Zodiac sign? Name? Favourite food? Let your necklace do the talking


By AGENCY
Screengrab from the Instagram account of model Winnie Harlow who opted for a custom XXL necklace and hoops bearing her name. Photo: AFP

After a period of fashionability with appearances on stars and in Sex And The City, name necklaces got pushed to the side in the mid-2000s, and were essentially considered outdated until recently.

But they seem to be making a comeback in the fashion world. And now the trend goes even further, since it's no longer just your name that you're showing the world through your jewellery but everything from your astrological sign to your food preferences.

What does your necklace say about you? That question perfectly sums up the fashion trend of the moment: personalised jewellery, and more particularly necklaces, that are customised to communicate key information about the person who wears them.

Considered out of fashion for several years, these kitschy creations are coming back, much to the delight of those nostalgic for the late 1990s and early 2000s.

And it's sure that Carrie Bradshaw, who popularised the trend with her iconic necklace "Carrie" in Sex And The City, would agree.

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Names, messages and astrological signs

A photo of Jennifer Lopez wearing a necklace with the name "BEN" – for Ben Affleck – has gone around the world as the couple has been making headlines since they got back together.

And the message that has not gone unnoticed, showing that jewellery has become a genuine means of expression and communication, whether to highlight one's moods, preferences, or love for one's other half.

Ultra-trendy in the early 2000s, message necklaces are showing up around necks everywhere.

In addition to Lopez, they have recently been seen hanging around the necks of Emily Ratajkowski, Kanye West, Meghan Markle, and Winnie Harlow who went even further by opting for a personalised necklace and XXL hoop earrings.

They can signify a status (like "mom"), initials, one's own name – or that of one's partner or children – or even a simple word or a symbolic date.

This type of personalised jewellery is similar, in a way, to a tattoo that can be worn for just a day or an evening to highlight an identity, a desire, or even a simple mood.

As we all know, astrology is particularly fashionable in these times of uncertainty and anxiety, and very popular with Gen Z, as Time magazine recently demonstrated.

Beyond checking out one's compatibility with friends or lovers, or trying to find out what one's professional year will be like, it's also all about putting one's own astrological sign forward.

Aries, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, or Pisces: jewellery – whether necklaces, bracelets, earrings – also allow wearers to transmit information about one's zodiac traits.

Hailey Bieber, Rihanna, and Markle are among the celebrities who have been spotted wearing pendants highlighting their star sign, and they are far from being the only ones.

The trend is slowly but surely taking hold on social networks with already 6 million views for the hashtag #zodiacnecklace on TikTok.

ALSO READ: How jewellery is also joining the 'green' revolution

And your food preferences too?

Do you love wine? Let it be known through your jewellery!

There's nothing new about this trend, but just a few months back it was also considered way too kitschy. But now brands are creating pendants, earrings, and charms honoring some of our gastronomic obsessions.

A hamburger, a bottle of wine, ice cream... Anything goes.

And let's be clear, these pendants are not just for children. In Japan, the accessories brand Atelier Mine-ro recently made news by offering earrings in the shape of... bottle and cup of sake.

A nice way to let people know, in the blink of an eye, your food preferences - because, yes, it's important! – AFP Relaxnews

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