By Jennifer Cunningham

While they may be looking at ways to stretch their clothing dollars or want to reuse what they have to create a new look, one thing is certain – 501 readers want to look their best despite concerns about the economy.
To get the most out of your wardrobe, it is important to understand some of the fundamentals of clothing and fashion.

For example, there are five basic necklines that women are familiar with and most have at least one of each type of these necklines in their closet. Unfortunately, it is hard to decide which necklace to put with which neckline.
Here are some easy tips when trying to put it all together:

The first neckline is one of my favorites, especially this time of year — the turtleneck. They are usually found in solid colors, and are a great way of showing a dramatic set of jewelry. This is the perfect neckline to show off long chains with pendants. 
Tip: The more bulky the neck, the longer the necklace needs to be to keep a good proportion. Also, you wouldn’t want the necklace to be so short that it slips up under the neck of the shirt.

The next neckline is a scoop neck. This is ideal for showing off gorgeous 16-inch to 18-inch chains with pendants. Even pearls are good with this neckline. 
Tip: Make sure that the chain doesn’t touch the neckline, as that will cause a distraction. The necklace should be either longer or shorter than the neckline. 
Also, a small, square scarf looks great tied on the neck with this neckline.

Now on to a neckline that scares some women — the collar. Don’t panic about this neckline! 
A casual blouse with an open or layback collar requires a choker or a 16-inch to 18-inch chain with a pendant. The collar will nicely frame the pendant. You can wear longer necklaces with this neckline, either tucked up under the back of the collar or lying on top of the collar. 
Tip: Don’t worry about whether or not the buttons clash with the necklace — mix it all up!

Women with long necks wear the jewel neckline the best. Here again, longer necklaces look best with this neckline. A 60-inch chain doubled or even tripled offers a pleasing look because the vertical lines are very slimming. Drop pendants that are 18-inch will work but need to be bold or they will get lost against the shirt. 
Tip: Delicate pendants should be framed with a 24-inch chain to make a statement.

The V-neckline, like the scoop neckline, is ideal for highlighting 16-inch to 18-inch chains with pendants. With this neckline, you want to avoid necklaces with pendants or medallions that repeat the “v” shape. Round or square pendants look best. 

Tip: A longer necklace doubled will fall into a “u” shape, which will complement the “v” shape of the neckline.