How to wear pearls with casual clothes
I've had requests from women doing a little spring pearl flirting. They see pearls they're drawn to, or already own them, but then think, Oh, I never get dressed up—so save them "for good".
Meanwhile, the florists' windows fill with the glory of early forsythia, hyacinths and tulips. Nature is not saving beauty "for good"; why should we? I've written about pearls with jeans; see this post from 2019, and another about pearls with t-shirts, same year. But now it's 2024—so today, an update.
Below, four women in pearls and casual clothes:
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| Sunglasses are optional; it just turned out that way! |
Clockwise from top right: Katrin in a strand of 3-4mm freshwater keshi, a 70th birthday gift; Gwen of perfumeniche in her signature akoyas (the lustre is incredible) and black tee; Leslie M. in her restyled Kojima auburn CFWs with added Tahitians; me in Kojima Tahitian keshis and a light cotton sweater. I can attest that at least three of us are wearing sneakers.
What did you notice? "You're wearing all kinds of different pearls!" Yes! There is no pearl variety that you can't wear casually. With tees and shirts, I like a 17-18in. (45cm) length to light the face; Leslie's and mine are ropes worn doubled.
Big pearls are only formal if the necklace is made with diamond rondelles, royal-family-sized pendants or flashy gemstone clasps.
Left: Sarah Canizzaro of Kojima Pearl in her jaw-dropping Japan Kasumi necklace and earrings, and me in 14mm metallic CFWs. You can see our t-shirts; Sarah's wearing yoga-type pants, I'm in jeans.
If you have round whites, layer them like this redhead I spotted on the métro, and they are ideal with jeans. She's added a small pendant, and a fine chain that sits just inside the necklace.
If you live in the country, a simple pendant—just one gorgeous pearl—will happily fit into the scenery. Here's Carolyn, who marked a big birthday by having an abalone pearl pendant made... in her hoodie!
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| Carolyn's custom Kojima abalone pearl pendant |
Earrings en plein air
Whether studs, dangles or hoops, pearls play with activewear. I didn't realize until I twinned our photos that Crimson Cashmere owner Linda Wright and I have affinities: living in a French-speaking city, sharing grey hair, and a love of pearls.
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| Photo of Linda Wright: Linda Wright, Instagram |
Left: Wright in pearl studs, a sweatshirt and sweatpants. OK, her sweats are cashmere, but the idea translates easily.
Right: I'm in silver hoops with blue akoya charms and a thrifted tee; doesn't get any more dressed-down.
Check the kicks
When you put pearls on with activewear, mind the shoes. Sneakers work better than running shoes with those big aerodynamic soles that splay out. A simple sneaker works well; look no further than the stunning Rianna in her jeans, a waterfall of pearls—and shoes her company, Fenty, designed for Puma, the gumsole Creeper Phatty, which sold out quickly so watch for the next drop.
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| RiRi rocks her pearls with jeans |
Other sneakers that will work: The Puma Clyde OG; Everlane TreadBarer; example what I don't recommend: Adidas AdiZero Boston 12.
Maybe you have the pearls and just need a nudge to wear them, but if you are looking for a wear-with-a-tee pearl piece, here are a few new ideas. (As always there's no sponsorship or any other incentive from the vendors.) I don't know all of these companies, but each provides a fully-refundable return policy.
Sumptuous single Tahitian
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| Photo: Kamoka Pearl |
Tender buttons
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| Photo: PearlsGirlsandGems |
Montréal Etsy seller PearlsGirlsandGems makes these 10mm pink button earrings set in sterling silver for just $CDN 67; a good size, and they look lustrous.
Low-key and lighthearted
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| Photo: Kojima Pearl Compay |
This one was made for everyday adventures: the beads, the playful vibe, and the gorgeous freshwater blush pearl set in 18k gold. If you like to wear button-front shirts, a 27in. length sits on top so it's not hidden, and you do want that beauty to show. From Kojima Pearl; price, $US 225.
Soon, coats will come off and I'll be on the hunt for more real women in real pearls, to show you. For now, enjoy your pearls! They didn't come out of the sea to sit in a drawer, did they?
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