Fad or Trend: Why Have Celebrities Stopped Wearing Necklaces?
It feels as though we are slowly watching the presence of necklaces disappear, even at the flashiest of events. The fashion world wants to know: where are everyone’s necklaces?
At the 80th Golden Globe Awards, some of our favorite celebrities were caught embracing their collarbones rather than sparkling necklaces. Selena Gomez, Quinta Brunson, and Madelyn Cline are a few who chose to leave their necklaces at home this year and opted for a minimalistic look instead.
Minimalism is also being seen on the runway. Valentino’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection, Unboxing Valentino, by Pier Paolo Piccioli is an example. Valentino doesn’t shy away from a brilliant pop of color, but this collection was mostly neutral-toned.
Eric Brain, an editor at Hypebeast, said the Unboxing Valentino collection “Served minimal maximalism and maximal minimalism.” Neutral pieces can create the illusion of a minimalistic and basic outfit regardless of whether the items are high-end, thus allowing celebrities to showcase wealth subtly.
The internet has been calling this look “Recession Core.” Though the United States is not officially in a recession, multiple aspects of the economy continue to be negatively affected. Moreover, inflation has caused consumers to reconsider which purchases are necessary.
While discussing the relationship between celebrities and recession, writer Millie Roberts paraphrases Marie Antoinette, “When the general public is doing it tough, shows of flashiness from the higher-ups in society aren’t exactly well received.”
Stylist Mary Fellowes discusses the luxury of jewelry in today’s economic state with writer Brooke Frischer. Fellowes says, "mindless extravagance just feels so out of touch and obsolete."
This may explain why celebrities have chosen to tame their red-carpet looks, in an effort to avoid backlash from the public.
Another reason may be that celebrities want viewers to focus more on their attire rather than their jewelry. Camp Fashion is a style that was introduced in 1964 and remains today. Artists such as Cardi B, Doja Cat, and Lady Gaga are known for their camp red-carpet looks. When dressed in these elaborate, costume-like outfits, necklaces tend to become unnecessary.
The lack of jewelry at events is obvious as its absence has not been popularized in years. Jewelry stylist Michael O’Connor recalls to writer Hedda Schupak that the 70s to the earlier 2000s “seemed to herald the ‘death of the necklace’ in an effort to modernize and minimize a look but still create a ‘wow!’’
I guess trends really do repeat themselves.
Once the ‘death of the necklace’ era diminished, O’Connor explained how colored gems became the next big trend. O’Connor says “in 2009 Angelina Jolie leapfrogged everyone and created a huge surge of interest in color when she wore a large pair of emerald-only earrings.”
After Jolie’s appearance in the emerald-only earrings, other celebrities were seen wearing colorful jewelry. The trend of wearing colored gems eventually brought necklaces back into style.
Glamorous events have always been at the forefront of fashion. Red carpets have consistently been known for their bright lights and sparkles, specifically the Oscars. To quote writer Marcela Isaza, “The Academy Awards are the Super Bowl of sparkle.”
Luxury brands such as Cartier and Tiffany & Co lend their expensive jewels to our favorite celebrities for events. Michael O’Connor reveals that many companies even offer to pay celebrities to wear their jewels in return for publicity.
Tiffany & Co lent famous actress Anne Hathaway a necklace, a set of earrings, and a ring to wear while she co-hosted the 2011 Academy Awards. According to Hola! USA, Tiffany & Co paid Hathaway $750,000 to wear this jewelry which is valued at $10 million.
The publicity that brands receive from celebrities is evident. Let's not forget the plot of Ocean’s 8 — this system fuels its storyline and the love of luxury. Furthermore, the love of feeling expensive.
It may be too soon to tell if necklaces will disappear for good or if this is a fad. Tune into the Oscars on March 12th to see which celebrities are still leaving their necklaces behind.
Has this trend made you reconsider your necklace collection? Leave a comment below.