Foregoing the bling in favour of bare skin?

he necklace: a timeless staple most would consider an essential part of their everyday wardrobe. Whether a small pendant, layered chains or a spiked choker, one’s choice of necklace certainly has the power to make or break an outfit.

However, celebrities at recent redcarpet events like the Golden Globes and the Critics’ Choice Awards seem to have been choosing to forego the bling in favour of bare skin. And this has not gone unnoticed, with the search phrase “no necklace trend” having amassed over 5 million views on TikTok by early February.

Many a speculation has been made, with the trend seeming to divide social media. “I’m team necklace”, one user has commented on a TikTok post discussing the shift, with another crying out that many of the outfits look incomplete without the finishing touch a necklace can provide. Meanwhile, others praise the choice, with one user explaining how “it lets the dress stand out and be the main accessory”. Some have also noted how the trend lines up with apparent return to dangerous ‘heroin chic’ beauty standards, in which collarbones are considered a stand-

Stylist Mary Fellowes, however, has speculated that for celebrities, the trend might be due to fear of backlash. In ent economic climate, she explains, that “mindless extravagance just feels so out of touch and obsolete”. Necklaces perhaps then are

Tseen as pushing the boundary into vulgarity –though it certainly seems ironic that the outfits that instead take centre-stage are usually worth a fortune in and of themselves.

Recent ridiculing of celebrity culture - as seen in the latest “nepo baby” outcry in the media - seems to have made celebrities increasingly aware of their image as well as their audience Runways have definitely recognised this shift away from lavish indulgence too, with designers such as JW Anderson prioritising muted tones and functionality above bright, eclectic shapes and colours.

Some on social media have even dubbed this move towards minimalistic tones and styles “recession core”, given its similarity to the fashion movement seen after the 2008 economic recession. The move towards buying second hand clothes, wearing muted colours, and now minimal jewellery certainly seems to reflect the shift noted by trend forecasters. Delaney (@ufodelaney on TikTok), for example, points out the Y2K ‘bling era’ pre-2008 is very similar to the vibrant maximalist trends that we saw during the pandemic. Both trends are followed by economic recessions, and both trends seem to precede a return to minimalism. Modern fashion trends are often criticised for feeding into consumerism and fast fashion, and this trend doesn’t seem at first glance to be doing anything of the sort. Rather than promoting an item to be purchased, it is rather recommending people do away with the items they already own. But the fashion industry is always trying to sell you something. music@palatinate.org.uk

Emily Carmeli on TikTok (@emilycarmeli) therefore alternatively attributes this trend to the rise of interesting textures in fashion, which allow the clothes to stand on their own rather than needing additional embellishment. Gradients and metallic fabrics – also belonging to the “recession core” trends – simply don’t pair well with additional jewellery. The clothing is able to speak for itself.

Perhaps now we’ll see the promotion of textured fabrics or unusual necklines to replace necklaces. But personally, I don’t think we’ll ever see the jewellery pieces go completely out of style – I certainly won’t be giving up my trusty silver necklace any time soon. Perhaps, though, more minimalist and dainty jewellery will continue to prevail in fashion trends going forwards.

At the end of the day, fashion is about choice and self-expression. Trends are simply just patterns of behaviour that constantly change, and don’t deserve being ascribed any kind of authority over and can’t wear. S you want – and don’t rush to throw away your neck laces just yet!