TL;DR
Get beauty and skincare favorites delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Esquire has published a men’s necklace guide built around examples from classic Hollywood, including Robert Redford and Steve McQueen. Its main styling advice is to start with a simple chain, wear it under a shirt if desired, and add a pendant only if it fits your personal style.
Esquire has published a guide to wearing men’s necklaces, using photographs of actors such as Robert Redford and Steve McQueen to illustrate understated ways to wear chains and pendants. The report’s central advice is to start with a simple chain and build from there, rather than treating jewelry as a shortcut to a particular look.
The writer says he became interested in necklaces after noticing that Redford often wore one in photographs and film stills, typically visible beneath an open shirt. Looking at other actors, including Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, he found a similar pattern of chains and pendants in off-duty and on-screen images. The piece presents those examples as style references, not proof that a necklace will produce the same effect for other wearers.
For a first purchase, the report recommends choosing a basic chain and not getting caught up at the outset in technical details such as link style, clasp or thickness. The writer names several examples from brands including Bloedstone, Miansai, Mejuri, Shinola and David Yurman. He says his own sterling-silver curb chain sits closer to the sternum, while making clear that wearers can choose a different length.
The guide suggests wearing a chain under a T-shirt for a less conspicuous look. Those who want it visible can leave shirt buttons open, the writer says. For a second step, he points to pendants and medallions, including St. Christopher designs associated with travelers, and mentions vintage and secondhand options. These are recommendations from the article’s author, not independent product testing results presented in the supplied material.
A Lower-Key Entry to Men’s Jewelry
The advice gives readers a practical starting point in a category that can feel more conspicuous than a watch or bracelet. Choosing one chain makes it easier to test whether a necklace suits everyday clothing before buying several pieces or adding a pendant.
The report also separates personal style from celebrity imitation. Its examples show how necklaces appear in the wardrobes of well-known actors, but the author cautions that jewelry does not create the looks associated with those stars. For readers, the takeaway is about experimenting with proportion, visibility and comfort—not expecting a chain to deliver a transformation.
Because the piece includes named products and shopping links, readers should also distinguish its styling guidance from neutral consumer testing. Esquire discloses that it may earn a commission from product links. That disclosure gives readers relevant information about the commercial relationship when considering the recommendations.
Popular right now
Ninja Flip Toaster Oven & Air Fryer, 8-in-1, Stainless Steel, SP151
KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Tilt-Head Stand Mixer – Dried Rose (KSM150PS)
Samsung QN65LS03FAFXZA 65 The Frame QLED 4K Art Mode Vision AI Smart TV (2025)
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Hollywood Photos to Styling Advice
The report begins with the author’s own history of wearing other jewelry, including a watch, bracelet, rings and an earring, before describing the necklace as his remaining area of curiosity. He says a project examining Robert Redford’s style prompted him to look more closely at necklaces in archival photographs and film imagery.
From there, the author compares those images with the style of McQueen and Newman and turns the observations into accessible suggestions: keep the first chain simple, decide how visible it should be, and consider a pendant later. The article is a style report rather than a formal trend survey; the supplied source does not provide sales figures or research showing how common men’s necklaces are.
““So start simple and start with a chain.””
— Esquire report
What the Guide Does Not Establish
The supplied source is a styling article, not a study of consumer behavior or a report establishing a broad fashion trend. It does not show how many men wear necklaces, whether demand is rising, or whether the cited actors influenced current purchasing. Its recommendations are the author’s judgments and examples.
The source material also ends partway through its discussion of secondhand jewelry. It does not provide the full details of every product, comparison or further recommendation in the original article. Esquire’s disclosure says it may earn commissions from links, but the supplied text does not specify whether a commission applies to each named item.
How Readers Can Apply the Advice
The next step for a reader is a personal choice, not a scheduled development: decide whether a chain feels comfortable, choose a length and material, and try it with clothes already in the wardrobe. The article encourages beginning with one uncomplicated piece before deciding whether a pendant or a more visible style is a fit.
Anyone shopping from the guide can compare items and check current prices, materials and availability directly with sellers; those details can change and are not fully established by the supplied source. No follow-up announcement or wider trend data is identified in the material provided.
Key Questions
What is the guide’s main advice for wearing a necklace?
It recommends starting with a simple chain before adding a pendant or combining multiple pieces.
Should a men’s necklace be worn over or under a shirt?
The writer favors keeping a chain under a T-shirt for a discreet look. To show it, the article suggests leaving a shirt open; it presents this as a preference, not a rule.
Which actors does the article use as style references?
The report points to Robert Redford, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, noting necklaces in photographs and film imagery. It does not claim their style can be reproduced by wearing the same jewelry.
Does Esquire disclose a commercial relationship?
Yes. The source says Esquire may earn a commission from product links. The supplied material does not specify which individual links generate commissions.
Source: esquire.com
