!! OMG, it’s a trend: Men in pearls !!

It has been said that pearl divers can hold their breath for upwards of seven minutes (!?) without coming up for air. No need to gag on that pearl of wisdom, let’s discuss an ongoing trend that has been bubbling up on the catwalks, to the red carpets, to the streets: pearls for men.
“The Pearl Principle – no inner irritation, no pearl.” – Surya Das

Our heads have been spinning, with no complaints of course, as it appears the boys have a new set of pearly whites to flash for the cameras. Harry Styles, A$AP Rocky, and the always fab Billy Porter, to name a few are picking that most demure & feminine perennial favourite: the pearl necklace.

And who wouldn’t want to give a guy a pearl necklace, am I right, ladies? So bend over boyfriend, have a seat and we’ll examine what is driving this dandy trend of classic bourgeois charm.

 “Why wear one string when you can wear two?” – Coco Chanel

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel popularized costume jewellery for daywear, particularly pearls. She’s the original “get the look for less” queen. Take a page from Coco, and thrift ‘em, or ask your nana if she’s got a string or two hiding in her jewellery box.

Couturier Giambatista Valli has made pearls a personal-style signature for at least a decade, worn over a low key crew neck, his is a chic way to enter the pearly gates. New York designer Marc Jacobs camps up the prim classic, worn with a fully painted mug, nails done, worn with bright colour, prints and no apologies. Show the world how it’s done, hun.
“When I’m cold I just put another rope of pearls on.” – Dorothy Parker

On the catwalks, Alessandro Michele’s team sent out a not-so-subtle ( trypophobic ) balaclava of pearls for Gucci Resort 2018. Skip ahead a few seasons to FW 2020 at JW Anderson and we see a tasteful smattering of over sized pearls-as-hardware on elaborately cozy sweaters. Knit, pearl, repeat.

Rounding out the runway is Kim Jones’ DIOR MEN (LOL) styled over a classic charcoal knit, complete with a single oversized pearl earring and eau de nil velvet opera gloves. A’Dior-able, wearable, chic et classique. Whether worn with modest discretion or full blown conspicuousness, pearls are IT, and that’s the boba-tea.

— Cameron Lee (@courtneylovecox)