Of all the trends in the past few years, the statement necklace takes the cake for me. The chunkier and more sparkly, the better! And if it’s from J.Crew? Well, I haven’t met one I didn’t want to become ‘besties’ with. And as my ‘jewelry closet’ keeps expanding, I am noticing a pattern: virtually every piece I have bought in the past year has been a statement necklace. But as my addiction grows, I can’t help but wonder, “Will there be a death of the statement necklace?”
I gasp at the sheer horror of this thought. Then think of my daughter having a garage sale some day, selling my Zara and Loren Hope gems, saying “I know, can you believe they all wore these?” while sporting some miniscule minimalist chain around her neck. Well, this is a fashion future I want no part of! But as time rushes on and our statement pieces get bigger and brighter and more elaborate, with more and more designers jumping on board, where is this trend heading? Are we doomed for a future where the next big thing is the exact opposite of the current? I laugh at the oh-so-obvious current Hollywood hair trends with the new ‘cutting edge’ pixy cuts popping up on everyone. Well, where else could they possibly go after years of over-the-top extensions on every starlet? Unfortunately sometimes fashion goes back and forth, slowly moving from one extreme to the other like a pendulum. So how can we keep this trend alive and breathing for the long run?
The more I think about it, the more I really do believe that these beautiful pieces could potentially stand the test of time. They have such a power to bring an otherwise boring outfit to life, to give a cocktail dress that perfect extra edge. The statement necklace is such a major tool, which I feel had been missing from our accessory options in years past, I really don’t see my fellow fashionistas wanting to let go of it any time soon. But where do we draw the line? I think that we have to follow Darwin’s lead on this one. The statement necklace is here to stay, but in a survival of the fittest kind of way. Just like with any timeless piece in your closet, it is the well made, quality items that you keep going back to the most. They have weathered the storms of bad breakups with you, they got you through scary job interviews, and they were there with you at your best friend’s wedding. These are your staples because they are special and meaningful to you. So, before you rush out and fill your closet with fifty baubles, think of their future, and if you would like to still see them sticking around in five years. Invest in fewer but ‘worth it’ pieces and wear them proud.
In our current world of Instabloggers and #OOTDs, everyone constantly wants to show you that new thing they have just added to their collection. But of all the bloggers I follow, the ones I admire and look to the most are those who can style the same staple pieces over and over in completely different and new ways. So let’s keep layering, stacking, and marrying our jewels with that perfect button down, print sweater, and cocktail dress as we look for new ways to make those beauties shine. We can keep this trend going as long as we, the consumer are telling the designers “we want more”!
Photography by Sohail Mamdani
