My Summer Jewelry Capsule Has Just 3 Essential Necklaces

More than any other season, there is something so nostalgic about summer jewelry. It ties into core memory moments like making jewelry at a summer camp or grabbing a piece as a souvenir on a family vacation. But this childlike playfulness seeps into summer jewelry style even as an adult.

Shells, colorful beads, whimsical shapes, cord, and ribbons sneak into jewelry stacks that would otherwise be, well, a little boring. It’s just a time to have fun with jewelry.

Perhaps it’s the fleeting amount of opportunities to bask in the sun that leads to carefree style experiments, but I find that I’m constantly switching up my jewelry and my style overall into these little jewelry “capsules” that I wear on repeat for three solid months and sometimes into early fall if it feels right.

Necklaces seem to be what I switch up the most. I like to keep my same gold hoops in since switching out earrings takes a toll on my piercings, and I wear a watch every day, so I keep my wrists light, but necklaces are such an easy way to show off my creativity and styling by building different layers and combinations.

My three favorite pieces I’ve been wearing a ton so far and will likely continue to even as temperatures drop are: a statement shell necklace, dark pearls, and a whimsical ceramic pendant. Here’s why I’ve been loving these shapes and how I highly recommend adding them into your summer jewelry rotation.

A Shell Statement Necklace

As someone who spent their formative years at the boardwalk each summer, I’m no stranger to a shell necklace, though mine were mainly of the puka shell strand variety. Shell jewelry has always been a part of my summer style vocabulary, so I’m thrilled to see there are so many more options these days.

While I love beachy strands for layering, this summer I’ve been drawn to a more dramatic shell statement, like this one from Loren Hope. I love the monochromatic peachy tones, the width of the beads, and the large cowrie shell as the anchor of the piece. It’s a great stand-alone necklace to add as the finishing touch to an easy summer dress, but it can also be layered with a chunky gold necklace for extra impact.

I prefer to keep it simple and easy by wearing it on its own since that’s what a summer evening outfit formula for me is all about: dress, statement necklace, shoes and bag, and of course, wet hair that will dry in transit.

A Dark Pearl Strand

I love pearls as a “beaded” element to add to summer stacks, especially if they are of unique shape and interesting color. Think less classic and more Ariel in The Little Mermaid.

Pearls in darker shades like green or blackish blues especially have been feeling extra mermaid-y to me, and I have found surprisingly that, just like their timeless white counterpart, they really do go with everything. I bought this one-of-a-kind strand of green pearls from Lazuli as a Mother’s Day treat to myself, and I’ve been wearing it almost every day since. I like to layer it with my daily gold charm necklace and maybe another long pendant if I’m feeling fun, and pair this combo with everything from beachwear to a printed slip dress for nights out. The green hue feels just so right for right now, but I absolutely think it will work all year long when darker hues and sweaters come back into play.

A Playful Ceramic Pendant

I rarely get hooked by an impulse buy, but the second I saw this Bombolla necklace on a creator's page, I immediately felt influenced and smashed “add to cart” so fast it made my head spin. But I do not regret it at all! I got one for me, and one for my little sister, and my three-year-old son loves to call it “so cute” every time I wear it, which is an adorable bonus feature. It’s the kind of whimsy that you can really get away with in summertime jewelry, and I love the feel of the slick glaze on the handmade ceramic piece between my fingers. The adjustable cord is also key for layering, but I love to wear it long over a tee or a bathing suit. And it really is just “so cute”.