There's a reason you'll find pearls in every woman's jewelry box—they never go out of style. But the way we wear them has changed throughout the years. Once associated solely with formalwear and family heirlooms, pearls have found new life among fashion people. "I find it so thrilling to wear pearls for more than just a fancy dinner or party," Who What Wear senior editor and resident fine-jewelry enthusiast Eliza Huber tells me. "You can just as easily style them with a sleek jacket and jeans or a skirt and button-down shirt. Why limit yourself?"
With that mindset, Huber took fine jeweler Mikimoto's iconic pearls for a spin, styling three looks that show just how modern and effortless they can look. Founded in 1893 by Kokichi Mikimoto, the brand has spent over 130 years perfecting the art of cultured pearls. "Beautiful things like pearl jewelry should be worn, not stored away," Huber says. "Pearls go with everything, and as such, they should be worn with everything." With each look, Huber offers fresh inspiration for the upcoming holiday party season. Think vintage denim with old-world silhouettes, crisp shirts with gold chains, and an LBD with a show-stopping choker—it's all about balance and layering.
For Huber, her jewelry styling always comes down to self-expression. "I love to play around with jewelry in unexpected ways," she says. "Give the traditional pearl necklace a twist—wear it backward, layer it under a collar, or mix it with gold and silver metals. The result always feels personal." Keep scrolling to see how a Mikimoto pearl piece can elevate your outfits, from your next dinner party ensemble to a look fitting for a black-tie affair.
"This look is my kind of everyday ensemble: refined and elegant, but still casual. It's balanced—the vintage jeans dress down the fitted blazer, giving the outfit an old-world look that pairs perfectly with pearls' classic, 1920s style. The star, of course, is the long pearl strand that you can wear in two ways—you can turn it around to let the black pearls and metal tassels hang down your back, or bring it to the front and leave it unevenly knotted. I really loved the way the necklace looked running down the front of the blazer—it added an artistic element, especially when combined with the daintier black pearl pendant. The pearl bracelet stack incorporated some playfulness back into the sophisticated ensemble, and the black pearl studs brought the whole look together." — Huber
"Jewelry allows you to make simple pieces feel more special, which is what I loved about this look. A white button-down shirt isn't necessarily impactful on its own, but as soon as you layer on a few pearl-and-gold necklaces, it becomes the perfect backdrop. I particularly loved the way the longer, larger chain necklace fell outside of the shirt's collar, while the smaller necklaces stayed inside the collar on bare skin. The daintiness of the pearl bracelet was such a great finishing touch—just a little something to balance out the heavier jewelry on top. The skirt's pop of red felt right with all the subtle gold pieces, creating an ideal look for the holiday season ahead." — Huber
"This look is the real show-stopper, and it's all because of one jewelry item that does all the heavy lifting. I can't recall a time that I've worn anything so beautiful, and that's saying a lot, because I find everything in my very curated wardrobe to be pretty spectacular. The piece in question is a high jewelry choker with a combination of stunningly placed pearls and diamonds. Though it photographs nicely, you really can't tell just how incredible it is until you see it up close and personal. Because the necklace is so eye-catching, I kept my other jewelry pretty pared-back, wearing a double-strand pearl bracelet and some pearl studs with subtle diamond accents. From there, I wore a classic LBD with some velvet across the chest that paired beautifully with the necklace." — Huber
