This fall, clothes are minimally adorned, colors are somber and the look is decidedly sleek. Sounds dull, but for us jewelry lovers, this is great news. Austere clothes are the perfect backdrop for big, bold, lively jewelry.

One tip: When accessorizing fall’s looks with adventurous jewelry, remember to wear one standout piece at a time; you don’t want to overwhelm the rest of your outfit and create a look of intense busyness. Rather, the goal here is to emphasize one knockout piece at a time. Which piece to choose? That depends on your style, your budget, your outfit and your tastes. To get you started, here are the top jewelry trends that came down the runway for fall 2006. Pick up a piece or two—or pull them out of your jewelry box and polish them up—and get ready to have a little accessorizing fun.

Bold gold chains: For the moment, forget shiny, candy-like beads and last season’s jumbled, multi-layered look. Today, it’s all about one or two long gold chains with oversize links. The hottest gold necklaces have big, interlocking loops, or big loops interspersed on chains, sort of like a Tin Cup necklace with gold circles rather than pearls. Toss one on over your tunic/legging combo, your mini-dress, or pair a gold necklace with one of the season’s hot men’s suits or military jackets that are so popular right now.

Pearls: I know what you’re thinking, pearls are not bold. Not worn the traditional way, they aren’t. But freshen up this jewelry staple (bonus, you probably already own a strand or two) and make it modern by tying your pearl strand in a loose knot before putting it on. This makes it bold and interesting. Alternately, thread a cocktail ring, big class ring or statement-making brooch onto your pearl necklace. An enhancer, which is a piece of jewelry made for the purpose of accessorizing your pearl necklace, is another attractive option. Clip one onto your pearl strand to create instant attention.

Cuffs: Put away your charm bracelets and bangles for now—extra-wide cuff bracelets are crisp and modern. Hammered gold cuffs are in: tons of celebrities are sporting this trend on the red carpet. Also hot are any wide, stretchy color cuff bracelets made with stones like aventurine and carnelian. Wood cuffs are stylish too. One caveat: Because they’re so bold, be sure to tone down the rest of your look. Wear your cuff alone with pushed up sleeves or over a skinny sweater or tunic, and be sure to remove your watch and any other distracting jewelry.

Drop and other dangle earrings: Oversize earrings like chandeliers, hoops, and dangles are in this season, and look gorgeously bold with short hair or an updo, or tantalizingly seductive hidden in long hair. Especially hot right now are pear-shaped drops of precious stones, as are white pearl drops around one and a half to two inches in length. Splurge a little on these…you’ll be able to wear them over and over.

Oversize cocktail rings: A favorite of this fashion writer, attention-getting gobs of sapphire, pearl, and citrine set in gold are all the rage right now. In fact, at the New York jewelry show, you could not walk ten feet without being tempted to pick up yet another oversize cocktail ring; the gorgeous baubles were everywhere. The look is not fussy: diamonds, CZs and other adornments should be kept to a minimum and the stone itself should get all the attention. Square cuts are modern, but oval rings and round rings are pleasing too. As with other bold accessories, be sure not to overdo this look. One big ring will suffice (wearing multiple rings on multiple fingers is so juvenile). Scale back the rest of your jewelry as well.

Skull jewelry and basic black: Interestingly, jewelry designs with skulls are all the rage this season. Very rock and roll and hard core (Steven Tyler is a fan), skulls likely won’t have much staying power, so don’t spend too much money on any one skull piece. To get the edgy look with a minimum investment, try skull dangle earrings or a skull pendant necklace. Not a fan of the skull jewelry fad but still want a rock and roll edge? Try black jewelry. Black is back, and this season it’s done in a big, bold way that screams sophisticated rock and roll. Try a jumbo black pearl necklace or black pearl dangle earrings. (Black freshwater pearls, though dyed, are very affordable.) Another option is a strand of demure white pearls tied with a wide black ribbon for a sexy contrast. Still other choices are an oversize black beaded bracelet or onyx dangle earrings. A giant black cross, black leather cuff or oversize onyx cocktail ring are also ways to get in on this trend.

Got enough fashion information to keep you busier than Jessica Alba’s stylist? Thought so! Just remember a few simple rules and you’ll be fine: When choosing jewelry, spend more on classic pieces that stand the test of time, like bangles, pearl necklaces, gold dangle earrings, tank watches, diamond studs, pearl studs and the like. Save on trendier pieces like oversize beaded necklaces, skull jewelry, and giant cocktail rings. And when going with a bold piece, tone the other stuff down and let the statement-maker do all the talking.