The Queen of England has long had a signature jewelry style. She has consistently favored, over the years, a triple strand of pearls and a brooch worn on the upper left portion of her bodice. Wearing both a brooch and a pearl necklace has seemed, to many observers, to be a bit too much jewelry for the average woman. It’s time to adjust our eyes, however, as the style is now becoming entrenched over the pond.
In the world of politics, which likely receives greater overall public recognition than celebrity style, the First Lady Michelle Obama, the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and the Republican presidential candidate’s wife Cindy McCain have all been photographed prominently sporting brooches, sometimes in multiples, adding a bit of gleam or sparkle to their style statements. The newest convert appears to be the current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
While Mrs. Clinton almost never appears without a necklace as an accent to her professional wear, her look is evolving. When she was sworn in as Secretary of State, she wore both a single strand of pearls plus a delicately detailed figural brooch. In recent weeks, she has been photographed wearing the combination of necklace plus brooch, as for example the attractive floral brooch shown in the second photo above.
If you’ve been skittish about brooches, the evidence continues to mount that this is one trend with staying power. They are not supplanting necklaces; they are now being worn as stylish additions.
Notice the latest combination worn by Secretary of State Clinton. If you’ve been following my blog postings, you know that one of the freshest trends in necklaces is wearing them just inside and right up against the neckline. The First Lady endorsed this style in her first official White House portrait. Now the Secretary of State adds her vote to this style.
Necklace extenders that allow versatility in the length of necklaces (or a very nice wardrobe of necklaces of various lengths) are de rigueur if your stylish customers are to achieve this look on a consistent basis. Customers need style savvy jewelers to get the look right. Consider also demonstrating to your customers how the addition of a brooch creates fashionable, eye-catching impact in the style of the Queen. Triple strand of pearls optional.
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