How to Measure Your Neck for a Lariat Necklace
A lariat necklace fits differently from a standard necklace, so measuring only around your neck will not give you the number you need.
To choose the right lariat length, you need to measure around your neck and then down your chest to the point where you want the lariat to fall.
That gives you the approximate total length you should look for.
What You’ll Need
A soft sewing or tailor’s measuring tape works best.
If you do not have one, use a piece of string or ribbon, then lay it flat and measure it against a ruler or tape measure.
Step 1: Start at the Front of Your Neck
Place the beginning of your measuring tape at the front of your neck, roughly where you want the lariat to cross or begin its drop.
From there, bring the tape around the back of your neck and back to the front. Keep it sitting where you want the necklace itself to rest. Do not pull the tape tightly. It should follow your body comfortably.
Step 2: Continue Down Your Chest
Once the tape comes back around to the front of your neck, do not stop measuring.
Continue the tape straight down your chest until you reach the point where you want the end of the lariat to sit.
That might be:
- high on the chest
- around the upper sternum
- at the cleavage
- below the bust
- or much lower for a dramatic long lariat
The number you see at that point is your approximate desired lariat length.
Why Your Usual Necklace Length Won’t Help Much
A standard 18-inch necklace and an 18-inch lariat do not necessarily create the same look.
With a lariat, part of the total length goes around your neck and the remaining length creates the vertical drop. That means your neck circumference directly affects how long the drop will be. Someone with a smaller neck will generally have more chain remaining for the drop than someone with a larger neck wearing the exact same lariat length.
That is why the same lariat can look dramatically different on two people.
Want a Longer Drop?
Add length. Every additional inch gives you approximately another inch to work with somewhere along the necklace path. For a deeper, more dramatic drop, choose a longer lariat. For a higher, more compact look, choose a shorter one.
Try It With String Before You Order
If you are deciding between two lengths, string is your best friend here.
Cut or measure a piece of string to the exact length of the lariat you are considering.
Place it around your neck in the same configuration as the necklace and let the remainder fall down your chest.
You will immediately see approximately where that length will land on your body.
It is not a perfect simulation because chain has weight, movement, and hardware, but it gives you a much better visual than trying to imagine what “28 inches” looks like.