Anklets and Chokers. Not Just for Coachella!

The choker necklace has gotten so hot so fast this spring — especially at Coachella — that Vogue is ready to declare the style so over in favor of ankle bracelets, aka anklets.

 

Forget the choker necklace, this is the accessory you need this summer: https://t.co/FEVuX8Liqf

— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) April 20, 2016

When I saw that tweet, I was like …

… because last June, I declared anklets were due for a big fine-jewelry comeback.

Stick with me if you want to get an early jump on the hot jewelry trends, people.

I have some new anklet styles debuting this spring/summer, but in the meantime you can shop my barbed wire style from last year. I have it in silver …

… 18K yellow gold with diamonds …

… and my personal favorite, platinum and diamonds.

I’ve been all about using platinum in unexpected ways, and not a lot of people dare to put platinum around their ankles!

Speaking of the Coachella music festival, if you follow my personal Instagram, you know I was there last weekend, accompanied by my concert-loving friend Jessie.

O hai! Waiting for @christineandthequeens with @jessital7 #coachella #coachella2016 #selfie #coachellaselfie #music #concert

A photo posted by Wendy Brandes (@wendybrandes) on Apr 15, 2016 at 5:28pm PDT

If you follow Taylor Swift’s Instagram, you know she was also at Coachella last weekend and wondering if chokers are the new flower crowns.

 

I feel like maybe chokers are the new flower crowns?

A photo posted by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift) on Apr 16, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

Flower crowns have been a very popular and increasingly mocked part of Coachella fashion for years. Based on my observations, the crowns are indeed over. I saw one or two gals with cat-ear headpieces made of flowers, one or two guys wearing the old-style flower crown, and one young lady with a good sense of humor sporting a crop top that read, “Fuck your flower crown.” (Nope, I don’t know where you can get one of those tops!)

You can jusssst about see that Blue Wig’s tshirt says “fuck your flower crown.” #coachellastyle is getting meta … ? #coachella #coachella2016 #coachellafashion #flowercrowns

A photo posted by Wendy Brandes (@wendybrandes) on Apr 17, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT

I even managed to get through the first two days of the weekend without spotting a non-Native American wearing a feather headdress. It seems the notion that that is offensive to Native Americans has finally gotten through to people. (Then, on the last day, I saw a couple of guys wearing them.)

But chokers! Chokers were everywhere, so common that they’re already dead to It girl Alexa Chung. What I saw were mostly black fabric or plastic chokers, and those are dead to me too. Those inexpensive trend pieces weren’t all that attractive in the 1990s, and they’re not any better now. I’ve always loved a fine-jewelry choker. Those never get old to me.

I got my first beautiful choker from my mother, who gave me her own piece while I was still in grade school. I used to wear it as a bracelet as well as a choker. Admittedly, this one is costume jewelry, not fine jewelry, but it’s pretty damn stunning and it’s still in good shape after all these years.

Much later, but before I started designing jewelry myself, MrB bought me an exquisite aquamarine, platinum and diamond choker by Cathy Waterman. I wore it to Lutece for my Y2K New Year’s party.

A few years after that, I got this pearl, diamond and yellow gold choker from the diamond wholesaler with whom I would eventually go into the jewelry business.

I first wore a version of that choker to the Oscars in 2003, with the Versace dress I found at a consignment store.

That was my future business partner’s original version of the choker. As you can see, it was too big for me. Later, she made one in my size, and I’ve been wearing it for the past 13 years … including to this year’s Vanity Fair Oscar party.

Pearl choker and layered necklaces at the #vanityfairoscarparty. Plus MrB in the Pucci tie I picked out for him #oscars #oscarjewelry #oscarparty #choker #necklaces #vanityfair #selfie #coupleselfies

A photo posted by Wendy Brandes Jewelry PR (@wendybrandesjewelry) on Feb 29, 2016 at 2:35am PST

Basically, people wearing or over-wearing black ribbons on their necks aren’t going to put an end to my lifelong love for a gorgeous choker. You can’t compare ribbons and real jewelry! Judging from her envelope-pushing new “Needed Me” video, Rihanna is on my side, because the pearl choker she wears looks hawt paired with her gun and exposed nipples. As you can see from my “twins” collage of me and Rihanna below, a pearl choker looks just as good with MrB’s white shirt.

We like the look of @badgalriri ‘s pearl choker in her #neededme video. Wendy’s choker is similar but has more rows of pearls. #neededmevideo #rihjewelry #rihanna #navy #navi #choker #pearls #pearlchoker #badgalriri #jewelry #necklace #whatwendywore

A photo posted by Wendy Brandes Jewelry PR (@wendybrandesjewelry) on Apr 20, 2016 at 12:11pm PDT

Stay tuned for the platinum choker I’m working on. I’ll introduce that this spring/summer. In your more immediate future will be my posts on what I wore and, more importantly, what live music I saw at Coachella.