The seasons are changing and cooler weather has arrived, bringing with it a desire to pull out our winter wardrobe. Maybe you’re adding some new pieces to your closet, or you want to freshen up an existing piece by styling it differently this season, either way you’ll want to make sure you have the right jewelry to go with your winter clothes. We’ve got a few tips on what jewelry to wear and how to wear it with some of the Fall 2025 / Winter 2026 trending fashions.
Beautiful Brown
Brown in shades that range from light latte and camel to deep espresso and mahogany are the color of the season. It may be paired with red, buttercream yellow or green, or worn on its own for a luxe monochromatic statement. When it comes to brown tones, there are several gemstones that will be the right complement for the hue. Brown diamonds that range in color from a light bubbly champagne to a deep rich cognac are good choices. Citrines with their golden, orange and bronze tones are also just right with brown, as are golden to smoky topaz.
You may want to choose stones to match your apparel choices, or you may want to pair these bronzed gems with other tending colors of the season, such as the above mentioned red, buttercream yellow or green, all of which harmonize wonderfully with the rich tones of brown. When it comes to metals, yellow or rose gold blend beautifully with brown.
Big Shoulders
Sharp tailoring continues to trend for the fall 2025 season along with wide shouldered jackets. Dramatic and sophisticated, these jackets call out for an eye-catching vintage brooch, or a statement necklace. Wide shoulders make for easy brooch placement, pin it to the lapel, or in the expanse of fabric between the collar and shoulder. A collar necklace or pendant sitting at the throat, or dangling in a V-neck blazer, will add a luxurious feeling to a jacket, especially if you choose to wear it with nothing underneath.
Sequins
Sequins are a party favorite and can even be worn in the daytime if styled with a chunky sweater, tights and boots. With all that glitter and glitz, it’s still possible to wear jewelry and sequins together. The trick is to keep the jewelry simple and minimal. Earrings, especially if they are long and dangling, balance the sequins. A big cuff bracelet is another good choice as is a large cocktail ring. If you’re wearing a sleeveless sequin dress, you may want to consider a stack of bracelets on one arm, or an Art Deco diamond bracelet for a more elegant look.
When you’re choosing jewelry to wear with your sequins, consider their color. If you have white sequins, pearls lend an etheric look, while pearls with black sequins look effortlessly cool; if you’re wearing silver sequins, consider platinum jewelry and diamonds, or colored gemstones; for gold sequins, yellow gold and diamonds are a classic combination. Sequins come in many colors, so you may want to match your sequins to a colored gemstone that matches or contrasts with the sequins on your dress or skirt.
Animal Prints
Animal prints are perennially popular and this season was filled with leopard, zebra and snake prints. While it may seem that these patterns will be hard to wear with jewelry, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to wear a little bling with these designs. Black gemstones will work well with any of these prints. If you like zebra, lean into the look with black and white jewelry, platinum with black spinel or black diamonds is chic and sophisticated. Leopard looks right with yellow gold, yellow or brown diamonds, citrine and of course colorless diamonds. Tahitian pearls are another great choice for any animal print. Snake can work with pretty much anything color wise, but moonstone harmonizes nicely with a serpent print. You can also play into the animal trend by wearing a piece of animal themed jewelry --- vintage David Webb animal bracelets are a chic choice, as are Cartier panthers, and Bulgari Serpenti styles.
Slip Dresses
The lingerie trend continues with delicate silk and lace slip dresses still taking centerstage. These romantic looks are ideal with dainty vintage jewelry. An Edwardian negligee necklace, is beautiful with a slip dress, as is an Art Deco diamond bracelet or diamond and colored gemstone ring. The vintage jewelry adds to the nostalgic feel of the slip dress, which draws upon the elegance of bygone eras. Add an oversized blazer and boots for an edgy take on a sweet style.
With new looks hitting the stores, you’ll be filling in your winter wardrobe with cozy sweaters, warm hues and glittering party dresses all of which may be accessorized with fine jewelry that will both personalize and elevate your style.
Top of page: Photo by Happy Face Emoji, courtesy Unsplash.
Diamond, citrine and 18-karat yellow gold ear clips, circa 1980s; Diamond, ruby and 18-karat gold brooch, French, circa 1960s; Diamond and 18-karat white gold ring, signed Cartier, French, circa 1980s; Diamond (11-carats), emerald, onyx and 18-karat gold panther earrings, circa 1980s; Edwardian diamond and platinum necklace.
Authored by Amber Michelle