4 Jewelry Trends I'm Seeing Everywhere

I thought it would be fun to talk about some of the jewelry trends I’ve been seeing around town and online. While I only ever wear the jewelry I make, and don’t typically follow trends unless they resonate deeply, I love to notice what people are wearing, and find it fascinating when new trends start to pop up.

1. FISH PENDANTS
   All of a sudden, fish are EVERYWHERE! I’ve seen this trend out and about IRL, at popups, on the streets, and online. That’s not to say that fish pendants haven’t always been around, or haven’t been popular, quite the contrary. I’ve come across countless articulated fish pendants in my Antiquing days. But I feel this may be one of those micro-trends that will quickly fade in popularity once summer is over, and go back to being worn by those who have a genuine connection to fish.
   

   

   Left: Alighieri: Silhouette of Summer Necklace, Middle: Fraiser Sterling: Offshore Necklace, Right: Eden Presley: Swedish Fish pendant
   
   I do find myself being lured to these sea creatures, but ultimately, I know it’s just because I’ve been seeing them everywhere. They are adorable and provide a much-needed sense of whimsy, especially during this unstable point in time. But it’s never a symbol I’ve felt particularly connected to or drawn to wear, so I’ll leave this one to the marine-life hearts.
   

2. BROOCHES
   I’m so excited for this one! I feel like the last time brooches had a moment was in the 80s, before I was born. Brooches are truly the shapeshifters of the jewelry world, and have been slept on for the past 30+ years. Add them to a bag, a scarf, a blazer, or even convert them into a pendant and wear it as a necklace.
   
   It’s also easy to find an incredible selection of vintage brooches online, at flea markets, and vintage markets, since they were made in abundance throughout the 80s.

   

   Left: Natolia NYC: Orbella Brooch, Middle: Schiaparelli: Eye Brooch, Right: Sophie Buhai: Swan Brooch
   

   I’ve been meaning to make a few of my pendants into brooches, like my Thessala’s Dagger and Queen of Wands pendants, so keep an eye out for those!
   

3. CHARMS
   Charm necklaces are out and about in full force! Whether people are buying fully charmed-out necklaces or creating a personalized collection with individual purchases or heirlooms, they have been gracing the streets of NYC.
   
   I’ve always been a fan of charms. I mostly designed them for my Talisman hoops, but I’ve also started to offer my pendants as charms, sans chain, so you can add them to your own necklace or bracelet.
   
   If you’re looking for an incredible selection of charms and have deep pockets, the Muse Shop in the West Village is the place to go. I’ve been familiar with them for years now, because of my work with FUTURA Jewelry, and know that they collaborate with designers to create exclusive charms just for the shop. In addition to curating an extensive and stunning selection of charms from fine jewelry designers, they also donate a portion of each sale to charitable causes.
   

Charms from the Muse Shop.

I feel the best way to ethically create a new charm necklace is by buying vintage pieces and adding in heirlooms from family members. I don’t love the idea of buying an already complete charm necklace, unless it’s something you feel you will always love. A charm necklace should be carefully considered, and each piece should be something you connect with, like a souvenir from travels or a symbol close to your heart.

5. CORDS
   I haven’t quite seen this style being worn in droves yet, I feel it’s become very popular among designers to offer their necklaces and bracelets on varying types of cords like leather cord, silk, and ribbon in place of chains.
   
   *Edit: After posting this I took a short bus ride downtown and saw not 1, not 2, but 3 girls wearing corded necklaces!

Flora Sycee: Cornflake Pearl Amulet Necklace and Star Two-Way Cord Bolo Necklace

This isn’t a new style by any means, but I've noticed a resurgence of cord necklaces that I haven’t previously seen in the past few years. I’ve also recently designed a few pieces to be worn with silk ribbons and velvet.

Above: Alighieri's Reader on the Shore Choker and Catch of the Day Necklace.

I think it’s a fun way to add visual interest to a necklace stack, creating an unexpected texture or color story. It feels more casual, perfect for that I’m going on vacation vibe. I love the versatility in adjusting the length to work perfectly with the neckline of an outfit, and the ease of layering with other pieces.

Sophie Buhai: Everyday egg choker and Elegant shoelace choker

It’s funny, because before I realized this was becoming popular again, I had just bought some cotton cord to experiment with all the carnelian beads that I got last month. So, I may be dabbling with this particular trend through Aveta’s lens in the near future.

Let me know in the comments if there are any other jewelry trends you’ve been noticing where you live, and if you’ve been enjoying wearing any of the 4 above!

💕 Ashley