Elite Dressers Can’t Stop Wearing This Specific Jewellery Trend—You May Recognise It From 2012
Forget what you know—statement necklaces are back. Here, we chart their return from millennial favourite to a chic essential in the most stylist dressers' wardrobes.

Ava Gilchrist
In news that will strike fear in the hearts of anyone who thought chunky jewellery was left in the early 2010s, I come bearing the news that statement necklaces are indeed back. But before you start spiralling, I must caveat that the styles of today are nothing like the coral, turquoise and fluorescent yellow bib-esque pieces millennials wore on repeat.
In fact, if you look through your screenshots and saved folders, I’d contend that there is a picture stored of your favourite elite dresser wearing one of the best statement necklaces currently on the market.
It appears that every chic woman has secretly made this impactful accessory a key part of their daily uniform. While previous iterations felt slightly costume-y, the pieces that are popular in 2025 are undoubtedly elegant.
Featuring mostly organic shapes like spherical stones or curved pebbles, the best statement necklaces are commonly pendants that are hung on chic, thick cords.
Of course, those who are in the know would be aware that these models derive inspiration from legendary designer Elsa Peretti’s time at Tiffany & Co. As an Italian in New York, Peretti disrupted the perceptions that high jewellery should be pristine. Peretti broke the mould with fluid forms and creations inspired by the mundane, like her iconic Bone Cuff.
Jennifer Lawrence has made the ‘O’-shaped Sevillana pendant, an elliptical design made of red lacquer-covered Japanese hardwood, an indispensable feature of her new quiet luxury wardrobe, while Rosie Huntington-Whiteley regularly sports the gilded mesh and feather long necklace.
One of 2025’s most enduring summer jewellery trends—shell and starfish necklaces, as inspired by the fisherman core aesthetic—owes its origins to Peretti, proving that while this form of statement necklace might be trending at the moment, there’s always been a place for sophisticated, commanding jewellery.
One of the brands leading this charge is Heaven Mayhem. Founded by Australian-born, Los Angeles-based Pia Mance, the brand, which is stocked in Selfridges, is revered for its sculptural statement necklaces and vintage-inspired designs. "We released pendant necklaces in 2022 when we first launched," Mance tells me.
"It was our first product that shaped the brand into what it is today. I handmade each and every one of them for the first 6 months of the business. I look back so fondly on these products, so no, I’m not shocked that the response was amazing as this piece is truly something special and looks great on everyone!"
Truly, there's no better time to invest in a statement necklace than now. I already know that this will ruffle feathers among the "statement necklaces were always in" subset, but I think it's reasonable to acknowledge that 99% of fashion items go through countless ebbs and flows in popularity, and the accessory did dip for a while, only to return as of late. Another way to put it is that statement necklaces were around but weren't necessarily at the top of our trend guides and wish lists.
Now, of course, there's not a chic summer outfit in my screenshots or saved folder that doesn't happen to feature a fun pendant, choker, collar, or strand of chunky beads, and honestly, I'm into it. I've started shopping around and, as always, have come back with quite the bounty. Curious to see what I've come across? Simply keep scrolling for all 29 of my favourite statement necklaces for the season ahead.
Shop the Best Statement Necklaces for Summer 2025:
From the pop of red to the misshapen beads, this style is ideal for elevating simple summer outfits like white jeans and a matching tank.
Rope sandals might be the footwear trend du jour, but who's to say you can't extend the paracord motif to your décolletage, especially when it's accented with sweet charms in bright summer colourways?
If you hadn't noticed, shell necklaces have taken over from pebble shapes as the style to wear.
We've said it once, and we'll say it again: The cord necklace trend is truly timeless.
Pair with your favourite jelly flip flops and you'll have a chic summer look you'll want to wear for months on end.
Since starting as an intern back in 2013, Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour has held several roles here at Who What Wear, and she is currently Editor-at-Large. Upon joining, she was a senior about to graduate from business school at USC. Fast-forward to 2025, and she's moved to NYC from her hometown of Beverly Hills and spends her workdays a little differently from when she was just starting out. Currently, she focuses on a weekly mélange of shopping content and her Trust Me—Buy This newsletter. As far as her personal style goes, she's largely drawn to neutral, classic pieces but will always make an exception for something colorful or bejeweled as long as it's deemed worthy enough. After all, the only thing she loves more than a party is dressing up for one. On her downtime, she can usually be found at home eating something delicious and trying to force her husband to watch Summer House.
- Ava GilchristSEO Writer
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