--- title: "How Do You Style Pearls?" description: "How pearls are worn: necklace lengths, mixing colors and shapes, earrings, rings and pendants, how fashions have changed, and whether pearls suit a funeral." canonical_url: "https://learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/how-to-style-pearls/" last_updated: "2026-11-04" last_reviewed: "2026-10-26" reviewed_by: "Simon" publisher: "Unique Pearl" publisher_disclosure: "Learn About Pearls is published by Unique Pearl, a pearl jeweler." --- # How Do You Style Pearls? **Short answer:** Pearls are worn in many ways. They come as strands, from the short collar to the long rope, and as single pearls, pairs or clusters in earrings, rings and pendants. Jewelry designers mix colors, shapes and sizes on purpose, and GIA suggests mixing pearl colors and origins as a fresh way to wear them, though single-color strands are still the most common. Put pearls on after perfume and cosmetics. **Key facts:** - GIA suggests mixing pearl colors and origins as a fresh way to wear pearls, though single-color strands are still the most common. [1] - Multicolored strands often contain rare colors, because it is too hard to find enough of them for a whole strand. [1] - Jewelry designers sometimes mix colors, shapes and sizes on purpose, but most strands are matched in every quality factor. [2] - Standard necklace lengths run from the collar, 25 to 33 cm, to the rope, about 115 cm and longer. [3] - Put pearls on after perfume, hair products and cosmetics. [4] - In 1922, Emily Post allowed a small string of pearls even in deepest mourning. [5] There is more than one way to wear pearls. Here is what the sources say about lengths, colors and shapes, how fashions have changed, and the etiquette that once governed them. ## Choose a length Necklaces come in standard lengths with names of their own, from the collar, 25 to 33 cm, and the [choker](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#choker) to the princess, matinee and [opera lengths](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#opera-length), the [sautoir](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#sautoir) and the rope, about 115 cm and longer. [3] The page [necklace lengths](https://learnaboutpearls.com/buying/necklace-lengths/) gives each one, and the [necklace length guide](https://learnaboutpearls.com/tools/necklace-length-guide/) names any length you enter. ## Match or mix The classic strand is matched. For most pearl strands, earrings and other jewelry with several pearls, the pearls should match in all the quality factors, though jewelry designers sometimes mix colors, shapes and sizes on purpose. [2] Mixing is an option too. Although single-color strands are still the most common, GIA suggests mixing pearl colors and origins as a fresh way to wear pearls, and notes that multicolored strands often contain rare colors, because it is too hard to find enough of them for a whole strand. [1] The table shows the natural colors and shapes of each main type in the Learn About Pearls dataset. | Feature | Akoya cultured pearl | Freshwater cultured pearl | South Sea cultured pearl | Tahitian cultured pearl | | -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | | Natural colors | white and cream [6, 7, 8, 9] | white, cream, pink, peach, orange, lavender and purple [3, 6, 9] | white, silver, cream, champagne and golden [9, 10, 11, 12, 13] | gray, greenish gray, black and brown [7, 9, 11] | | Shapes | round, near-round, semi-baroque and baroque [9, 14] | round, near-round, oval, coin and baroque [7, 9, 15] | round, oval, button, drop, circled and baroque [7, 9] | round, oval, button, drop, circled and baroque [7, 9] | ## Beyond the strand Strands are only one choice. [Cultured pearls](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#cultured-pearl) are made into bead necklaces and bracelets, and set singly, in pairs or in clusters in earrings, rings and pendants. Larger pearls with unusual shapes are popular with creative jewelry designers. [11] Well-formed [baroque](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#baroque) pearls are prized as well as round ones. [2] ## How pearl fashions have changed Fashions in pearls have changed over the centuries. The V\&A’s 2013 exhibition on pearls described how 18th-century celebrities such as Marie Antoinette and Catherine the Great wore opulent pearls in swags or as multiple strands and chokers, and it featured the fashionable sautoirs of the 1920s. [16] ## Etiquette, then and now Old etiquette had rules about pearls. In 1922 Emily Post wrote that jewelry in deepest mourning was never in good taste, with the exception of a small string of pearls and a single ring. [5] Pearls also appear in mourning jewelry: the V\&A