Necklaces for Women
A necklace is the last thing you put on and the first thing anyone notices. Something Pretty chooses necklaces by hand and in small numbers: pearl, charm, shell and the fine layering chains you will reach for every morning. Order with tracked delivery across South Africa, or try one on against the dress itself in one of our three Cape Town boutiques.
Last updated: 15 September 2026
Necklaces for women in South Africa
Something Pretty Boutique, the luxury womenswear boutique founded by Tasneem Ismail in 2015, sells a carefully curated collection of European Fashion to women across South Africa, and stocks necklaces online and at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Every piece is chosen by hand in Europe and arrives in small numbers, so the necklace you fall for is rarely one you will see on someone else. A boutique chooses jewellery differently to a jewellery shop. Each piece here was selected with a particular dress in mind, which is why you will find them a few steps from the clothes they were bought to finish.
Which necklace for which neckline?
Neckline decides length, and length decides whether the necklace reads finished or fussy. This is the one rule worth learning, because it settles most of the decisions people agonise over in front of a mirror.
| Neckline | Length that works | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Crew or high neck | Long, or a short collar-length chain | Anything mid-length lands on fabric and disappears |
| V-neck | A pendant that sits above the point of the V | Repeats the line instead of fighting it |
| Scoop or round | Short, following the curve | Fills the gap the neckline opens |
| Strapless or off shoulder | Collar-length, close to the throat | Gives the bare shoulder line something to end at |
| Shirt or button through | Layered short and mid | The open placket is built for layering |
Pearl necklaces
Pearl has stopped being your grandmother's necklace and become the most versatile thing you can own. A pearl necklace reads formal against a black dress and completely casual against a shirt and jeans, which is more range than any other single piece gives you. Something Pretty stocks pearl in strands, in mixed metal and pearl combinations, and in the shorter collar lengths that suit a bare neckline. If you own one necklace for occasions, own pearl.
Evil eye, hamsa and charm necklaces
Charm necklaces are the pieces women actually reach for on ordinary days. The evil eye and hamsa carry meaning for a lot of our customers and read as quiet decoration to everyone else, which is exactly why they work: a piece that means something to you and asks nothing of anyone. Shell, starfish and turquoise charms carry the same idea into summer. The wider charm jewellery edit sits alongside this one.
Statement and layered necklaces
There are two ways to wear a necklace properly and they are opposites. One statement piece against a plain neckline, or two to three fine chains at different lengths and nothing else. What does not work is a statement piece plus layers plus earrings plus a printed dress, which is the mistake almost everyone makes at least once. Keep the formal dress plain and let the necklace be the detail, or keep the necklace quiet and let the dress speak.
How do you layer necklaces without them tangling?
Three rules. Leave at least four centimetres between each length, so the chains sit in separate planes rather than rubbing. Mix chain weights, because two identical fine chains will twist around each other within an hour. Put the shortest on last and take it off first. If a set still tangles, the lengths are too close together, not the chains at fault.
Gold toned or silver toned?
Warm undertones usually suit gold toned pieces and cooler undertones suit silver toned, but the more useful test is your wardrobe rather than your skin. Hold the necklace against the three things you wear most. Gold lifts black, camel, cream and every warm print. Silver sharpens navy, grey, white and cold pastels. Mixed metal is the honest answer for most women and removes the decision entirely, which is why we buy a good deal of it.
Pair with the rest of the look
A necklace is chosen last, against the finished outfit, never first. Try it with the white dress or the smart casual pieces you already own rather than on its own in a cabinet. Tie a silk scarf at the neck instead when the neckline is busy, carry one of the small handbags in the same metal, and see what has landed in new arrivals before it goes. Necklaces come in very small numbers, so a piece showing today may be gone within the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What necklace length should I buy?
Match the length to the neckline, not to your height. Collar length sits at the base of the throat and suits bare and high necklines. Mid length sits on the breastbone and suits scoop and round necks. Long length sits below the bust and suits crew necks and layering. If you are buying blind, mid length is the most forgiving.
What is the necklace trend right now?
Layered fine chains, pearl worn casually rather than formally, and charm pieces with personal meaning are where the market has moved, after several seasons of single oversized statement pendants. Mixed metal has stopped being a mistake and become a choice. Trend aside, the necklace you already reach for most is usually the right buy.
What necklace works with a V-neck dress?
A pendant that finishes above the point of the V. It repeats the line the neckline already draws, where a shorter piece floats awkwardly and a longer one competes with the opening. Keep it to one piece, since a V-neck already gives the eye somewhere to go.
How do you stop a necklace turning your skin green?
Keep it dry. Perfume, sunscreen, body lotion and perspiration are what react with plated finishes, so put jewellery on last and take it off first. Wipe it with a soft dry cloth after wearing and store it in a pouch rather than loose in a drawer. Treated this way a plated piece lasts seasons rather than months.
Where can I buy necklaces in Cape Town?
Something Pretty sells necklaces at three Cape Town boutiques: Constantia Village, Cavendish Square in Claremont, and Piazza St John's in Sea Point. Holding a necklace against the actual dress matters more than looking at it on a stand, which is the one thing an online photograph cannot give you. Store addresses are on our stores.
Do you deliver necklaces across South Africa?
Yes. Something Pretty delivers necklaces across South Africa with tracking on every order, and delivery is free on orders over R1,500. Each piece is packed protected so the chain arrives untangled and ready to wear.
Can I return a necklace if it is not right?
Yes, if you request it within 72 hours of delivery. The piece must be unworn with tags and original packaging, and a R155 fee applies to returns and exchanges. Sale items cannot be returned or exchanged. Full terms are in the returns policy.
What necklace should you wear to a wedding?
Something that finishes the outfit without competing with it. If the dress has detail at the neckline, wear earrings and skip the necklace entirely. If the neckline is plain, one pearl or one statement piece is enough. Something Pretty stocks necklaces alongside the wedding guest dresses and occasion dresses they are bought to finish.