Why The Back-Necklace Trend Is Your Party-Season Must-Try

Picking the perfect necklace for an eveningwear ensemble is an art form, but it takes even more practice to master the science of backward-facing necklace styling. This isn’t something to freestyle in a rushed five minutes before a big event – it’s crucial to make sure the length of the drop flatters the cut of your dress rather than competing with it, and that the dress perfectly frames the pendant. Think you could use a little guidance? Read our styling tips and tricks, taken straight from the most memorable moments on the red carpet.

At the 2024 Venice Film Festival, actor Taylor Russell chose to wear an exquisite pear-shaped diamond necklace, but she subverted all expectations when she arrived wearing it backward. The pear-shaped silhouette of the central stone sat perfectly beneath the nape of her neck, drawing the eye down to echo the flow of her butter-yellow Loewe gown. Lucy Delius’s 14-karat gold necklace has an equally pretty pear motif, and its clasp allows you to extend or shorten the chain to suit different dresses – this is a piece you’ll wear on repeat, no matter the neckline.

Sabrina Carpenter’s icy blue JW Anderson gown for the 2025 Grammys was enchanting, but it was her savvy styling with a Chopard diamond pendant plunging on the reverse that secured her place on the best-dressed lists. Weighing an astounding 50 carats, the diamond medallion gently swung with every sashay, emphasizing the ultra-low cut of the gown and its fabulous feathers. To recreate the look, choose a modern medallion style such as Foundrae’s ‘Resilience’ 18-karat gold and diamond necklace, which will draw the eye when worn backward with an LBD, and look just as at home with a white T-shirt when worn forward-facing on off-duty days.

It was Margaret Qualley who proved that white diamonds and white metals are a timeless combination for backless dress styling when she attended the 2025 Oscars, choosing a long tennis necklace culminating in a spectacular diamond tassel. Suzanne Kalan and Anita Ko specialize in diamonds that drape – choose simple silhouettes that allow each elegant strand to shimmer and shine down the spine. With a detailed chain and intricate medallion, it also makes sense to choose a dress in a simple, high-sheen fabric – plain silk or satin will feel suitably pared back, and be sure to avoid anything with too much texture or a distracting print.

Taking inspiration from Michelle Yeoh’s jewelry styling is always wise, especially when it comes to evening ensembles. Her Oscars look this year was a departure from the necklace styles often chosen to suit a backless dress – fluid, supple and swinging – as she instead opted for a structured design that rested between her shoulder blades. Mizuki’s pearl and diamond necklace features a similarly structured, modern-line pendant crafted from 14-karat gold, with a perfectly placed freshwater pearl. Most backless dress styling depends on a well-chosen hairstyle too – don’t let long-flowing tresses compete with an ultra-sleek jewelry moment; it’s best to keep hair swept up and neatly pinned.