How to style fine jewelry with swimwear when it sizzles
Whether you’re on the beach, by a pool or in the park, if you’re wondering how to style fine jewelry with swimwear, CHARLIE BOYD asked eight contemporary jewelry designers how they like to layer, mix and match their favorite pieces for a summer that sparkles
Catherine Sarr, Almasika
“When clothing becomes minimal during the hot months, jewelry can really highlight your personality and enhance your overall look. An off-the-shoulder Bardot or plunging neckline calls for layers of gold necklaces, bare arms beckon for sculptural bracelet stacks and a chic bun means you can add radiance to your look with beautiful, bold earrings. If you really want to lean in to a playful summer aesthetic, mixing yellow, white and rose gold when styling your jewelry is very beautiful and perfect for summer. You can instantly transform a simple bikini into an elevated swimwear look by layering gold necklaces at varying lengths, from long medallions to Almasika shell necklaces. All that said, I think that, above all, you should choose your moment – be it your hands, face or wrists – and let people’s eyes gravitate there. For a super-modern and sophisticated take, pair yellow-gold jewelry with clean lines and a black-and-white prints or a cheerful bright-colored palette. Just make sure your pieces don’t get scratched and remember that the heat can also cause fingers to swell – you can always loop your rings through your favorite chain and wear them as pendants instead.”
Gaia Repossi, Repossi
“I tend to experiment with symmetry and choose bright gold, as it suits many skin tones and highlights the body’s silhouette – black gold can be saved for a striking evening look. I choose bracelets and rings that are worn symmetrically and stacked, with a binary color palette of no more than two colors at a time – beige and navy, or rose gold and navy, for instance. I like fresh colors, but in small doses and not mixed up – maybe just one ear cuff or a maximum of two stacked rings. In the evening, I would wear just a few bracelets and one ring on the left hand – for me, less is more. Repossi offers rings that are already stacked – I call them ‘ready-mades’, as they already have a strong style language.”
Geraldine Clozeau, Gigi Clozeau
“My jewels are just like sunshine – they bring light and warmth to the skin – and summer means that many of our jewels are worn even closer to the skin than usual. It’s a daring opportunity to mix or clash colors; the time to really turn up your brights with vivid oranges, blues and greens, in hues that suit your skin tone. For swimwear, I think it’s really chic to wear tone-on-tone jewels, matching the shade of your jewels to your swimsuit – color-matching them looks timeless and sophisticated. All Gigi Clozeau necklaces have two clasps so that you can adjust the length, which allows for seamless layering.”
Jesse Marlo Lazowski, Marlo Laz
“Marlo Laz is all about eternal summer; watching the sunset and the sunrise, dancing barefoot on the beach, having dinner under the stars – all the good things that evoke bonheur and a joie de vivre. I love endless layers, the look of yellow gold on sun-kissed skin and, of course, vivid turquoise. All you need is a great swimsuit, the perfect pareo and layers of jewels – summer dressing allows you to load up on necklaces and bracelets and to wear epic, dangling earrings. I love gemstone colors that evoke the sea, too, like aquamarine and paraiba tourmaline. An anklet, like our multi-heart or Porte Bonheur styles, is the hero piece for summer. I love nothing more than the sight of water glistening on precious metals and the reflection when the sunlight hits precious gemstones – jewelry is meant to be worn and enjoyed, so live it up and just be prepared to give your precious pieces some TLC at the end of the summer season.”
“I like to match my jewels with my swimwear… But, when I’m wearing darker-toned swimwear, I prefer to contrast my jewelry
”Lito Karakostanoglou
Lito Karakostanoglou, Lito
“I love combining gold jewelry with corals and shells, as well as semi-precious stones, to create a cool summer look. You can create a story full of color and different textures – I love turquoise, jades and chrysoprase, so usually my color palette includes these, plus yellow gold. Sometimes, I like to match my jewels with my swimwear – like today, I am wearing a green leopard piece layered with turquoise and jade necklaces and a yellow-gold and emerald pendant from Lito’s Animalia collection. But, when I’m wearing darker-toned swimwear, I prefer to contrast my jewelry. When stacking pieces together, try not to have jewelry on the same-length chain, as they will scratch each other – and avoid fragile pieces that are easily tangled.”
Nicole and Kim Carosella, Sorellina
“Once the winter accessories come off, there is a lot more room for stacks and layers of jewelry. Factor in the cut of your swimsuit – plunging necklines create the perfect canvas for a lariat. If you’re wearing a high-neck swimsuit, focus on a great ear stack with a mix of both hoops and studs, then pile on a ton of gold bracelets – gold looks great on all skin tones. Many of Sorellina’s feel-good motifs are inspired by summertime, like our rainbows, suns and hummingbirds; and a lot of our most popular summer jewelry features onyx, turquoise and mother-of-pearl with a mix of emeralds and rainbow-colored sapphires. We love a bright contrast – like a pink bathing suit with emerald hoops. Lotion will cling to your jewelry and can dull the look of your diamonds, so we suggest putting on sunscreen first and letting it soak in before putting your jewels on. But, in general, gold and diamonds are a safe bet by the pool or beach and won’t be damaged by the elements.”
“I love minimalism for summer-jewelry styling – a few dainty chains that will catch the sun’s rays
”Pascale Monvoisin
Sydney Evan, Sydney Evan
“I like to layer gold and diamonds at the beach or pool with my swimwear. I would not, however, recommend wearing costume jewelry, since that does not have the same resilience. I would also avoid wearing semi-precious stones, since many of them are quite porous and could damage easily. I love the idea of adding jewelry in unexpected places this summer, so I would start with the anklet, then a toe ring and perhaps even a sexy, refined body chain. Overall, I prefer to style my jewelry with nothing too oversized or chunky – maybe a couple of layered chains with pendants and a beautiful huggie hoop with diamonds. I love matching jewelry back to swimwear – Sydney Evan offers a lot of colored jewels to create interesting monochromatic looks.”
Pascale Monvoisin, Pascale Monvoisin
“I love minimalism for summer-jewelry styling – a few dainty chains that will catch the sun’s rays. This really influences my designs for Pascale Monvoisin jewelry. And when it comes to swimwear, I’m a big fan of Matteau, which fits its swimwear to friends and family to ensure it suits all bodies – I love that whole concept. I prefer subtle contrasts between my jewelry and swimwear; I like to put gemstone necklaces together according to their shade, with half tones between them. Combining classic pieces, like a beautiful medallion, with beach jewelry, such as a shell, or daring to wear the colors of the rainbow are other fun looks. It’s important to remember to clean your jewels thoroughly if they are exposed to sea water – just like your skin.”
The models featured in this story are not associated with NET-A-PORTER and do not endorse it or the products shown