Anyone who knows me and the jewelry I design and make, knows that I create without paying attention to what is the current trend. Funny enough, several times my designs were ahead of the coming trends. Nothing to brag about, as I create whatever comes out of my hands, I see it more as a happy coincidence.
But being a lover of all that is jewelry, I do read about up and coming trends and colors, mostly because it is interesting, like, during a recession, jewelry tends to become very prominent, with large pieces and lots of sparkle. Just the opposite of what you would think would happen.
So I peeked here and there and to my surprise, two of my favorite styles will be all the trend in 2019. One of them is an all time favorite of mine, the choker. A choker is a close-fitting necklace worn around the neck. Chokers can be made of a variety of materials, including velvet, plastic, beads, latex, leather,
metal, such as silver, gold or platinum, etc. They can be adorned in a variety of ways, including with sequins, crystals, studs, or a pendant.
Looking at the gorgeous pieces, I started to wonder where this cool piece of jewelry came from. What is it's history?
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| Fine pearl and diamond chokers, like this Edwardian era one, were popularized in the late 19th century by Alexandra of Denmark during her time as part of the British nobility. It is currently the property of Dallas estate jeweler William Noble Rare Jewels. Price upon request. |
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The history of the choker dates back thousands of years, to the world’s earliest civilizations, the Sumer empire in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. It was associated with high fashion, but could take on different meanings under different circumstances. Markowitz said women in both these ancient worlds wore chokers, often pairing them with other necklaces, for the same reason they wore all jewelry--to protect them and give them power. They put jewelry on parts of the body they felt needed protection--the throat, head, arms and ankles--and believed it infused them with special powers.
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Arsimus Cleopatra Beaded Necklace Collar
Choker Ancient Egyptian Queen Costume. |
This was especially true of gold jewelry, which ancient people associated with the sun, and lapis lazuli which people in Egypt connected with the life-giving powers of the Nile River.
In 1798, during the French Revolution, women wore red ribbons around their necks to pay homage to those who met their death at the guillotine. The ribbon could be worn around the neck, or another fashion came in the form of an X around the shoulders and back.
Included in the collection of the Victoria & Albert museum in London is a Kropfkette (goiter chain) made in Austria sometime between 1840 and 1870.
Kropfkettes were chokers consisting of multiple rows of chains with a large clasp at the front. Women in south Germany and Austria wore them to hide the lumps on their necks caused by goiter, a disease caused by iodine deficiency common among those who lived high in the Alps.
The 19th century fashion for broad chokers reached its peak around 1900 in part due to Queen Alexandra of the United Kingdom wearing one to hide a small scar. Chokers were popular into the 1920s, then, as the Art Deco era faded in the 1930s, chokers went out, in a major way.
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Black Beauty Choker,
© House Of Joris Jewelry.
Made entirely of Swarovski
Crystals and Pearls. |
But again in the '40s, chokers came back as colliers de chien. In particular, the term dog collars (or colliers de chien) catches on, and these designs – incorporating luxe diamonds, pearls, lace, and velvet – could be seen as objects of the elite because the best kinds were custom-made to fit one's neck perfectly. In 1944 Life magazine stated that "a dowager fashion of 40 years ago" was being revived by young women, illustrating the trend with photos of models wearing the now vaguely rebellious "dog collars".
In recent years chokers have been popular with a number of celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow who wore one to the 1999 Academy Awards. Paris Hilton wore three inches of Swarovski around her neck in 2002. Rihanna has also been featured wearing chokers.
“Choker” does not mean “choke-her,” because that fashionable and malleable material stretched thin across our necks does not insinuate anything,
assuming that wearing a choker meant she wanted rough-sex. A woman does NOT wear a choker or any other kind of seemingly “provocatively insinuating”
garment to show anything other than it's something SHE wants to wear. It's a necklace. An accessory.
As I was researching, I found many more stories about this interesting and beautiful piece of jewelry. It truly is interesting what such a little necklace can
do over the last few thousands of years.
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Paris Noir Earrings, © House Of Jewelry
Swarovski various crystals, brass drops
gold, brass and copper chains. |
At the beginning of this post, I mentioned there were 2 trends that excited me, the second one are shoulder dusting earrings. Earrings so long and incredibly
beautiful, they graze your shoulders as you move your head. I have been making these for a few years now. One of my best customers has quite a few and they look just fabulous. No history for you on this one, as the post is getting long already. Just thought I mention it, hope to see y'all walking around with these original jewelry pieces, you sure will be right on trend.
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Blue Ice Earrings, ©House Of Joris
Jewelry, vintage Swarovski set in
brass. |
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Danita Earrings, Swarovski rivoli's set in
brass, Swarovski crystals, gold chains,
brass stampings.© House Of Joris Jewelry. |
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Brigit Earrings, © House Of Joris Jewelry. Sterling
silver earwires and chains, grade AA amethyst,
south sea pearls, violet chalcedony and prehnite. |
