How Jewelry Styles and Trends Have Evolved Over the Decades

Trends change as times change. This is true with clothing, movies, TV shows, music, and even jewelry. Based on the current climate–social, political, economic–different things can be in style at different times. Let’s explore the jewelry trends that have dominated each decade since the 1900s, and maybe you can determine which one is your favorite (and worth reprising).

1900s: The Art Nouveau

The Art Nouveau era of the early 1900s was especially influenced by organic designs, anything inspired by nature. This included flowers, leaves, and even bugs. Much of the jewelry during this time period was adorned with enamel, which added bright colors otherwise not attainable with metal and gemstones. It also incorporated intricate designs, so jewelry became truly an art form.

Piggybacking on the Art Nouveau era was the Edwardian period, which was prone to opulence. Very ornate patterns were utilized in both enamel and metal filigree work, almost resembling lace. During this period, platinum became available as a jewelry metal and was used heavily, especially because it lends itself well to detailed designs. The most commonly used gemstones during this time period were diamonds and pearls, which were the epitome of luxury to the highest society of the era.

1920s: The Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties were a time of wealth and prosperity, and people surely liked to show it off. Think of the Great Gatsby and you’ll get an idea of the style during this time. Black, white, and gold were the prominent colors and women wore elaborate outfits adorned with feathers and tassels. Geometric designs were also popular, which translated into jewelry design. Long necklaces with diamonds and colored gemstones gained popularity, along with beaded necklaces. The earrings during the 1920s were predominantly dangling statement earrings, and bracelets were wide and worn aplenty.

1930s: The Great Depression

With the crash of the stock market in 1929, we entered The Great Depression, which brought significant financial hardships. This affected all aspects of life, including jewelry trends. Since people had less disposable income, they weren’t purchasing high value goods, especially not high value fine jewelry. This inspired the rise of costume jewelry, which allowed people to still express their personal style within a budget. The majority of the costume jewelry was made of base metals, glass, and plastic. Hollywood movies during this time period also featured costume jewelry and inspired the general public to start wearing brooches.

1940s: War

World War II had a significant impact on life during the 1940s, including fashion and jewelry. Due to the war, many materials were in short supply and manufacturers started utilizing more readily available materials, such as silver and gold. This ended up being referred to as retro jewelry and was bold and bright. A lot of the jewelry produced during World War II was patriotic in design and featured stars and military designs. Also popular during this time period were larger statement pieces for women, such as statement rings and brooches.

1950s: Hollywood

The 1950s was the era of classy Hollywood women such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Elizabeth Taylor. During this time, femininity was in style, so jewelry became more delicate and demure. Diamonds were very popular, especially once Marilyn Monroe helped to popularize the phrase “diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” There was also a resurgence of the popularity of pearls in the 1950s, especially pearl strands. The statement earrings and wide bracelets of the 1940s were replaced with delicate earrings and thin bangle bracelets, often adorned with diamonds, while Tiffany & Co. became a household name during this time.

1960s: Bohemian Sixties

The 1960s was a time of change and revolutionary ideas. Many cultural movements became popular during this time, including hippie culture, which reflected a more natural style. Jewelry during this time was full of nature and spiritual motifs and made with beads, wood, leather, feathers, and flowers. The peace sign may have been the most popular jewelry piece during this time period.

1970s: Disco

The 1970s brought the age of disco, with a lot of silver, sequins, and sparkle. Oversized jewelry pieces such as large hoop earrings and thick gold chains were worn by both men and women of the disco era. Also popular during this time period was Native American style jewelry, which consisted mostly of turquoise, silver, and wood constructed designs.

1980s: Bold Jewelry

The 1980s was the decade of power suits, shoulder pads, and big hair. Jewelry followed suit by also being large and bold, such as thick gold chains, large earrings, and statement bracelets. Pop icon Madonna became a style guru during the 1980s and many people tried to emulate her style, which was full of excessive stacking of gold bracelets and necklaces, and wearing multiple statement rings on both hands.

1990s: Grunge

The 1990s was a significant change from the several previous decades. Flannel, ripped jeans, and plain t-shirts were all the rage. Laid back was the ideal style and jewelry certainly took a back seat during this decade. Mostly costume jewelry featuring choker necklaces and stud earrings, sometimes with spikes, were seen worn with the torn clothing among young people. Silver was the most common metal worn during the 1990s and body piercing also became popular, from eyebrow piercings to belly button rings, people started using piercings to express their personal style.

2000s: Y2K

The 2000s are often referred to as "Y2K," a term that originated from widespread concerns leading up to New Year's Eve 1999. The fear stemmed from the belief that computer systems worldwide might fail when transitioning from the year 1999 to 2000 due to programming limitations in handling the date change. This was the decade of rising pop stars such as Nsync, Backstreet Boys, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears. They all influenced fashion and jewelry trends of the time. Boy bands encouraged men to wear diamond stud earrings and chains again, while female pop stars popularized bedazzled outfits and sparkly costume jewelry. Hair trends were also influenced with butterfly clips and rhinestone hair barrettes. It was a time for playful styles with a more childish vibe.

2010s: Personalized Jewelry

The 2010s were crowded with minimalism and a hint of personalization. Name necklaces, initial bracelets, and lockets were commonly worn. Rose gold saw a surge in popularity. Simple gold stacking bands, sometimes with a few gemstones, were all the rage during the 2010s.

2020s: Eco Friendly

Now in the 2020s, style is all across the board. Most of the younger generation is interested only in ethically sourced products, so lab grown diamonds have become more commonly sold. Vintage jewelry has also been trending, with wide gold hoop earrings and thick chains coming back in style. Delicate options such as initial necklaces and pearl strands have started to reprise for not just women, but also men.

Each decade has defined trends in both clothing and jewelry that are influenced by the climate of the time, including societal expectations, social norms and the economy. From the Art Nouveau era to the sparkles of the disco age, each decade tells a unique story of what the world was like during that time. Regardless of the time period, jewelry has always been used as a way to show off personal style. Which time period is your favorite for jewelry trends?