Q. My mother in law would like to give me some pearls for my first Mother's Day (lucky me!), but I need help finding some that don't look so matronly. Any advice?
Q. I have an 18" string of pearls that I received for my wedding. I used to wear them to dressier events and functions, but my style has changed and evolved over the years. I am mostly in casual, daytime situations with children and other moms and work part time from home in a creative profession. I would love to wear my pearls again, but no longer just for special occasions. How can I make them more of an everyday, hip accessory?A. When we think of pearls, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Coco Chanel and Jackie O usually come to mind, as all are icons when it comes to wearing pearls. While classic and often traditional, pearls are also a mainstay of a modern wardrobe - it's all about how you wear them.
In the images below, Michelle Obama wears her short double strands in classic, ladylike fashion with a pencil skirt and beaded cardigan; Rihanna makes hers look young and fresh with a button down and short flirty skirt; Jessica Biel opts for slightly longer strands to accessorize her little black dress.
The celebrities below opt for longer, layered strands: Ashlee Simpson's have a rock-and-roll vibe worn with skinny jeans and a casual striped top; Sarah Jessica Parker wears hers with a chic black minidress; Blake Lively wears hers long, loose and messy with her retro-inspired look.
The point is, pearls can be worn in so many ways, from casual to dressy, or ladylike to rocker, depending on your style. They are a must-have for any woman's wardrobe.
If you're going to invest in a pearl necklace, a long strand of pearls is the most versatile. You can create multiple looks from the same necklace: wear it long and loose, layered with other necklaces, or you can double or triple the strand to create a shorter necklace. You can even wrap it several times around your wrist or pin a brooch on your necklace.
Here are some pearls in longer lengths for every budget (as you can see, you don't have to spend a lot!):
photos via instyle.com and people.com
If you like to layer, you might like this Slane & Slane pearl and chain necklace....its a best seller on Neiman Marcus.com
http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod80390020&parentId=cat21410735&masterId=cat2830732&index=7&cmCat=cat000000cat2830732cat21410735
I have been wearing pearls since I was 18. I have always found them to be very classy. I received a pair of pear earrings on my 18th birthday which is what I wanted while everyone else was getting diamond studs.
My husband bought a strand of pearls for me for mother's day about 5 years ago, and I wear them everyday. I am a teacher, but I dress REALLY funky on the weekends. So, you will see me with my straight leg jeans, Ed Hardy Shirt, classic while converse tennis shoes, and my pearls.
I just discovered the wonderful quality of pearls. They can totally change an outfit! I love the look that mochababe put together for weekend wear...great idea! I've always thought they were too dressy for that style but I think I'll have to give it a try. Thanks for the idea!