Mixed metals: 10 tips for wearing gold & silver jewellery together

“Silver and gold never grow old…” Ok, I made that up, but I stand by the sentiment! It’s a common jewellery myth that you shouldn’t combine different metals, but I think mixing two or more colours can look great and give you a really fun, unique and modern look.

It’s always nice to have a play around so why not have a sift through your jewellery box and see what combinations you can come up with? It’s such an easy way to add some personality to your outfits, but you’re not confident about how to make it work for you, read on for my 10 tips on how to nail the mixed metals look…

1) Keep the backdrop simple and choose clothes which feature blocks of colour rather than busy patterns which end up fighting for attention with your jewellery. Colours don't really matter as both silver and gold can work well with the majority of colours, but it's probaby best to avoid anything which is tonally very similar....for example, gold won't show up well against yellow and can become somewhat muted when teamed with beiges and taupes. Similarly, silver can blend into the background against white and very light blues.

2) Don’t forget about necklines and sleeves….you want to make sure they’re showcasing the pieces you’re wearing rather than covering them over or detracting from them.

3) Choose at least a couple of pieces in each colour to really make a statement. More is more with this look!

4) Particularly with necklaces, a combination of silver, gold and rose gold can look really lovely. The key is to pick different chain lengths so that they don’t all sit on top of one another in a jumble. You might like to add in a shorter colourful necklace as well, like a 35-40cm choker style which sits close against the neck.

5) Highlight just one area for maximum impact. Concentrating on just one type of jewellery to mix works brilliantly. If you’re not confident about layering lots of necklaces together then try starting with some bracelets. I love my chunky charm bracelets (see above) for this, a modern take on an absolutely classic and timeless design. Or why not combine different styles and colour bracelets on just one wrist - it looks beautifully impactful, particularly when worn with a half or three-quarter length sleeve.

If you want the mixed metals look effect with less bulk then you could choose a piece of jewellery that combines several different colours in one like this bold Mixed Metals Orion Ring by Spinelli Kilcollin available at Liberty.

The Lunaria & gold necklace by Emma Stanton Jewellery (see above) is another stunning statement design that uses gold vermeil and silver together. I love the tactile nature of this piece and it would look equally good paired with jeans and a simple blouse as with an evening dress for a more formal occasion.

6) Pick a simple shape (say a circle) and combine pieces that fit with that theme. So, for example, you might pick this simple Textured round tag necklace from April March and put it together with this larger Silver double circle necklace, plus the Gold Athena pendant and then this Open hammered circle pendant necklace from Wild Fawn Jewellery to finish off the whole look.

7) As an alternative to this you could also try layering up the same design in both silver and gold like these Metropolis cubes necklaces in gold and silver by Cara Tonkin or my gold and silver Rhea pendants for a simple, but effective look.

8) Start with your biggest piece first and work from there. If you have a really chunky silver ring like the Silver Bubble Statement Ring for example then using that as the base and adding finer gold bands can look great. Stacking thin gold and silver bands together (like these faceted bands) can give the illusion of a whole new pieces of jewellery, depending on the combinations you go for.

9) Mix newer pieces with vintage finds or family heirlooms to find a combination that’s uniquely yours.

10) Have fun! The jewellery you wear should be all about making you feel good, so if it feels right then go for it!

As always, Pinterest is a great place to look for ideas and there are plenty of beautifully styled looks that you can use as inspiration, but ultimately experimenting with what's already in your jewellery box is the best way of seeing what works.

Mixing metals is a lovely way of breathing some new life into well-worn pieces, so go on...give it a try. After all, really the only rules are that there are no rules!

Elin Horgan designs and creates handmade jewellery in her Bristol studio. Elin’s beautifully simple handmade jewellery is carefully crafted and designed to be worn every day. You can read more about Elin’s work and the ethos behind her understated jewellery brand on her About Elin Horgan Jewellery page.

If you’d like to enquire about a specific product or discuss a custom piece of jewellery, please have a look at the Bespoke Handmade Jewellery page or email info@elinhorgan.com