Trend Watch: Nested Pendants

Complex conglomerations of design elements melded together into statement necklaces can serve as fun and creative expressions of personality, no doubt. But the tangled chains and loose ends that give some necklaces an edge may not send the right message in all circumstances. For example, in a business setting where the wearer needs to convey a highly professional image, a more controlled style of jewelry may better convey the desired impression.

One technique for achieving the voluminous appearance of a statement necklace with a more elegantly restrained sense of style is to wear a set of nested pendant necklaces. Recent photos published of influential style-setters demonstrate this jewelry styling technique.

Model and actress Amber Valletta, pictured in the November 20009 issue of Vogue magazine, wears a combination of pendant necklaces by Deanna Hamro and Irit Design with a long wrap dress from her new fashion line under the brand name Amber Valletta for Monrow. The look is still edgy in its combination of textures and metal colors, but without the amount of chaos seen in some current necklace designs.

Vogue magazine editor-in-chief Anna Wintour wears an even more sophisticated combination of necklaces in the following photograph dating from October 2009. The necklaces are elaborate, with a heavy concentration of design elements at front center, going well beyond simple pendant necklaces. The shorter necklace fits snugly inside the confines of the longer one; the combination is compellingly eye-catching and interesting. I do not have information as to the designer of either necklace she is wearing (please post a comment if you can credit these designs).

Pendant necklaces are more controlled than pearls or beads, since the pendant necklaces are weighted by the pendants and tend to stay put, lying directly on the body, whereas a medium or long strand of pearls or beads might have a tendency to swing. The motion of such necklaces gives them a somewhat less formal look.

For those of a more creative bent, a more exotic example of the nested pendant look appears in the November 2009 issue of Lucky magazine. The look is effected by a single, multi-layered silver-plated necklace from Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz.

Let me share a photo from the spring 2009 runway show of British designer Duro Olowu, another beautiful example of the use of nested pendant necklaces.