The Only 6 Jewelry Trends That Matter This Summer

While there is minimal room for layering clothing items in the summertime, there's always space to layer accessories, especially jewelry. Whether you're wearing a simple maxi dress or a trendy bikini, there's no better way to add a little oomph to the look than a few necklaces here and a few rings there. Coco Chanel may have once advised taking one item off before you leave the house, but we tend to prefer the maximalist side of things.

While so many jewelry trends have made their way to the market recently, we have our select favorites from the season. We made our predictions from the runway, but sometimes the ones that transfer to the fashion scene IRL can be a little different. Below, we selected the jewelry trends that have caught our attention the most for the summer. (We may even be taking a few into the fall.)

Pearls

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(Image credit: @ch.phr8ph)

Pearls are classic jewelry pieces in our book, but brands' reiterations of them recently aren't similar to the standard pearls your grandmother probably wore. Modern versions feature colorful beads, mixed metals, and non-perfect-shaped pearls.

Belly Chains

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(Image credit: @jen_wonders)

With Y2K popping its head in almost every part of the fashion scene, there's no surprise that belly chains have made their way into everyone's summer looks. With celebrities like Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber backing the trend, it seems like if you're showing your stomach this season, this is the jewelry to have on. They'll even look good layered over a fitted dress.

Statement Rings

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(Image credit: @anaasaber)

The bigger, the better is the motto with rings for the summer. Opt for brighter colors if you want to add some pops of fun, or find chunky gold rings if you prefer things more classic.

Beaded Necklaces

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(Image credit: @MELISSAMARSELLA)

There's always room for a little nostalgia, and it seems like everyone has joined in on the childhood fun with beaded necklaces. Get your friends together and DIY your own, or click "add to cart."

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(Image credit: @ada_oguntodu)

Gold chains are always in style, but instead of dainty options, more spread-apart link pieces are dominating right now.

Silver Layers

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(Image credit: @oliviarodrigo)

The pop-punk aesthetic is thriving, and it's bringing a whole chunk of fashion trends along with it. On the clothing side, it's plaid and leather. For accessories, it's layered metal and silver jewelry.

Next: The WWW Summer 2021 Playlist (Featuring Matching Outfits, of Course)

Associate Fashion Editor
Yusra Siddiqui is an editor who resides in New Jersey but bounces between the suburbs and NYC. (She's a Jersey girl at heart.) After interning at Who What Wear in 2019, she found her way to the team after graduating from LIM College in 2022 with a fashion media degree. She's also spent time writing and working for publications such as Fashionista, Coveteur, and Nylon, but she always knew that Who What Wear was where she was meant to be. When she's on the job, she's perusing runway shows, analyzing the latest thing fellow Gen Zers are up to on the internet, and sharing what she can about the modest-fashion market. You can also catch her dabbling in entertainment, talking about the costume choices of the latest Netflix series or diving deeper into how the plotline affects the viewers in a myriad of ways. Lastly, she likes to create content for Who What Wear's TikTok. Her personal time is spent doing similar but also different things—deep diving into almost every new TV show (Bridgerton, Gilmore Girls, and Stranger Things are favorites), planning her next local getaway (whenever that may be), and reading the latest Emily Henry or Sally Rooney novel in one sitting.