The Classic Ten: Pearls (#7)

"Pearls give a gloss, a certain refinement, even if you're just a trashy girl."

-Manolo Blahnik

Pearls make me think of many things: grandmothers, Audrey Hepburn, Chanel, southern debutantes... but no matter what they are always classy & ladylike. Throughout history they were highly valued and are now seen as a symbol of grace, femininity and purity. Coco Chanel in particular loved pearls, as one can see if you just google "Chanel", photos of her appear with strands and more strands of pearls. Christian Dior once said, "With a black pullover and 10 rows of pearls she revolutionized fashion."

I am not a huge jewelry person-- I pretty much wear the same earrings everyday, I almost never wear necklaces or bracelets, even when I'm dressing up for an event. (I was always quite the tomboy which explains why I love menswear so much.) But I honestly do love a long strand of pearls. When I'm feeling lovely in an outfit, pearls are what I choose to wear with it. Wrapped around twice, knotted at the end; it makes me feel very 1920s. I have 3 pearl necklaces, all unique, and I'm dying to find a fantastic pearl ring. I wouldn't even mind a pearl wedding ring!

Pearls have been in the public eye for a very long time. Let's take a trip through history and see where pearls have been, and where they are now...

Yes, all the back to Queen Elizabeth I, pearls were adored. With almost 8 rows of pearls
around her neck and even sewn into her clothing, the Queen knew how to make a statement.
The lovely Marie Antoinette kept her pearls very simple with only 2 short strands of pearls around the base of her neck.  

A young lady from the 1920s wears a simple strand of wrapped pearls.
And what an adorable hat! I wish people still wore hats like that out & about.

A glamourous 1920s flapper holds a long pearl necklace, looking
oh so fabulous.

A little montage for Chanel pearls. First, pearls looking luminescent and creamy in the light. A black and white portrait of Coco with her many pearls wrapped elegantly around her neck. Audrey Tautou, playing Coco in "Coco Before Chanel." Then lastly, Keira Knightley in her Coco Mademoiselle advertisement, embodying Chanel classiness and beauty.

The Vanderbilt women were famous for their pearls. Pictured here are Gloria and Reggie Vanderbilt-- the right was during their wedding. Once, while the couple was having dinner with Mrs. Vanderbilt, Reggie's mother asked if Gloria had "received her pearls yet." Reggie stated he couldn't afford them, so Mrs. V called a waiter to bring scissors and cut about $70,000 worth of pearls off her own strand of pearls and gave it to Gloria. "There you are Gloria... All the Vanderbilt women have pearls." 

Jacqueline Kennedy (or Jackie O) is another person I think of when I hear the word "pearls." Jackie was a true natural beauty and the pearls she would always wear just accented her elegance and grace. She went through a lot during her life, but those happy, worry-free moments, like with her son in the bottom left picture, shine with her smiling face and flawless pearls. 

And now, in present day, Angelina Jolie looks classic and graceful
here compared to her usual sexy look.

Two extremely classy ladies-- Katherine Heigl and Anne Hatheway wearing long pearls. Katherine looks sweet and sexy with her va-voom hair and neat rows of pearls, and Anne, (in the Devil Wears Prada) wears Chanel pearls with little charms, including the "double C" Chanel logo. 

Pearls are definitely my favorite "type" of jewelry. (Though there is always something romantic about locket necklaces... but still!) What do you all think about this fine fashion favorite?