Cold Shoulder: 11 Jewels for Bare Necklines

The February issue of Vogue features a single page of celebs in a lineup of stunning gowns, all of them highlighting an old Hollywood, off-the-shoulder silhouette, and many glimmering with a satiny sheen. Each woman looks heartbreakingly glamorous, except for one thing: of the seven stars pictured, nearly all of them—with the exception of Rihanna (always a jewelry savior)—are missing necklaces. I get it; in the name of fashion, a clean décoletté is sexy and makes a great impact. Except when it doesn’t. Admittedly, some of the dresses may look a little cluttered paired with mega jewels, but some of the frocks practically beg to be paired with collars—the solid color, nothing-exceptional-but-the-impeccable-fit kind. Shifting to the real world—and your customers’ potential jewelry collections—is the influence this bare-shoulder trend will have on our wardrobes. We may not all have galas to warrant gowns, but even the most casual tops can showcase a similar silhouette. In these images I’ve found, for example, these women are draped in nothing more than robes and fur (albeit quite luxuriously), but the bare skin wants for nothing, the ideal backdrop to sensational necklaces.

JB Star

Simon G.

Laura Gibson

Not every customer is going to have a budget for high-end jewels. And most certainly, not every customer finds herself spending weekends wrapped in fur and accessorizes, perfectly pouting at the camera. But if a big selection of our spring and summer wardrobe depends on showing off a décoletté, you bet they should be accessorizing. Consider recommending a few layering pieces, a standout collar, or even a lariat to dangle (I love that look). Whatever their flavor, just make sure that if they dare to go bare, they don’t give the cold shoulder to a jewel-worthy opportunity. Start here, with this selection of jewels, and you’ll be on your way to a well-accessorized season.