If you’re thinking of adding jewelry to your holiday shopping list, you’re making a good choice. Jewelry is a timeless gift that everyone loves to receive. While it’s tempting to browse the women’s section for dainty bracelets and earrings and the men’s section for chunky chains and watches, new trends are afoot. Don’t think of jewelry shopping in terms of gender. Instead, embrace the idea that jewelry is gender neutral. While shopping for women’s gold chains, know that you may find the perfect piece in men’s jewelry and vice versa. Read on to learn all about gender neutral jewelry trends.
What Is Gender Neutral Jewelry?
Gender neutral jewelry, sometimes referred to as genderless jewelry, is jewelry that blurs gender lines and that everyone can stylishly and confidently wear. While most jewelry is designed with a specific gender in mind, it’s becoming common practice for jewelers to design pointedly unisex pieces. The idea of genderless jewelry has gained traction as a result of fashion houses smashing gender norms and catapulting the new norm that there are no rules in terms of gender and fashion.
How To Style Gender Neutral Jewelry
Just like jewelry is evolving into a genderless construct, how you style your jewelry breaks all the rules of yesteryear. Whereas it was taboo to mix metals and iced jewelry was reserved for fancy occasions, today there are no rules. It’s common, encouraged even, to mix and match your pieces no matter the time of day or occasion. This allows you to buy and wear the pieces you love without worrying if you’ll get enough wear out of your investment. When styling your gender neutral jewelry, feel free to mix metals, pair unlikely matches, layer your favorites and so on.
Gift Ideas for Your Fashion-Forward Friends
Jewelry is always a welcome birthday or holiday gift. As the gift-giver, it’s a no-brainer in terms of shopping. From custom gold jewelry to twists on timeless staples, jewelry is a thoughtful and generous gift to give this holiday season. The proliferation of genderless jewelry is making shopping easier this year than it’s ever been. Check out these gender neutral jewelry gift ideas that your fashion-forward friends will fawn over.
Cuban Link Chain
A Cuban link chain has long been a staple in a man’s jewelry collection. Today, however, the Cuban link chain is a genderless chain that can be worn with anything and anywhere. The chain, with its timeless look of interlocking square links, is often worn in an oversized weight, making the chain a focal point for the wearer. Whether worn in gold, silver or rose gold and regardless of the weight or length, the Cuban link chain is the type of genderless, everyday piece you can put on and never take off.
Huggie Earrings
Huggie earrings are wonderful because there are no bounds. Huggie earrings are small, close-fitting hoops that suit any occasion. They’re a perfect everyday earring that translates in and out of business, casual and social settings. Huggie earrings are a simple but fine piece of jewelry that is perfect for stacking with multiple pieces, and they can be worn day in and day out.
Stacked Rings
Stacking rings is a fun way to mix and match special pieces. Whether you curate an entire stack, buy single starter pieces or add to a loved one’s existing stack, these are great gifts. The fun thing about starting a ring stack for someone is that you can continue to add rings as future gifts. While there are no rules about curating a ring stack, it’s fun to mix metals, shapes, textures, styles and bulk. While stacking rings was historically popular for women, it’s now a much-loved men’s fashion trend, too.
Pearl Accents
Pearls, which can be traced back to ancient Greece, have continuously captivated genteel and sophisticated women throughout modern history. Today, pearls have experienced a renewed popularity in high fashion. While the single-strand pearl look of previous decades is still a common aesthetic, the edgier way to style your pearls is layered with pearls of various sizes and/or chains and other necklace styles. If you’re unsure of the classic, single-strand pearl vibe, consider pearl accents in other jewelry pieces.
Chunky Bracelets
Like chains, bracelets are perfect for layering. Chunky, heavy-weight styles are seeing a surge in terms of gender neutrality. But, as with chain layering, it’s nice to have an assortment of styles, weights and metals. So, as a gift, you can’t go wrong when buying a chain-linked bracelet. Some classic styles that blur gender lines include Cuban, Figaro, rope and Franco bracelet styles. Chunkier bracelets are great for wearing alone or stacking with thinner, more delicate styles. Add a nice chunky bracelet to your shopping cart and your loved one won’t be disappointed this gift-giving season.
Genderless Watches
Watches have long been considered gender neutral jewelry. Whether you’re shopping for an entry-level watch or a luxury watch, unisex designs run the gamut from sporty to smart, leather to metal and everything in between. While chunky styles have long been associated with men’s watches, the boyfriend trend has women beelining the men’s jewelry counter. With the availability of chunky, oversized styles that are on trend for both men and women, watch shopping has become easier than ever.
Gender Neutral Jewelry Smashes Gender Norms
Just like gender constructs are being smashed in all areas of fashion, so too are the lines being blurred in terms of jewelry. It’s not uncommon for men to shop at the women’s jewelry counter and vice versa. Far from uncommon, gender neutral jewelry is a fashion-forward trend that provides a wider jewelry selection to choose from. If you’re leaning towards jewelry during this gift-giving season, consider gender neutral jewelry in classic styles.
