Power of the “B” Necklace
Courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery
Written By: Jacqueline Preuninger
What is an “It” girl? What is this enigmatic symbol that people are constantly striving to achieve? Many things can categorize the “it” girl, but one thing she is most known for is her style. Her fashion is something personal, creative, and innovative. And perhaps key indicators of fashion and personality lie within our jewelry. The natural metals and gemstones coming from the earth, which can be considered feminine in and of themselves, combined with superior craftsmanship and personal style, create the pinnacle of artistic persona for the woman. This past summer, like many, I was following Hailey Bieber's Strawberry Rhode lip gloss and Krispy Kream collaboration, in which she revealed a new necklace: the now signature pave diamond bubble B took the world by storm and became the topic of much discussion. The “B” necklace, made in honor of her and her husband Justin Bieber’s five-year anniversary, displays the initial for Beiber and perhaps for her maiden name Baldwin—emblematic of their union. Something about the boldness eluded a command in presence and attention; the elegant bubble lines gave the piece a sense of elegance. A perfect piece of jewelry for a female entrepreneur. Today, I am seeing many copycat necklaces being made by brands and began thinking about the power of ionic jewelry, and what Hailey Bieber’s “It” girl gorgeous necklace reminds me of.
Anne Boleyn, an “It” girl of her own time, is widely symbolized and depicted with her very own “B” necklace. The necklace, which features a more stately and structured letter “B” with three pearls dangling off and attached to a string of luminescent pearls, very strongly displays the same characteristics of Mrs. Bieber's modern necklace. The strong lines of Anne Boleyn’s “B” command empowerment especially with the use of her last name, instead of her husband’s, which gives it an authorial femininity. The design of Hailey’s in comparison, although stylistically distinct, commended the same grace, elegance, and empowerment.
Nothing about an initial necklace is revolutionary, but through the use of personal style, social savvy, and the general “it” girl extraness of it all, these women were able to widely popularize the gorgeous necklaces and make a symbol for themselves. Without a doubt, it can be thought that fashion was a vehicle for these women to display not only artistic beauty but also who they are as people and what they are trying to say to society. Anne Boleyn is perhaps alluding that she is not simply her husband's property but more significantly a female who stands, definitely, on her own. Hailey, in a similar vein, revivifies this feminine boldness. Both Hailey and Anne capitalize on the characteristics of the “It” girl to make historic jewelry pieces known worldwide. Despite the current trend of bubble initial necklaces, the sentiment of female empowerment nonetheless is expressed, and one can still distinguish and enhance one’s own personal style as the “it” girl was born to do.
Images courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery and Byrdie
