From the Princess of Wales to Kim Kardashian, it’s hard to think of a famous name who doesn’t sometimes wear High Street fashion.
But jewelery? Until recently, that was a very different story.
Rocks from top names such as Cartier and Van Cleef were the ultimate status symbols – whether you called it ‘faux’ or ‘costume’ – anything else was rather frowned upon. And the truth is, many High Street pieces did look plasticky and tended to break or lose their shine in a few wears.
But those days are gone. High Street brands have put serious thought into their jewelery and are coming up with eye-catching pieces that wouldn’t look out of place on the red carpet – as the Princess of Wales proved wearing Zara earrings to the Baftas.
And as this season’s styles scream ‘look at me’ (think massive florals, dangling gems and bold modern shapes), it’s the perfect time to experiment with something spectacular – yet pocket-friendly.
Here’s where to shop – and what to look for…
Luxe at LK Bennett
Earrings, £49, necklaces, £59 each, bracelet, £46, lkbennett.com
Earrings, £39, lkbennett.com
Always the ‘grown-up’ High Street option, LK Bennett’s jewelery selection doesn’t disappoint. The focus is on elegance and quality – but the shapes are seriously extravagant and the opulence of rainbow gems is miles away from its formal workwear.
These dangling crystal hoops pair with multiple necklaces for a maximalist look. There are also stylish resin pieces, giving a modern, pared-back effect.
Beautiful brooches at Essentiel Antwerp
Earrings and brooch both £65 essentielantwerp.com
Brooches are back – and the bigger and more flamboyant the better. They once carried a whiff of granny chic, but they have had a modern makeover.
For a High Street take on the trend, look to Essentiel Antwerp with a select range including this beaded chilli pepper and a rhinestone grasshopper. The oversized earrings are a hit, too.
Chandeliers at Anthropologie
Earrings, £58, anthropology.com
Earrings, £58, anthropology. com
Sometimes all an outfit needs is a pair of knockout earrings. And shoulder dusters are back with a vengeance – take inspiration from Balmain’s giant pearl hoops. Anthropologie is the high street destination for massive earrings with a boho feel.
From chunky, hammered metal to more delicate designs, such as these floral earrings, you’ll be sure to find a spellbinding pair for less than £60.
Playful statement pearls at Zara
Zara earrings have got a proven red carpet record – the Princess of Wales accessorised her Alexander McQueen gown with Zara’s floral dangles, faux pearls included, at the Baftas last month. Kate’s £17.99 earrings
Earrings, £17.99, necklace, £22.99, bracelet, £17.99, zara.com
Zara’s jewelery looks far more expensive than its price tag. Ahead of summer, they’re serving up a smorgasbord of jeweled resin earrings, statement pearls and playful designs.
And they’ve got a proven red carpet record – the Princess of Wales accessorised her Alexander McQueen gown with Zara’s floral dangles, faux pearls included, at the Baftas last month.
The cascading design could easily have cost ten times its £17.99 price tag. Have a browse for something to set off your black-tie showstopper outfit.
Floral brights at Kate Spade
Earrings, £180, necklace, £210, ring, £95, katespade. co. uk
Ring, top, £64, Earrings, £75, katespade.co.uk
Big, bold flowers featured on the AW23 catwalks from Chanel to Elie Saab – and Kate Spade is the queen of this quirky, cartoonish look.
These colorful enamel earrings, with matching necklace, are spot on. They cost a little more than most on the High Street, but are built to last and beautifully detailed.
Just pair them with a simple T-shirt or block-colour dress and let them shine.
Romantic love hearts at River Island
You might worry only teenagers wear ‘playful’ or ‘kitsch’ jewelery, but it’s a massive trend among high-end designers this year
Earrings, £12, riverisland. com
You might worry only teenagers wear ‘playful’ or ‘kitsch’ jewelery, but it’s a massive trend among high-end designers this year.
Even love hearts are back in fashion, popping up on clothing and accessories at the SS23 shows from Moschino and Alessandra Rich.
River Island gets it right with these matching earrings and necklace – or if this look’s not for you, they offer a vast range that goes from boldly quirky to classy diamonds’ that could almost – in a certain light – be real.
Big, bold bangles at Jigsaw
Earrings, £65, ring, £60, crystal ring, £70, bracelet, £90, crystal bracelet, £130, jigsaw.com
Luxury British brand Jigsaw may not have the most extensive jewelery collection, but it is much more fashion-forward than most on the High Street.
Pick of the bunch is their recent collaboration with ultra-cool fashion and lifestyle website, Collagerie – the matching rock crystal bangle and ring could pass for Saint Laurent.
And there’s a second collaboration coming soon – good news if you want to be bang up-to-date. If a huge bangle feels a little much, their general collection has slimmer gold textured bangles and hoops, which are perfect for everyday wear.