Stacking 101:
How to Mix Your Ring Shapes

"Can I mix circles and squares?"

This is a question I've heard a LOT over the years, and there really isn't a one-size (or shape)-fits-all answer. Some of my favorite ring stacks combine round and square bands, and I've always loved seeing the combinations people come up with when they're given permission to play.

Your jewelry style and pairings should be an extension of your own style. If you're someone who mixes patterns, metals, textures and accessories, don't stop to think twice about mixing shapes in your jewelry, too. That's part of the fun of creating your own stack.

Can You Mix Round and Square Rings?

Absolutely. Back when the CMD Ring Bar was part of our San Francisco shop, I watched people mix shapes and sizes all the time, and it totally worked for them. Today, I still see the same thing when we're building stacks together at The Ring Bar during Open Hoursor at Pop-Up Events. There isn't one combination that's going to look right on everyone, which is exactly why trying things together is so much fun.

Personally, I've always loved wearing a square stack on my middle finger on my left hand and a round stack on my right ring finger. I don't necessarily need every ring on one finger to be the same shape. Sometimes letting the different stacks play off one another is enough.

Mix More Than Just the Shape

If you're mixing round and square rings, I also like to vary the widths, metals and finishes throughout the stack. A wider band next to something very thin creates contrast, while mixing yellow gold, silver and oxidized silver can make the individual shapes stand out even more.

Try a 3mm round band with a wider square band and a few thin rings interspersed between them. Play with the order. Move one ring from one finger to another. The combination that looks best on paper isn't always the one you'll love most once it's on your hand.

How Many Round and Square Rings Should You Mix?

If you're just getting started, try something close to half round and half square rather than adding one round ring to an otherwise entirely square stack. From there, adjust the balance based on what you naturally gravitate toward. If you love squares more than rounds, maybe that's five square rings and three rounds. There are no hard rules here.

That's really the point of stacking in the first place. You can keep changing the combination as your collection grows, and something you've worn one way for years can feel completely different simply by moving a few rings around.

For a few more ideas, read 3 Easy Ways to Create Your Perfect Stack, where I share some of my favorite ways to use mixed metals, contrast and asymmetry when building a stack.

How do you like to stack? Round, square or a little bit of everything?

Here’s to stacks without rules,
Colleen

© Colleen Mauer Designs. All rights reserved.

Published: May 16, 2018
Updated: August 13, 2026