DON’T GET ME wrong, I love a good layered necklace look — I have been known to wear quite a few necklaces at the same time myself. But I prefer to see the beauty of the necklaces, and if they have charms or medallions dangling, I like to be able to assess what they are or at least part of them. Therefore, I really wanted to restyle Maria Bakalova when I saw her at the MTV Movie & TV 2022 Awards. I would have liked to graduate her necklaces, which, with the exception of the choker, were all entangled and in a #neckmess. I realize this has been a huge hashtag on Instagram, but Bakolova is wearing Dolce & Gabbana jewelry as well as Jenny Bird and Jennifer Fisher jewelry, and it would be nice to really get to see what the pieces look like, even if much of it was faux fashion jewels rather than the real thing. There are a few interesting takeaways from Bakalova’s look: I can see a crucifix, pearls, curb chains and a beaded chain in the mix.
These tend to hit all of the trends in both fine jewelry and costume styles that have been inspired by the ready-to-wear jewelry shows. They also smack of Coco Chanel when she used to pile on the necklaces, which is another plus for this look when you start to weigh the pros and cons. Chanel was a champion of faux jewels mixed with real and also of layering the neck to dress up the understated “sportswear” style she made popular. So in that case, I would say that the look did have its positive attributes.
And it seems befitting with her Dolce & Gabbana ensemble, so why not have some fun? However, I have seen her at other awards and events in some awe-inspiring diamonds and others that are meant for everyday wear, and it seems to me that this look works best for her when out on the red carpet.
But why don’t you decide: #neckmess at the MTV Awards or diamonds at the 2022 Academy Awards or Critic’s Choice Awards?