Art of Adornment - Chokers: Selection & Care

Style:
Choose a design that highlights your individuality - are you trendy, eclectic, or refined? If you're not sure or if it depends on your mood, try something basic to start with: a choker with a single stone for example. Consider a neutral colour (white, ivory, grey/silver or black) since it can be worn with many different coloured outfits and still look great. Cameos are very popular right now (actually they never really went out of style - women have been wearing them for centuries, and they were very popular during the Victorian era), and now come in a rainbow of colours. They look especially romantic with wedding gowns.

"But I'm too old to wear a choker". Says who? We mentioned that cameo chokers have been worn for centuries. The thousands upon thousands of women of ALL ages wearing them in vintage photographs and paintings through the ages couldn't possibly be wrong!

Colour and Width:
Narrower widths (under 1 1/4" or 3.2cm) tend to look more flattering on shorter, heavier necks than wider ribbons, because they allow more skin to show and make the neck appear longer and slimmer. Consider a deep or muted colour (grey, dark brown, navy blue, burgundy, black - or ivory, dusty blue, antique rose pink, moss green, etc.) over a bright, vivid colour (bright red, neon pink, lime green, electric blue, lemon yellow, white). Here's why: vivid colours draw the eye and often create the illusion that things are wider or larger than they really are - so a shorter, heavier neck may look exaggerated. If you have a long, slender neck, a wider ribbon (over 3/4" or 19mm) is ideal. Very narrow ribbon chokers can sometimes look "lost", making a long neck appear even longer - especially with very muted colours (powder blue, ivory, pale pink, light grey, soft peach, etc.). Long necks seem to look their best with strong colours (emerald green, ruby red, jet black, rich bronze, bright purple, hot pink, etc.).

Will It Fit?
You need to measure your neck accurately since chokers fit snug against the skin. Use a dressmaker's measuring tape or a piece of string which you can mark off and then measure while flat. Just measure tightly enough so the tape or string doesn't slip. Look for a choker that can be adjusted to fit your size, for comfort. When you put the choker on, it should be quite tight but you should still be able to slip your finger between the ribbon and your neck without too much difficulty. A good test to see if you are wearing it right is to try to rotate it around your neck. If you can still move it, but it takes a fair bit of effort, you are wearing it correctly. The choker should not sag unless it is suspending a very large pendant (making a nice "V" shape close to the neck).

How Can I Be Assured Of Quality?

Construction:
Generally there is greater quality control with professionally hand-crafted items, since the artisan inspects each one for flaws. Since their reputation as a craftsperson is at stake, they are more likely to ensure it is very well constructed. Also, the materials play an important role: French and Swiss-made velvet are among the highest quality, and are usually softest against the skin. Double-faced satin is superior to single-faced, since it is a slightly denser weave and tends to be more durable. Lace varies a great deal. An open-weave lace such as Battenburg, venise/guipure or crocheted lace looks delicate but is usually quite strong. However any lace which does not have a fine visible "mesh" binding itself together could possibly stretch out with wear, and not stretch back (see "How Do I Take Care Of It?" below for how to deal with this). Organza/organdy ribbon (that pretty, transparent, shiny stuff) can easily snag - so be careful when storing these chokers.

Finishing:
A ribbon choker with metal* bars ("crimps") at the very ends of the ribbon is the most durable: the metal ends keep the ribbon rigid so it won't crumple at the back, keep the ribbon ends from fraying, and give the choker a professionally finished look. An S-hook type clasp may be easier to use than a lobster-claw shaped clasp (which has a springy catch) if you have to take the choker on and off by yourself frequently, or if you have large fingers. We use lobster claw clasps on our chokers by default, but can switch to an S-hook upon request.

*Metal parts can sometimes contain nickel. Nickel allergies are common, although most people can wear it for a few hours without problems. Any nickel-plated metal components have been noted in our product descriptions, if used on that item. Most of our choker clasp hardware can be upgraded to sterling silver for a small fee (see any choker listing for details).

How Do I Take Care Of It?

Storage:
If you are rough with your jewelry, even the most sturdy pieces can scratch, snag, or break - avoid casually tossing your choker in your purse or jewelry box. You can fold it neatly and store in a re-sealable plastic bag (we often ship chokers in these bags, keep them!), lay it flat in a covered tray (so they won't get dusty), or hang it by the clasp.

Wrinkled or Folded Satin and Velvet:
Press satin chokers from the back using the lowest steam setting. Do not iron over any glued components as this could weaken the bond. Velvet chokers can be steamed face-up (if you do not have a steamer, set your iron to the lowest steam setting): hover low over the velvet making several slow passes and pressing your iron's "burst of steam" button, avoiding any glued components. Gently tug on the choker for 10 seconds while it cools. If there are any "crushed" or folded areas, steam and quickly brush the velvet back and forth with your finger. As a last resort, if that does not help you can place the choker face-down on a clean tea towel and iron from the back (avoid ironing over glued components) - but don't let the iron sit in one place for very long as you could make a scorch mark through to the front.