showed a pendant locket with a [black pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/glossary/#black-pearl) commemorating Prince Albert, from 1862. [16] Post also set rules for men: real pearl shirt studs were correct for full evening dress only. [5] The page [pearls for men](https://learnaboutpearls.com/buying/mens-pearls/) has more. ## Wearing pearls every day Pearls are soft, rating 2.5 to 3.0 on the Mohs scale, so a little care keeps them looking good. [4] Put them on after perfume, hair products and cosmetics, wipe them with a soft, damp cloth after wearing, and store them apart from other gems and metal jewelry. [4] Pearls that are worn often should be restrung once a year. [17] The [care](https://learnaboutpearls.com/care/) section explains more. ## Questions people ask ### Can you wear pearls to a funeral? Etiquette has long allowed it. In 1922 Emily Post wrote that jewelry in deepest mourning was never in good taste, with the exception of a small string of pearls and a single ring. Pearls also appear in mourning jewelry, such as a pendant locket with a black pearl commemorating Prince Albert, from 1862. [5, 16] ### Can you wear pearls every day? Yes, with some care. Pearls are soft, so put them on after perfume, hair products and cosmetics, and wipe them with a soft, damp cloth after each wearing. GIA advises restringing pearls that are worn often once a year. [4, 17] ### Can you mix different colors of pearls? Yes. GIA suggests mixing pearl colors and origins as a fresh way to wear pearls, and notes that multicolored strands often contain rare colors. Designers sometimes mix colors, shapes and sizes on purpose. [1, 2] ## References 1. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Buyer's Guide. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl/buyers-guide) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260613185853/https://www.gia.edu/pearl/buyers-guide) 2. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Quality Factors. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261016075647/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-quality-factor) 3. CIBJO, The World Jewellery Confederation, Pearl Commission (2026). The CIBJO Pearl Book (Pearl Blue Book) 2026. [Source](https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pearl-Blue-Book-2026-.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261025235254/https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Pearl-Blue-Book-2026-.pdf) 4. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Birthstones. June Birthstones. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/june-birthstones) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260614074112/https://www.gia.edu/birthstones/june-birthstones) 5. Emily Post (1922). Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home. [Source](https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14314/14314-h/14314-h.htm) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261012142430/https://www.gutenberg.org/files/14314/14314-h/14314-h.htm) 6. Phoebe Shang (2026). Freshwater Akoyas – A Trending Misnomer for Certain Freshwater Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/freshwater-akoyas-a-trending-misnomer-for-certain-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260617073835/https://www.gia.edu/freshwater-akoyas-a-trending-misnomer-for-certain-pearls) 7. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), FAQ. What are the main types of cultured pearls and what are their distinctive characteristics?. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/FAQ/gia-faq-about-gemstones-cultured-pearl-types-characteristics) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260510233833/https://www.gia.edu/FAQ/gia-faq-about-gemstones-cultured-pearl-types-characteristics) 8. Artitaya Homkrajae (2024). Remarkably Large Akoya Bead Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2024-gemnews-large-akoya-bead-cultured-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261025235607/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2024-gemnews-large-akoya-bead-cultured-pearls) 9. CIBJO Pearl Commission (2025). CIBJO Guides Describing and Classifying Natural and Cultured Pearls, the Producing Molluscs & Responsible Pearling. [Source](https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Final-Guide-October-2025-v2-COMPRESSED.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260212155210/https://cibjo.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Final-Guide-October-2025-v2-COMPRESSED.pdf) 10. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. South Sea Pearl Ring (NMNH G10639). [Source](https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10002784) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20250925205851/https://naturalhistory.si.edu/explore/collections/geogallery/10002784) 11. