Timeless Fashion: Chanel Pearls

I’m relatively simple when it comes to jewelry – my tastes are rather limited (as is my budget), so I tend not to put much thought into my jewelry box. I do know what I like, though – silver or platinum without too much detail. I like to keep it simple and elegant. My best friend, however, is a bit of a jewelry hound. She actually owns a jewelry store in Lubbock, TX, and dazzles the eye with her many amazing finds. That’s how I came to have my very favorite piece of jewelry. Shortly before my wedding many years back, I received a box in the mail from her. In it was a simple pearl necklace. It was perfect, despite the fact I’d never considered wearing pearls. They were outdated, in my mind, and something only my grandmother would wear. How wrong I was. 

We moved into a house a few years back ago, and my necklace was misplaced in the move. I had put it in a safe place, and it turned out to be too safe. I found it recently, and it was as exciting to open it this time as when I originally received it. While I’d always treated it as a priceless item – too nice to wear out in my ordinary life – finding it again made me realize how precious sit was and to not take it for granted. So, I’ve started wearing it on a regular basis — just a plain old girl wearing a beautiful strand of pearls. 

Timeless Fashion Gets An Update

While my Chanel pearls have been considered classic, they were more likely worn as a simple string on special occasions. Thanks to a designer-led reinvention, pearls have now shaken off their old image and are currently the fashion world’s most stylish accessory. It seems unimaginable that there was a time not so long ago when pearls were considered the antithesis of cool. Now you’ll see not just a single strand, but layers of pearls and often mixed with gold and silver chains along with jewels.

5 Steps to Perfectly Layered Pearls

Understanding how to layer pearls along with your other necklaces, especially those as beautiful a Chanel pearls, takes a bit of talent and practice. Claudia Bradby Jewelry has a  5-step process that makes it easy.

First, familiarize yourself with the various lengths and where each necklace layer should ideally rest on your torso using the image below.

Second, go for a graduated effect. Vary the lengths and weight, considering that the more delicate should be shorter than the chunkier, heavier pearls.

Third, use a pearl lariat to add versatility to your look.

Fourth, mix up the metals. Rose gold and silver work together and can add a level of dimension.

Fifth, use ropes and ropes, much like the Chanel pearls layered in the window storefronts in Paris (see photo above). Odd numbers work best: three, five, and if you’re tall and brave enough, kick it to seven layers. Once you get the hang of it, you can channel your Chanel-look like a pro.

SHOP THE LOOK

What’s really making the difference in the pearl comeback story is the contemporary design of the new pearl pieces. There’s nothing dowdy about our selection below. Different shapes, colors and lengths are great for accessorizing the most casual outfit.

Fashion trends and fads come and go, and many of us will experience a wide range of styles and looks throughout our lives. But some items always seem to be en vogue. Fashions that might fade away for a little while but will come back with a vengeance and a new attitude at some point in time. Pearls definitely fit into this category. So while pearls might seem like something we only see in old gangster movies or are something that only our grandmother would wear, considering investing in a strand that fits your style.

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