If thinking of pearls conjures up images of your favourite grandma wearing her short triple strand, it’s time to expand your horizons! Pearls have grown up, stretched down, twisted around each other, snaked up arms and even have managed to slip down to a discrete ankle.
Pearls go great with anything from jeans to business suits to evening gowns, but where once there were the simple choices of one strand or three, and choker-style or longer, now the possibilities are endless. Pearls have been spotted on celebrities everywhere from the expected – red carpet events, awards ceremonies, premieres – to the surprising. Some of these sightings have provided a few head turning twists on the standard single strand of white. Sandra Bullock was seen wearing multiple strands of both black and white pearls, twisted into a casual, care-free look that added eye-catching interest to a simple black dress. Katherine Heigl chose a multi-strand, single-color long necklace with a black stone clasp for contrast.
Numerous public figures have been sporting a waist-length strand, doubled, and paired with jeans, a little black dress or even a long casual sweater-and-skirt combo. And it seems you can’t be First Lady without at least one strand of pearls; Michele Obama and Hillary Clinton frequently show off their pearly whites, and, of course, Barbara Bush was famous for her ever-present triple-strand.
Pearls aren’t just for decorating your neckline, either. Don’t forget earrings, bracelets, and as mentioned earlier, they’re even showing up on ankles. A single elegant strand makes a statement gracing a wrist. How about twisting a long strand multiple times up the arm? Combine multiple bracelets of different color pearls. As for earrings, long dangling pearls are a beautiful spark for a casual lunch or an elegant dinner. Simply lustrous pearl studs would be just the right pop for jeans and a sweater, or with an upswept do for a formal affair. Imagination seems to be the only criteria these days for how to wear your pearls.
The possibilities are endless! Funky color combinations, elegant simplicity and mix-and-match sizes provide so much variety, you can wear pearls every day with a different look. There are some guidelines for not overdoing it, however. A thick, ropy twist of strands combined with a multiple twist around the wrist can be too much and distract from the unique charm of one or the other. We’ll cover tips for combining your pearls for just the right splash in a future article.
What’s your favourite way to wear your pearls?
Photo credit Francois Durand / Getty Images