As the Queen of Gems gets a modern makeover and the fashion world falls in love with pearls yet again, we take a trip down memory lane. Here are five our favorite style icons who made pearls their own.
Coco Chanel
The fashion world’s obsession with pearls can be traced back to 1932 when Coco Chanel launched her first jewelry line. She mixed large faux pearls with sparkling stones in a theatrical manner, and women fell in love with this bold trend immediately. Costume jewelry was suddenly acceptable and piling on pearls around the neck became big, a look spearheaded by Mademoiselle Chanel herself.
Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s
There are iconic cinema moments and then there is the image of Holly Golightly standing outside Tiffany’s, having breakfast out of a paper bag. The elbow-length satin gloves, the glittering tiara, the classic black column dress created by her trusted hand Givenchy and those fabulous pearls by French designer Roger Scemama. The Audrey Hepburn-pearl connection was established forever.
Jacqueline Kennedy
“Pearls are always appropriate.” Jackie Kennedy once said. This First Lady inherited her legendary triple-strand pearl necklace featuring 158 faux pearls strung on hand-knotted silken cords from her mother. From state dinners in the White House to her trips to India to Greece, coronations to vacation, she wore these pearls everywhere.
Michelle Obama
Mrs O favored her classic pearl necklace with her signature cardigans but every once in a while experimented with the queen of gems. A longer pearl string made an appearance with her fit-and-flare dresses and sometimes she turned to chunky pearl cuffs and stacked bracelets. One of her most memorable fashion moments starred a Tom Binns statement pearl necklace she wore to a White House gala.
Sarah Jessica Parker
If there was a fashion girl way to do pearls, Sarah Jessica Parker would take the lead. Carrie Bradshaw’s iconic pile of necklaces with a hot pink tank in Sex and the City or SJP’s Cannes outing where she teamed luscious layers of Mikimoto with a Dolce & Gabbana gown. If you like your pearls dramatic, she is the person you need to Pinterest.