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Gem Encyclopedia. Pearl Description. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/pearl-description) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20261017085317/https://www.gia.edu/pearl-description) 12. Shane Elen (2001). Spectral Reflectance and Fluorescence Characteristics of Natural-Color and Heat-Treated "Golden" South Sea Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-heat-treated-golden-south-sea-cultured-pearls-elen) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.37.2.114](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.37.2.114) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260308065638/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-heat-treated-golden-south-sea-cultured-pearls-elen) 13. Chunhui Zhou, Artitaya Homkrajae, Joyce Wing Yan Ho, Akira Hyatt and Nicholas Sturman (2012). Update on the Identification of Dye Treatment in Yellow or "Golden" Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2012-cultured-pearls-zhou) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.48.4.284](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.48.4.284) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260309094817/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/winter-2012-cultured-pearls-zhou) 14. Areeya Manustrong (2018). Very Small Akoya Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2018-gemnews-very-small-akoya-cultured-pearls) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260508145843/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/spring-2018-gemnews-very-small-akoya-cultured-pearls) 15. Shigeru Akamatsu, Li Tajima Zansheng, Thomas M. Moses and Kenneth Scarratt (2001). The Current Status of Chinese Freshwater Cultured Pearls. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-chinese-freshwater-cultured-pearls-akmatsu) · DOI [10.5741/GEMS.37.2.96](https://doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.37.2.96) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260814013828/https://www.gia.edu/gems-gemology/summer-2001-chinese-freshwater-cultured-pearls-akmatsu) 16. Victoria and Albert Museum, with Qatar Museums Authority (2013). Pearls (exhibition press release). [Source](https://www.vam.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/238019/V-and-A-Pearls-Release-oct.pdf) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20240612234028/https://www.vam.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/238019/V-and-A-Pearls-Release-oct.pdf) 17. Gemological Institute of America (GIA), News & Research (2015). Tips on Caring for Jewelry. [Source](https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-tips-caring-jewelry) · [Archived copy](https://web.archive.org/web/20260113070939/https://www.gia.edu/gia-news-research-tips-caring-jewelry) **Written by:** Learn About Pearls editors **Fact-checked:** Learn About Pearls editors, October 26, 2026 **Reviewed by:** Simon, October 26, 2026 **First published:** November 4, 2026 **Publisher:** [Unique Pearl](https://learnaboutpearls.com/about/), a pearl jeweler **Revision history** 1. November 4, 2026: First published. First published **How to cite this page** **APA:** Learn About Pearls editors. (2026). _How Do You Style Pearls?_ Learn About Pearls. https://learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/how-to-style-pearls/ **MLA:** “How Do You Style Pearls?” _Learn About Pearls_, Unique Pearl, November 4, 2026, learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/how-to-style-pearls/. **Chicago:** Learn About Pearls editors. “How Do You Style Pearls?” Learn About Pearls. Unique Pearl. Last modified November 4, 2026. https://learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/how-to-style-pearls/. **BibTeX:** `@misc{lap-wearing-how-to-style-pearls, title = {How Do You Style Pearls?}, author = {{Learn About Pearls editors}}, year = {2026}, howpublished = {\url{https://learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/how-to-style-pearls/}}, note = {Learn About Pearls, published by Unique Pearl}}` Quoting with attribution and a link is welcome. See [how to cite and reuse](https://learnaboutpearls.com/cite/). **Suggest a correction** ## Related pages - [Wearing](https://learnaboutpearls.com/wearing/): How pearls are worn, the June birthstone and pearl anniversaries, and how to wear pearls safely. - [Necklace lengths](https://learnaboutpearls.com/buying/necklace-lengths/): The seven standard necklace lengths, collar to rope, in centimeters and inches. - [Care](https://learnaboutpearls.com/care/): What damages pearls, how to clean and store them, and when to restring.