5 hours ago
13
This summer, I want jewellery that makes some noise. Real noise – earrings that swish, bangles that clatter – and visual noise as well. Stuff to wear when you want to be seen and heard. The total opposite, in other words, of the jewellery most of us have been wearing lately. Charming, delicate jewellery has become the default. Two necklaces of different lengths on fine chains. One has a heart pendant, the other an initial or a birth stone, am I right? Maybe a curated earlobe of tastefully small mismatched diamond hoops.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this look. It is really nice. In fact, this is exactly the problem.
An aesthetic that has absolutely nothing wrong with it is a little vanilla. It is too nice. And what started out as the kind of jewellery you might collect over time – a fingernail-sized pendant that was a present from your mum or your best friend, rose quartz or freshwater pearls that were an impulse-buy holiday keepsake – has become a generic aesthetic. Is it just me or is there something depressing about those off-the-shelf sets of two or three necklaces that are in every high street store right now? Personal style, but make it oven-ready?
Fashion is getting braver again with jewellery. Brooches are back. Signet rings. Chunky pebble pendants. Floral earrings that could fill a bud vase. This is a pendulum swing against stealth wealth, against stuff that signals status while pretending not to. Now that every influencer and finance bro dresses as though they inherited a Tuscan vineyard, I think we can safely declare quiet luxury to be over. Please?
With chunky jewellery, nobody is squinting at the hallmark or looking to see if it’s “real” or not. The carat is not relevant. The point is the vibe, not the value. The most fabulous earrings in the room may be vintage plastic bought from a flea market. The best necklace might be resin, raffia, glass beads or painted wood. The appeal is not preciousness but presence. A sculptural pendant the size of a small fist. A coral-coloured necklace that clunks pleasingly against your collarbone. A brooch shaped like a beetle, or a bunch of grapes, or just a glorious arty abstraction. This is jewellery liberated from aspiration.
Jewellery is in the eyeline of anyone you talk to, which makes it a natural conversation starter. This is where size matters. A giant flower earring has a twinkle in its eye where a tiny diamond is a little earnest.
A pair of outrageous earrings suggests confidence, curiosity, perhaps even a slight disregard for whether everybody approves.
after newsletter promotion
Think Iris Apfel, with her eternal favourite-art-teacher energy. Think designer Alessandro Michele, whose years at Gucci helped rehabilitate fashion excess. Both had beautiful taste and loved excess. They knew when to stop, and kept going anyway. What a delicious way to live.Personality jewellery isn’t just for fancy occasions. Big earrings are not just for pairing with updos and gowns, but look fun and unexpected with messy hair and a T-shirt.
With necklaces, resist the temptation to coordinate colour too neatly. The instinct is to find a chunky jade pendant to wear with your green linen shirt, or a coral-toned piece to complement your sunkissed holiday wardrobe, but jewellery need not be an accessory in the dutiful sense.
Far more interesting is the element of surprise. Embrace the shock of cobalt against a pale cream top, the burst of citrus yellow with grey. Something your outfit absolutely was not expecting.
Jewellery is the last word of your outfit. Let it do more than nod along politely. Instead of just smoothing off the edges, fun jewellery can create a spark. The chunky jewel has entered the chat. And frankly, it has much more interesting things to say than another dainty gold chain.
Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Styling assistant: Charlotte Gornall. Model: Maria Diaz at Milk. Hair and makeup: Sophie Higginson using Hair by Sam McKnight and Ilia. Earrings, £48, Anthropologie. Necklace, £40, Topshop. Dress, £45, Topshop
