
LIZZIE SCHECK
Designers have given the OK to stack and layer jewelry, like these necklaces from Lizzie Scheck. Her necklaces start at $350.
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The jewelry stacking trend is taking hold
It's taken a while for jewelry designers to catch on to what local women have recognized for years -- the beauty of stacking. That is, wearing all the jewelry you own all at once.
Nah, nah, nah. When designers get involved, you can bet there'll be rules to follow, and the idea for stacking, or layering, is to show enough to make a statement but to stop short of the body-armor look of the auntie wearing her gazillion 14K gold Hawaiian engraved bangles. You know, the one who sounds like jangling jingle bells no matter what time of year.
Designer Lizzie Scheck said she's been encouraging her clientele to layer for about two years. It saves them from making those either/or decisions that she says keep them awake at night. Scheck listens to their complaints when they can't decide which of her hundreds of designs they want to take home.

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
At Phil's Gold Diamonds at 1580 Makaloa St., Wendy Taketa wears two types of 18K woven silk stackable bracelets by Roberto Coin; on her right arm are three, one each of yellow, rose and white gold. The ones with diamonds sell for $1,800 and the plain goes for $1,400. On her left arm are four daimond-accented bracelets, the small ones are $2,300 and the large is $2,500.
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In town at Neiman Marcus last weekend to show her latest pieces, the Hollywood-based designer is known for her delicate, trend-setting charm necklaces and bracelets, starting at $350, and she said she began stacking them herself due to plain old indecision.
"It was basically a matter of not being able to decide what to wear, and it was driving me crazy, because it was like, why do you have these things if you're not going to wear them?
"Layering is all about making use of what you have."
Within reason, of course, and all reason seems to point to the magical rule of three that applies to everything from speechifying -- as in repeat three times for maximum impact -- to visual design of architecture.
"I think three is a nice number," Scheck said. "I like to wear something small closer to my neck, then add a couple of bigger pieces. It doesn't necessarily have to be long, longer and longer. A couple of them can be the same length."

LIZZIE SCHECK
Three of Lizzie Scheck's diamond necklaces are stacked.
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The idea is to create visual appeal, or as Lance Ishibashi, director of marketing for Phil's Gold and Diamonds, says, "make a statement."
He said he noticed the trend sparked by celebrities who wanted a bigger look for red-carpet occasions.
"One bracelet wasn't enough," he said. "The more you wear, the bigger the statement, but it has to be the same concept."
Meaning, it's the one area of fashion where matchy-matchy rules still apply. One big, chunky textured bracelet will match another of similar weight and materials, but that just wouldn't go with something slim, sleek and polished.
Phil's Gold carries Roberto Coin stackable bracelets in 18K braided yellow, rose and white gold, and Ishibashi said it's fine to stack the different colors.
"There's a lot of two-toned metallics in clothing right now and the colors work well with the multiple tones in fashion."