Articles / Longer is Better: Dramatic, Dangling Earrings Become the Style of Choice

If you're scouting out the latest earring and necklace styles, "longer is better" this year.

Earrings have done well in dramatic, dangling styles reminiscent of the Jazz Age, while longer, more comfortable necklaces have been the style of choice for fashion followers.

Longer looks in earrings have particularly taken off. Just look at this year's Academy Awards. The accessory of choice for Hollywood's glamour set seemed to be long, dangling earrings. Numerous A-list actresses sported the style.

We believe the main factors behind the trend toward longer lengths in earrings and necklaces are the retro craze and the influence of the Baby Boomer market. Vintage jewelry looks - such as the Art Deco chandelier earrings and long, dramatic necklaces sported by many celebrities at this year's awards and fashion shows - have been driven by the momentum of the hit movie "Chicago," as well as a general movement to revisit the past and embrace the comfortable and familiar in the uncertainty of today's world.

Aging Boomers looking to recapture their youths are really the ones driving the nostalgia craze in jewelry. This powerful, influential sector has also put a premium on comfort in their fashion, particularly the "plus-size" segment that demands larger, longer sizes and bigger, bolder looks. Experts expect this trend to stay here for some time - so put aside your stud earrings or simple hoops, for now, and break out those dramatic chandeliers or drops." Earrings have done well in dramatic, dangling styles reminiscent of the Jazz Age, while longer, more comfortable necklaces have been the style of choice for fashion followers. Longer looks in earrings have particularly taken off. Just look at this year's Academy Awards. The accessory of choice for Hollywood's glamour set seemed to be long, dangling earrings. Numerous A-list actresses sported the style. We believe the main factors behind the trend toward longer lengths in earrings and necklaces are the retro craze and the influence of the Baby Boomer market. Vintage jewelry looks - such as the Art Deco chandelier earrings and long, dramatic necklaces sported by many celebrities at this year's awards and fashion shows - have been driven by the momentum of the hit movie "Chicago," as well as a general movement to revisit the past and embrace the comfortable and familiar in the uncertainty of today's world. Aging Boomers looking to recapture their youths are really the ones driving the nostalgia craze in jewelry. This powerful, influential sector has also put a premium on comfort in their fashion, particularly the "plus-size" segment that demands larger, longer sizes and bigger, bolder looks. Experts expect this trend to stay here for some time - so put aside your stud earrings or simple hoops, for now, and break out those dramatic chandeliers or drops.

David WeissDavid Weiss

Graduate Gemologist, GIA
Certified Appraiser