There's a new jewellery trend sweeping social media and it's called the neckmess.  It has its foundations in wearing multiple necklaces but goes much further than that, incorporating charms, linking pieces together using small padlocks and brooches and incorporating various sizes of hardware shop chain for an edgier look.

 

This trend works on people of all ages, so younger adults might opt for an edgy, over the top neckmess with badges, hair accessories, industrial chains and other items and older women may prefer to keep it subtle with jewellery chains, brooches and other trinkets – and it covers up any wrinkles on the neck and chest when done properly.

 

Jessica Kagan Cushman, a New York based jewellery dealer, started the trend 3 years ago, and thanks to a hashtag it soon took off across the world, with Gwyneth Paltrow among the celebrities getting in on the action.  Cushman always preferred wearing multiple necklaces and she started to experiment with her collection of antique charms and watch chains.  The pivotal moment came when she incorporated a small Victorian padlock, and, upon realising that the padlock could be used to connect chains and hang charms from the neckmess was born.

 

This is a look anyone can try with items they already own, and can be a fantastic way of wearing charms, brooches and other small trinkets you have inherited but don't normally wear.  It's best to start with two or three necklaces, perhaps one choker, a medium length necklace and a long one.  You can get creative with a small pair of pliers by adding pendants to another chain to start building the layers.  Whether you opt for a theme or an eclectic mix of styles is down to your personal taste.

 

Our Angelica necklace is perfect for this trend, because the long swooping wing-style pendant creates a direction that you can play off with other pendants.  You could hook earrings through a necklace chain; that's a great way of making use of those single earrings we all have and can't bear to chuck away.  A single large birthstone jewel, like the ones in our Purity collection, is ideal for setting a colour theme and our Key of Love, and Key of Life, pendants also add interest.  The Kaleidoscope pendant, with its swirling lines and pretty jewels, could be the ideal foundation on which to build your personal neckmess.

 

To link necklace chains together and set structure you can use a bangle or bracelet as a connector, any of our bracelets will work for this look, but the Brides bracelet is particularly suitable, as the pearls and cubic zirconia studded beads are interesting to look at and provide two different accents in one piece.  Our Flora and Simply Elegant bracelets are also ideal for the neckmess trend.

 

Our chains can be worn at two different lengths, so if you already own some of our jewellery you're well on the way to this stacked and linked necklace trend.  One piece of advice Cushman has for those looking to get into this style of wearing jewellery is to take a photo of your neckmess once you're happy with it.  That way, you can recreate the same look at any time even if you have dismantled it to try another style.