How to Wear a Velvet Choker (without looking goth)

Q- I love chokers (black velvet types) and like how they look and would like to wear them casually like to uni. But I don’t know how to wear them without looking all emo and gothic or victorian. Please advise on how to pull off the choker look and some outfit ideas.

A- Nothing against your question, but I have admit that I felt a little sick when I read it. I felt sick because I had a flashback of me, in the 8th grade … wearing a velvet choker. In fact, I wore that thing a little too much and with everything. I also wore this horrible dark purple lipstick. Basically, I looked a little shit so its hard for me to think of a “cool” way to wear a velvet choker. BUT fear not, I am an expert and as Tim Gun says, I will “make it work.” Plus, its probably a good idea that we work through this jewelry question now too. I mean the 90s are coming back, so it wont surprise me if these come back in style too.

So this is what I am thinking …

Also remember that the goth look is in style for fall 09 so you can play that up a teeny bit with the choker if you are comfortable with it.