Written by Sarah Nash and Camryn Mankhen

Photographed by Sarah Nash

Models: Madison Clayburn, Sarah Harbaugh, Abby Garrett, Camryn Mankhen

“The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens.”

At least that’s what the star of the 1950s screen Grace Kelly said. So what makes these beautiful pieces of calcium carbonate so desirable? Pearls come from the mantle folds of virtually any mollusk, but most commonly from oysters and mussels. Records of divers searching for them in the sea date back to the early 20s CE onward, beginning on the coasts of the Indian Ocean. From depictions in paintings of the Golden Age to the trends of today, pearls continue to be one of mankind’s most beloved accessories.

Ancient Greece

Going back to the Trojan War, the poet Homer’s Greek epic The Iliad depicts pearls for one of the first times in literature––and one of the very first times as an accessory. He writes, “In three bright drops her glittering gem suspends from her ears." This refers to the pearl earrings worn by Hera––or her Roman equivalent Juno––the queen of the gods.

For this look, Madison wore a garment similar to a Greek peplos or chiton, the pleated cloth ‘togas’ that have become synonymous in pop culture with ancient Greece and Rome. She wears earrings reminiscent of the Hera/Juno goddess’ drop pearls and has her hair in an updo.

Girl with a Pearl Earring

You have likely stumbled upon Johannes Vermeer’s 1665 Girl with a Pearl Earring before. The Dutch Golden Age piece is an oil painting of a young girl with a simple large pearl hanging from her ear. The girl turns and looks right at the viewer with a puzzling expression that still interests the art world today. Vermeer’s painting is often referenced in media from Banksy parodies to the 1999 Tracy Chevalier novel, to the 2003 film starring Scarlett Johanson of the same name. Girl with a Pearl Earring’s popularity would aid in the interest for pearl jewelry, and of course, pearl earrings.

For this look, Sarah wore a brown collared top over a white turtleneck, with a blue headband. Through lighting, we mimicked the shadows of Vermeer’s original, helping to capture the original expression on the subject’s face. For the pearl earring itself, she used a simple singular hanging pearl without any additional decorations.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Fast forwarding to 1961, Audrey Hepburn opens her film Breakfast at Tiffany’s in her black Givenchy dress, big sunglasses, long gloves, and strings and strings of chunky pearls. Of course, also accessorized with Moon River, Hepburn’s layered pearl necklace is first revealed draping down the back of her dress. Wearing all of this while eating a danish on a New York City morning, this ensemble was the epitome of glamor.

For this look, Abby paired dark sunglasses with an updo and a backless black dress. The combination of a double-pearl necklace with larger beads combined with a longer necklace with smaller beads gives her the look of many pearls hanging down her back. Paired with gold accented earrings, she takes us all the way back to the 1960s.

Pearls in Bridal

Pearls have a nature of romance about them. Historically, they’ve been noted as the traditional 30th wedding anniversary present per the list of annual themed gifts started in Victorian times. With that romantic background, it’s not surprising that pearls have become a recent staple in bridal fashion. 2021 saw the rise of pearl-studded veils, pearl buttons on wedding gowns, and pearls sewn into bodices and sleeves. In 2022, the trend continues as we see more and more brides dawning pearls on their important day.

For this look, Camryn wore a sleeveless white dress with a small necklace and heart-shaped gold earrings. Her veil (from David’s Bridal in Springfield) includes both embroidered white flowers with sparkly accents, as well as pearls attached in these floral details and all over the piece. The veil and pearl jewelry is a great example of how a bride might incorporate pearls into her wedding ensemble.

Modern Pearls

In case you haven’t heard, a pop culture phenomenon has exploded all over modern trends––especially beauty ones. You guessed it, HBO’s Euphoria. With the 2022 release of the second season, makeup artist Doniella Davy included some beautiful pearl-eye looks that are beginning to make their way off of the screen and onto our faces. The show’s nail artist, Natalie Minerva, also joins in to create stunning acrylics with pearls. In addition to Euphoria, the accessibility of makeup inspiration has boomed through Tiktok. There is no shortage of makeup videos on the app, filled with creative eyeshadow ideas and other expressive styles, which have recently included many a pearl.

For this modern take, the models wore a variety of gem makeup looks using pearl stickers. Using them under, above, or to the side of the eyes creates infinite style possibilities. Another modern way to wear pearls is on headbands. Whether it be in a single row like Abby’s headband or many layers like Camryn’s, these seem to be popping up in stores everywhere. As usual, pearl necklaces continue to be a classic look, now often with other gems and beads in addition. Madison’s necklace has a more random combination of colors, and Sarah’s necklace has simple alternates of two. Finally, Madison wears pearl-studded nails for her modern look.

Beautiful, and versatile, pearls seem to be an everlasting display of elegance. As trends move along, pearls move too. How will they be worn next?

Pearls: A Brief Look Into An Accessory History