Pearl necklaces = old fashioned?

[SongsOfDragons]

When it comes to me and jewellery, I'm pretty simple. Most of my regularly-used stuff is constantly being worn - in shower and in bed too. I wear a watch, two rings (a three-colour Russian ring and a signet with my initials on it) and two white gold Singapore chains on neck and ankle. They're just pretty.

Now I have a lot of...well...crap jewellery. Mostly silver costume. I don't like silver because it tarnishes - especially against my skin, it makes it go black. I don't care for birthstones as mine's garnet and I don't like garnet. I'm sorting my collection to keep a small amount of real-worth jewellery to wear for occasions.

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Something I've realised I want is a nice pearl necklace, but my mother says they look awful nowadays as they're so associated with old ladies. I went to a pearl factory/farm thing in Cornwall and it was so pretty - I love them!! The whiter or silvery-er the better. I'm not thinking of buying one yet, I'm saving up for too many things to spend it on luxuries just yet - but would a small-size pearl necklace of about princess length (16''-18'') look 'old-ladyish'?

[CaroPhoenix]

Nope, I say if you have the money to afford a nice pearl necklace, you should splurge!

Don't listen to your Mom.

I'd like a nice long strand of pearls, but that's way out of budget. Might have to get a costume one for right now, and then when I'm a really old lady, I can finally afford it.

Pearls always look nice with whatever you're wearing.

Go for it!

[LillFilly]

Pearls are a classic. And if it's a nice necklace with a nice outfit, it works for anyone I think.

[Sheldonrs]

I almost feel obligated to comment but I won't.

[candyshopgirl]

Dont listen to your mom. I have a pearl set that my hubby bought me one year for xmas. Its a necklace and earrings. He says I would yell at him if he told how much he spent. I think they look so classy and beautiful. And nowadays I feel like you can wear them with a sweater and jeans or a dress. You should check a pawnshop. They have some really nice stuff.

[iradney]

I'm borrowing my Mom's pearl necklace for my wedding. They're classic and go with everything.

[Seshat]

I have two sets of pearls. One inherited from my grandmother, one bought just for me.

Wear what you want to wear.

[SongsOfDragons]

Awesome. *hugs everyone*

Now to find somewhere that sells nice ones. We have a lovely independant jewellery store in Winchester, but I think they charge an arm and your firstborn (they might discount the leg) I'm a little dubious buying something like that online...

[Squeaksmyalias]

Nope, I have a ton that my Great aunts and grandmother gave me since I like wearing them so much. So I have ones that are pink, another one that is pretty cool and a really really light blueish, then the normal cream and whites, then I got all the different lengths and the multi strand ones.
I think they are classic too, anyway retro is in it seems. I used to wear some for work with a black fitted tshirt (studio uniform) and several coworkers and customers thought that was pretty cool. So don't be afraid of wearing them I normally try with different plain long sleeve shirts with different neck lines just to see how it would work and normally they look nice with them, makes them a little bit more dressed up.

If you are looking for inexpensive ones check out thrift stores (those I wear more often and save the real ones for special occasions). I found some great costume ones, and some real ones too including some really cool bracelets. I think I'm up to *counts on fingers* 15 plus any bracelets I have.

[fireheart]

I almost feel obligated to comment but I won't.

Oh dear god....you missed the thread about brass truck balls and instead you came here to comment on the liquid pearl necklace?

[Kanalah]

I'm not that big on jewelry myself either. About the only thing I always wear is my wedding band. The engagement ring with the diamond stays on my nightstnad 99% of the time. I know hubby spent (what to me is a lot of money) on it, and I don't want to lose or damage it.

He was complaining over Christmas that he wanted to buy me jewelry and stuff, but that I'd never wear it. Which is very true, because most of my time is spent at home with the kiddos. If I go to a show to sell quilts and I'm dresses too nicely, the customers think I'm a reseller for some reason.

I do like pearls, but I'm partial to the freshwater ones that come in all those pretty pastel colors.

To the OP: I say, find something you like at a store you like, save up and go for it!

[Food Lady]

I just wanted to pop in and say that you may not like garnets because most in the jewelry stores are an ugly brown-red color, at least here in the states. But sometimes you can find deep red ones that are pretty. They also come in raspberry, I believe green, and my favorite: fiery orange (spessartine garnets). I don't recall if there are yellow ones.

[BarbieGirl]

I sell Jewelry and Pearls are still WAY in! I've got a set of chocolate ones that while costume are just so slinky and rich. I've got my eye on a real set here soon! They aren't just for special occasions anymore either. Styles are branching out so it's not just a strand of pearls. They get paired with mother of pearl shells and with gemstones or really nice rocks or even just interspersed on a chain (which I also have in silver and I really love it with a black shirt and jeans.)

Costume Jewelry in general is making a big comeback and it's now more of a personal experience as opposed to you can only wear .... at certain times. So wear whatever you want and if you're confident that you like it everyone will love it on you!

[Kheldarson]

Alternatively, you can get a pearl necklace that's not all pearls. Personally, I find the long strands of pearls bulky and kind of tacky. But I have a pearl necklace that is a bunch of small pearls spaced out along a thin gold chain. Still has a classy feel without being the traditional pearl necklace.

[SongsOfDragons]

I just wanted to pop in and say that you may not like garnets because most in the jewelry stores are an ugly brown-red color, at least here in the states. But sometimes you can find deep red ones that are pretty. They also come in raspberry, I believe green, and my favorite: fiery orange (spessartine garnets). I don't recall if there are yellow ones.

Yes, most garnets I've seen in jeweller's windows are fugly, but I've seen some decent ones...mm, raspberry. I'm just not partial much to hot colours.

I like blues; my favourite gemstones are aquamarine, brighter (i.e. not ink-blue) sapphire, tanzanite (heat-treated!!), white and boulder opals and Paraiba tourmaline...the latter a luminous aqua-green I also like emeralds, but only lab emeralds; even the finest examples are full of inclusions. I have a small lab emerald in my box of shiny things, and it's like crystallised creme de menthe!!

So I shall be looking for the whitest-silvery-overtone pearls around, and I'm going to be commencing my search tomorrow morning, popping into my local fancy-schmancy independant jewellers, armed with the research I do tonight.