Grab Your Pearls, Girls

I have long had a passionate love for pearls of all kinds. There is something so beautiful about the sheen and lustre; they feel silky to the touch. There is also the romance of how they are created (so lovely that a clever little oyster makes something so beautiful from an irritant!), and the history of pearl fishing is fascinating.

I love all kinds of pearls: from the beautiful South Sea pearl that made up my former engagement ring, to multicoloured freshwater pearls, and even the fake pearls used in some of my vintage costume jewellery.

A pearl collar was a classic accessory to ladies of the 1950s, worn with woollen twinsets, or in the evening with a cocktail dress. I had a hankering to own one because they are just so pretty, even though I generally don’t like garments with little collars (I hate shirts and absolutely loathe the Peter Pan style collars popular in the 1960s).

I searched Etsy off and on for a long time (seeing many in my wish list get snapped up while I dithered) before I finally bit the bullet and made a purchase. It was difficult to choose because really it is the type of accessory that ideally one wants to try on. This one I bought is in excellent condition however, and features gunmetal bugle beads amongst the deep clotted-cream pearls.

It feels too prissy and dated for me to wear it as it originally would have been, and I thought I could wear it as a neckpiece, and the effect here appears amusingly like a bowtie – I look like a cigarette girl of the Art Deco period! (Which is a totally awesome idea for a costume party, I must say.) I just need a tuxedo jacket to complete the picture.

Photos: February 2014