especially if it’s made of silver or gold!
Clasp it on a different link
This is the easiest option you can use if you want to make a temporary fix that doesn’t take a long time.
Anyway, for using this technique, your chain should fulfill some requirements:
It should have links; its links shouldn’t be too thin, and the clasp shouldn’t be too big.
You basically need to put the clasp, not on the final ring, but on the link that suits the size you need.
If the links are not big enough for you to insert the clasp, you can also put a new ring attached on that section that works for you, and then fasten the clasp there.
Some necklaces have a ring in the length of the chain, which you can use to shorten your necklace, you can see how to use it by clicking here.
How to make a necklace shorter with a knot?
This option is suitable for both permanent or temporary changes. This tip consists of measuring the right length you want for your necklace and make a knot there.
Keep in mind that you will not insert the clasp into any link, but stay fixed by the knot.
That’s why, if the knot is not bulky enough, the clasp will pass through. If this were the case, make a second knot to increase its volume.
We said that this option can be permanent, but how to shorten a necklace with a simple knot?
The difference is in the tension with which we fasten it. The more you pull the knot, the tighter it will be, and the harder to disassemble.
If you see that the chain is too thick and you cannot tighten it enough, you can apply a drop of Elmer’s glue to keep it in place.
How to make necklace shorter with an earring
This might be the most creative way to solve this situation. If you have a link chain, use an earring as a clasp.
Measure how long you want it to be, attach pass the earring stick through both links and place its back to fasten it off.
The earring trick is especially useful if your necklace has a fixed pendant.
With the previous tips, you are shortening the necklace only on one side, so if the pendant is fixed to the chain, it probably won’t be hanging in the middle of your chest, as it is supposed to.
But with this tip, you can shorten both sides of the chain equally, as it doesn’t matter where the original clasp or the final ring was.
This way, if the pendant is not movable, you can still make sure that it hangs in the middle of your chest.
We recommend not using those earrings with a front and a removable back, as they can get detached with some tension, but a ring or one of those with only a singular piece that can be fastened will do the trick.
Make your necklace longer!
What?! Yes! Just like you read. But how to make a necklace shorter by making it longer?
This tip can be useful if you want to have a two rounds necklace, wrapping it around your neck twice instead of once.
- For this tip, you will need to find another piece of chain that looks similar to the one you already have.
- It doesn’t need to be exactly the same, as this section will probably stay invisible in the back of your neck.
- Get some tweezers to detach the final ring and add this piece at the end of the chain.
- Replace the ring and voilà! You will have an extra-long necklace.
- You only need to wrap it around your neck twice (or even three times if you make it long enough).
Of course, the style will be different from the original, but it might be worth trying!
You can learn other technique on how to make a necklace shorter by watching this video:
We hope you can use any of these tips according to your needs. Remember to keep in mind whether you want a permanent or temporary chain and the specifications your chain need to use any of the techniques.
We also tell you How big is 18×24 by clicking here.