The Only Jewelry You Should Wear to the Beach

While we all love the celebrity- and blogger-endorsed look of layered jewelry at the beach, if you want to be able to rewear those pieces post–Instagram shot, it’s important to know which will and won’t hold up when exposed to the elements. Well, we did some digging around, and it turns out there are some pretty basic don’ts to keep in mind.

To start, metals such as copper, pewter, and sterling silver are more likely to tarnish from salt water and sweat, so when possible, avoid those and stick to gold, rose gold, white gold, and platinum (should you be lucky enough to own an item made of the celebrity-approved metal.) Regardless of the metal though, stick to dainty pieces that have a lot of movement if you want to avoid thick tan lines you’d get from clunkier items like a cuff bracelet or statement necklace.

Once you’ve hit the beach, the overall consensus is that it’s imperative you wash your jewelry (no matter the metal) with water and a gentle soap after a beach day to get rid of any residual saltwater that can cause it to rust or tarnish.

Now, as for what you should wear to the beach, we reached out to Jacquie Aiche, purveyor of the layered jewelry look and designer to stars that include Rihanna and Kendall Jenner to get the scoop. Her advice? Since summer is prime time to layer, she recommends taking the opportunity to accessorize your bikini with bodychains, diamond bras, and anklets.

For a boho look, consider horn-embellished accessories, and if you’re looking to bring out that tan, gemstones such as blue and rainbow opals, turquoise, green tourmaline, and rutilated quartz will help you do so. Aiche also recommends avoiding chunky pieces if you’re going for an effortless vibe. For endless inspiration on how to wear these pieces, look no further than her latest lookbook.

Now that you know what to wear and avoid seaside, shop our beach day–approved picks below!

Opening Image: @chiaraferragni