Stretched-Out, Warped or Wrinkled Lace:
Most types of lace can be re-shaped with a mist of cool water. Place the choker face down on a towel and mist with a spray bottle until lightly damp (not soaked). Remove from the towel and leave it somewhere warm to dry flat, face-up. Arrange any warped areas by tugging in those spots only. If you pull on it horizontally you can stretch the length a little if needed, but be careful: wetting the fabric near the ends weakens it where the metal clamps attach, and if you pull too hard you could rip the material there. When dry, flat lace (not venise or crocheted lace, flat lace is very thin and fairly transparent) can be ironed on the lowest steam setting, but be sure to avoid ironing over any glued components as this could weaken the bond.

Cleaning:
All of the ribbon and lace materials we use are colour-fast and washable, but still require care. Generally, cleaning should be a last resort since you risk making water stains, puckering the ribbon, and creating "worn" marks - so don't do it until it is absolutely necessary. DO NOT DRY CLEAN - for all of the fabric examples given below, just dip a cloth in very diluted mild detergent (the same type you use for lingerie/delicates, eg. Woolite), dab gently, and allow the choker to dry flat on a towel in a warm place. Never wring or scrub - be gentle!

Lace: dab cloth gently in a downward motion, do not "sweep" horizontally across the lace or you may pull it out of shape.
Velvet: gently brush the washcloth back and forth horizontally in a long sweeping motion across the length of the ribbon, even the clean areas to ensure you don't make a "worn" spot.
Satin: dampen ALL of the exposed satin equally or you could get watermarks when it dries; will likely require ironing afterwards (iron from the back using the lowest steam setting - avoid ironing over glued components).
Tarnished Metal Components: avoid contact with household cleaners, talc, and abrasive materials (bristle brush, steel wool, sand paper, etc.) as they will damage the finish. Instead polish with a chamois or special jeweller's cloth (we sell some here). DO NOT use chemical cleaners or "impregnated"-type polishing cloths unless specifically designed for antiqued plated jewelry. A commerically available liquid cleaner we recommend for non-antiqued parts (eg. choker chains), is Empire's Instant Tarnish Remover (avoid contact with fabrics and glued components), usually available from department store jewellers and bead shops.
Cleaning Smells and Heavy Soiling: odours such as tobacco, perspiration and perfume penetrate all of the fabric, so spot-cleaning is ineffective. First try a fabric refresher spray (eg. Febreze) or other odour-eating spray that is specifically safe for applying directly to fabrics - spray only on the back of the choker, having covered as many exposed metal and glass components as you can first to protect them from the spray. For very stubborn odours or heavy soiling due to cosmetics, fill a sink with cold water and a capful of mild detergent (the kind used for lingerie/delicates, eg. Woolite). Drop the choker in, swish back and forth a few times, and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Swish a few more times then rinse carefully under a cold tap. Allow to dry flat, face-up on a clean colourfast towel (pat dry any metal parts as soon as possible). DO NOT wring or tug on the choker while soaking wet! The fabric at the ends will have softened and could become loose or tear where the metal clamps attach if pulled on. Allow it to dry completely, then if it needs re-shaping or ironing simply follow the instructions in the paragraphs above for the type of fabric. Washing chokers in this way should only be done when it is absolutely necessary. Frequently doing this needlessly may damage the choker in the long run.

Quick Tips:

Put the choker on backwards (to check if it's too tight/too loose). While facing a mirror, attach the clasp at the front so you can see what you are doing. As you rotate the clasp to the back, you will be able to tell if you are wearing it correctly: if you can move it very easily, it is too loose. It should take a little effort, unless you are wearing a choker designed to dangle a large pendant (which can usually be worn loosely if desired). If you cannot move it at all, it is too tight.
Mild metal allergies? People with mild metal allergies often paint the metal crimps (and the back of the metal pendant, if one) with clear nail varnish to prevent irritation, and it apparently works brilliantly! Alternatively, for sensitive skin we offer an upgrade to sterling on most choker ends/clasp/chain (see any choker listing for details).
Chokers on a budget. Try buying a plain choker if cost is a factor. It can be worn alone, you can add changeable pendants (if it's a thinner width fabric) or you can pin whatever you like to it as your style and mood changes - a silk rose, a favorite brooch, it's up to you! However,satin and organdy/organza chokers will show holes where your pin has been, so once you pin something to it you will always need to cover that area to hide the holes.