Okay, so you've decided on the style of the chain you want. You've even found a place to get it from at a good price. But, how long or how short should the chain be?
This is a thing many people wonder about, especially people who are buying a chain or necklace for the first time. The truth is, there is no one right answer, as different people want different looks that come with different chain lengths. This guide will go over a few pointers to keep in mind when considering what chain length to get. First for men/adults:
1) Men: One general rule for getting a chain for an adult male is to not go under 18" (inches). You can go as long as you want, but when you start going over 30", it is going to be a long chain. So generally, the range for most men's chains is 18" - 30". How each chain length looks on the person will vary significantly with changing height and body structure. Generally, if you are buying a chain as a gift for a male friend, the 20"/22" size is a safe choice. I found some photos (below) that you can see to get an idea of how each length will look. (Also see the main photo for this blog, which I found as well)
2) Women: The rules for necklace/chain lengths for a woman vary a little from that of a man. For adult females, it is generally good to not go shorter than 16", unless you are getting a choker necklace. Again, how each necklace sits on a woman will vary depending on height, and stature/build. I found some photos you can see below that show how different necklace lengths will hang on a woman's neck.
3) Children: For small children (think 6 and under), a 14" necklace is usually recommended as a length that will not be too short or too long. However, a 16" chain can still be a good choice for a child as well. See this picture I found that shows how the necklace will sit on a small child or toddler.
So in Summary, in terms of popularity and what chain lengths will be a safe choice:
For Men, a 20"/22"
For Women, a 18"
For small children, 14" or 16"