The Summer-Coded Jewelry Trend Chic People Wear on Repeat

The shell jewelry trend worn by a woman wearing a white dress with oversize shell-motif earrings, a woman wearing a white shell choker with a brown bikini, and a woman wearing shell-shaped earrings with a blue bikini top and tan pants.
(Image credit: @bettinalooney; @amaka.hamelijnck; @cassdimicco)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman's avatar
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in Buying Guides

What comes to mind when you think of summer? Perhaps plans to jet off to a far destination? Or maybe the prospect of purchasing a pair of sandals. Personally, I've come to associate this particular time of year with one thing: shell jewelry. Before you judge, think back to those fond memories of your adolescence when you'd bring back a souvenir from a summer vacation spent by the beach. There's nothing more synonymous with summer in my mind than collecting shells, even if they're solely in the form of jewelry, and I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Historians have documented how shell jewelry has been collected for centuries by indigenous communities around the world, and the sentiment toward this type of jewelry has continued well into contemporary times. Although the meaning of shell jewelry may differ now for some, there's no denying that this trend is more alluring than ever. It's not merely nostalgia that makes shell jewelry a must-have in the minds of many. Rather, a wave of designers have taken sea-inspired motifs and given them a modern spin, cementing the trend's continued relevance over time.

In an effort to show the changing tides of this trend, I've done extensive image research to showcase how stylish fashion people are incorporating this trend into their closets. Plus, I've curated some of the best shell jewelry—from sculptural conch earrings to puka shell anklets—at every price point. If you're dubious about the shell jewelry trend, these conches are sure to change your mind.

Shell jewelry trend on a woman wearing a green silk scarf over box braids with large shell hoop earrings and a matching green slip dress.

(Image credit: @meccajw)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a white shell necklace with a strapless tube dress, a clutch bag, and hoop earrings.

(Image credit: @jeannine.roxas)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a white slip dress with oversize gold shell earrings and black sunglasses.

(Image credit: @bettinalooney)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman lounging in a beach chair wearing a shell necklace with gold hoops and a blue swimsuit.

(Image credit: @yoyokulala)

The shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing oversize starfish and shell earrings with a green tropical-print button-down shirt layered over a purple bikini and purple crochet shorts.

(Image credit: @chey_maya)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a black maxi dress with a keyhole cutout and shell hoop earrings.

(Image credit: @emnitta)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a black fedora with a cowrie shell choker styled with a black bandeau swim top and tropical-print cover-up dress.

(Image credit: @oumaymaboumeshouli)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a black lace-up top and white jeans with starfish-shaped gold earrings.

(Image credit: @maryljean)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a brown bikini with a white button-down shirt, a shell choker necklace, a resin earrings, and brown sunglasses.

(Image credit: @amaka.hamelijnck)

Shell jewelry trend shown on a woman wearing a printed scarf styled with gold shell-shaped earrings, a blue bustier bikini top, and tan trousers.

(Image credit: @cassdimicco)
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Jasmine Fox-Suliaman
Freelance Fashion Editor

Jasmine Fox-Suliaman is a freelance writer and editor living in New York City. What began as a pastime (blogging on Tumblr) transformed into a lifelong passion for unveiling the connection between fashion and culture on the internet and in real life. Over the last decade, she's melded her extensive edit and social background to various on-staff positions at Who What Wear, MyDomaine, and Byrdie. More recently, she’s become a freelance contributor to other publications including Vogue, Editorialist, and The Cut. Off the clock, you can find her clutching her cell phone as she's constantly scrolling through TikTok and The RealReal, in search of the next cool thing. 

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