How to Wear Classic Pearls with a Modern Twist

2013 was definitely the year of the pearl! From the designer fashion ensembles runways to daily wear at school, work, or even the beach on holiday, this year-long trend simply would not be denied. And most likely won’t see the end of consistent modern updates to pearl jewelry as the year of 2014 begins. Here’s a full list of how people have given the classic pearl a modern twist.

Clothing styles from casual to classic

You might remember back in the 80’s when everyone was all about bedazzling their jean jackets and then in the early 2000’s when it was all about the bling, but 2013 experienced a style upgrade that wasn’t cheesy, but classy. This year, any piece of clothing you could imagine was being sold with pearls at every store. From the basic essentials such as jeans (shorts, capris, or normal length) and blouses; chic styles with dresses and skirts; to comfy with sweatpants and sweatshirts even being decked out with the embellishment. Yup, sweatshirts and sweatpants definitely got a makeover this year with not only pearls, but lace as well. The most comfortable top with some added glam in place of a school’s logo or acronym? Yes, please. It’s every college campus girl’s dream top for that 8:00 am course.

Some pieces of clothing didn’t include just a couple of pearls here and there, but full out shine from top to bottom; especially dresses and blouses. If an outfit does not come with pearls, then you can always add them anyways with a Peter Pan pearl collar, whether you purchased it at the store or created your own at home with some DIY tips. If you went to any summer music festivals like Lollapalooza or SXSW, you probably saw crop tops encrusted with different-sized pearls as well.

Update your jewelry box: from the flapper trend, ombre, to the smartphone?

It’s super easy to update your jewelry box with some trendy accessories decked out in pearls. The retro look came back with Peter Pan collars and it continued with roaring 20’s and thriving 30’s with flapper-inspired headbands or other hair accessories topped with pearls, lace, and silk. Wear sunglasses? You can get those with some pearls as well.

Ombre is everywhere these days, from clothes to hair to nails, and now the trend has made its way to jewelry with ombre pearls emerging as the latest look. Want your bridesmaids’ dresses and jewelry to match? I think we have a winner indeed with a colorful strand of ombre pearls that work great for a wedding any time of the year.

Even technology is getting a makeover with phone cases decorated with pearls, rhinestones, and other gemstones for iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Nexus smartphones.

The new kind of body jewelry

Women have been wearing pearls on their adornments for centuries, so why not on their body as well? If clothes and accessories are not enough, you can wear belly button rings, ear gages, and Marilyn Monroe piercings with a pearl (real or synthetic) stud or tragus. If full-on body jewelry isn’t your thing, maybe a pearl stud for a cartilage piercing or a set for several ear lobe piercings might be more of your style. Cuff earrings are really in style at the moment as well, and you can purchase cuffed earrings as a strand of loose pearls or tight so that they fit directly over the curve of the ear from top to bottom.

Even with all of the modern updates that 2013 saw and we will continue to see in 2014, there’s nothing quite like a pearl necklace to complete a classic look.