By Lita Wilson, CSA
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02 Nov, 2023
Jewelry is perhaps one of the oldest forms of expression. Whether that be of the self, love, social standing or religious belief, jewelry always gets the job done. Within the last few years, jewelry layering has drifted in and out of fashion. Layering of gold chains in different styles, mixed metal/texture rings, stacks of fine gold bracelets and the most recent trend of “ear curation” have all been in the spotlight. These trends often focus more on minimalistic pieces, adhering to the “clean girl aesthetic” popping up on Instagram feeds. The ear curation trend, which refers to when an ear with multiple piercings is adorned with jewelry all fitting within a specific theme or style. These new trends directly contrast with the maximalist layers of years past that were typically only worn by nobility and other members of high society. While jewelry has become more accessible to everyone in the last few centuries, it used to only be readily available to those who were in ruling classes. Rococo fashion is often heralded as the most flashy of eras, favoring pastel color palettes, golden accents and glittering gems, both in architecture and fashion. However, an earlier era had seen a rise of glamorous layers of jewelry. The Tudors (Henry VIII and his wives, but more often his wives) were seen wearing layered necklaces. The fashion of the time was a pearl choker (sometimes with a pendant), a longer gold necklace with or without gems and the third necklace actually hooked into the clothes rather than clasping behind the neck. Beyond the traditional jewelry, clothes were also being adorned with gold, gemstones and pearls. Henry VIII is depicted in a portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger wearing clothes that are decorated with gemstones and a hat with pearls along the brim. Anne of Kleves, his fourth wife, is depicted in similar fashion choices in her portrait, her clothes sharing the spotlight with three necklaces and a few rings visible on her hands. Rococo fashion took these trends and elevated them, though. Layered jewelry— particularly rings and necklaces— was worn in conjunction with brooches and adornments that were actually sewn into the clothes, typically along the shoulders, wrists and other seams. There was a style of brooch primarily worn by women, called the stomacher brooch, that took up a significant portion of the front of the bodice on a gown and followed the curves of the body. This style spread to other royal courts across Europe, however, they were far more subdued than the French variations which typically had somewhere around 50 gemstones of varying sizes set in the brooch and in the pendants hanging off of them, accompanied by scrollwork in the metal. These two eras of jewelry and their trends with layering were a display of wealth and social status, but also set trends across royal courts in other nations. While fashion has changed drastically since the Tudors and the French monarchy reigned, some things have remained the same. While layering our jewelry and adding brooches or other appliqués (which are often made of imitation materials to keep clothes far more affordable) to our clothes are still popular— or at least are gaining popularity— the options available to us now are significantly more affordable and not as heavy as the clothes and accessories of years past. Now, we opt for layers of delicate chains with or without pendants and have our statement pieces be a wide curb chain or a slightly more delicate paperclip style chain. Our rings are often the same as the necklaces, sticking to smaller styles, even when it comes to signets. The jewelry we use for layering now is more conducive to our lifestyles and can be incorporated into any part of life, not just to sit for a portrait or host a lavish ball where wealth is meant to be displayed. Trends like permanent jewelry and ear curation also take a fun approach to layered jewelry, taking an entire day in a boutique or piercing shop to create the perfect stack of bracelets or collection of earrings. Jewelry stacks are also easy to find inspiration for on Instagram or Pinterest, allowing anyone with access to those sites an easy way to follow trends and find the style they’re looking for. Most of the popular pieces adhere to the now popular minimalist fashion trends. Delicate stacks of yellow gold jewelry and neutral toned clothes have taken the internet by storm. Paperclip chains, omega or herringbone chains, dainty cable chains with small pendants of initials, discs or other symbols are paired with graduated sizes of gold hoops and diamond accents to create a polished, yet casual look for running errands or going to the office. This trend is far more comfortable than the trends of Marie Antoinette, Henry Tudor and many dynasties in India where jewelry was quite literally worn from head to toe. Not everyone is going to follow the current trends set by an influencer or whatever is most popular in the ever changing trend cycle set by Millennials and Gen Z. Although, many people do stack rings in their daily lives. Wedding sets are a great example of this that many of us see on the daily. Jewelry and how we style it will often be dependent on lifestyle and can even be based on the social norms we grew up with. Not all of us are willing to take the route of adorning ourselves like an old European aristocrat, but our most popular trends and even some norms within the jewelry world are reminiscent of the ones seen only in paintings. Trends have always come and gone in cycles, repeating themselves in new ways or even recreating the original styles, like the Egyptian revival in the 1920s. This is a beautiful way to pay homage to historical fashion while still keeping up with contemporary styles. If you’d like to see more layered jewelry or even inquire about making your own custom stack, drop by during our open hours and we’ll work with you to create the perfect combination for your lifestyle! For further research, we’d recommend Britannica’s article on the history of jewelry design. The section on the Renaissance to modern times was helpful on this topic. https://www.britannica.com/art/jewelry/Renaissance-to-modern