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June 25, 2026
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As seen in Vogue | Handmade in London | Hypoallergenic Materials | Secure Payments | Free Delivery UK & Worldwide | Shipped from UK
As seen in Vogue | Handmade in London | Hypoallergenic Materials | Secure Payments | Free Delivery UK & Worldwide | Shipped from UK
For years, pearls had an image problem. Say the word and people pictured a starched twin-set, a stuffy tea party, or a grandmother’s “good” jewellery that only came out for weddings and funerals. So plenty of people quietly decided pearls were not for them. Here is the twist. Pearls are now one of the biggest trends in fashion, worn by teenagers on TikTok, by men on red carpets, and on runway after runway. The pearls have not changed. The way we wear them has. This guide shows you exactly how.
Yes, very much so. Pearls have had one of the strongest comebacks in fashion, and the 2026 look is bold, relaxed and personal rather than prim. They have appeared all over recent runways and red carpets, the “Pearlcore” trend has taken over TikTok and Instagram, and pearls sit right at the heart of the quiet-luxury mood: refined, but never flashy. They have also broken free of old rules about who gets to wear them, with men’s pearls now a real movement of their own. Jackie Kennedy Onassis is often quoted as saying that pearls are always appropriate, and in 2026 that has never been more true.
So the real question is not whether pearls are in style. It is how you wear them.
Pearls look dated for one reason: when they are worn the matchy, formal way. A perfectly round white strand, with matching stud earrings and a neat cardigan, reads as a costume from another era. That is the look people mean by “old-fashioned,” “matronly,” or “too prissy.”
The fix is a single idea, and once you have it, everything else falls into place. That idea is contrast. Stop matching your set. Pearls look modern the moment you pair their soft, classic glow with something that feels like the opposite: casual, edgy, or unexpected. A pearl necklace over a plain t-shirt. Pearl studs with a leather jacket. A delicate strand next to a chunky gold chain. The friction between soft and hard is what makes the whole look feel current and deliberate. Hold that one rule in mind as you read the ideas below.
Baroque pearls have an irregular, organic shape, and that is exactly why they look contemporary. Nothing about them feels mass-made. One strong baroque piece often does more than a whole matching set.
Matching sets feel dated. The modern move is a little imbalance: one stud and one drop, a mismatched pair, or a single statement earring worn alone. Harry Styles helped make the single pearl earring a real look. If you have a second piercing, pair a drop with a tiny stud. Sarah Valley’s pearl earrings work as singles or pairs.
Skip the lone neat strand. Layer a short pearl choker with a longer chain, or sit a delicate pearl pendant over a heavier strand. Mixed lengths and a little uneven spacing look styled, not stuffy.
Pearls do not have to stay in their own lane. A pearl necklace next to fine gold chains, a charm, or a few coloured gemstones instantly feels more playful and everyday. This is one of the easiest ways to take pearls from formal to fun.
The old rule said one tone only. Ignore it. Pearls sitting alongside both gold and silver look richer and more modern. Let one metal lead and keep the other as an accent.
A pearl necklace with a white shirt and jeans is one of the easiest modern looks there is. Pearls with a denim jacket, a striped tee, or even an athleisure set turn a “special occasion” gem into something you wear on a Tuesday.
Pair a soft pearl strand with a chunky chain, oversized links, or a leather jacket. This soft-and-hard contrast is one of the defining pearl looks right now, and it removes any hint of fussiness in a second.
Pearls and tailoring were made for each other, but the modern version is not a twin-set. Think a single pearl pendant or a pair of clean studs with a blazer, or a pearl choker worn with a trouser suit for an androgynous, polished look. A little pearl is the easiest way to lift a plain work outfit.
Pearl pins and clips are a quietly brilliant way to wear pearls without a necklace at all. Slide a pearl pin into a bun or a half-up style for a soft, modern finish that photographs beautifully.
Do not stop at one. Stacking a fine pearl bracelet with a gold or beaded one builds texture and looks deliberately collected. The same mix-and-match thinking that works on a necklace works on the wrist.
White and ivory will always be lovely, but blush, grey, peacock and black pearls feel fresh and unexpected. A grey or black pearl reads as modern straight away.
When in doubt, less wins. One luminous pearl on a fine chain suits every age, every neckline and almost every outfit. It is the quiet-luxury version of the pearl, and it never looks try-hard.
Knowing the main types helps you shop with confidence. Freshwater pearls are the most affordable and the easiest everyday choice. Akoya are the classic round, bright white pearls. South Sea and Tahitian are larger and more luxurious, with Tahitian giving those grey and black tones. Baroque pearls are the irregular, sculptural ones leading the trend right now. For a modern look on a sensible budget, freshwater and baroque are your friends.
The “old-fashioned” worry is really an age worry, so here is the reassuring part: pearls suit every decade. Only the styling shifts.
In your twenties, lean into the trend-led looks: baroque shapes, layering, mismatched earrings, and pearls with streetwear and denim. In your thirties, a single pearl pendant or a pair of everyday studs slips into work and weekend without a thought. In your forties and beyond, mixed metals and one well-chosen statement piece, like a baroque drop earring, keep things current without chasing every trend.
Yes, and it is one of the freshest shifts in fashion. Pearls have moved well past their feminine label, helped along by musicians and actors wearing a single strand or a lone stud. For men, the look works best kept simple: one pearl necklace under an open collar, a single stud, or a slim pearl-and-bead bracelet stacked with a watch. The same contrast rule applies, soft pearl against a plain shirt or a leather jacket.
The beauty of pearls is how far one piece travels. A pearl pendant works in the office with a blazer, then comes alive in the evening with a bare neckline and your hair up. Pearl studs are the most useful everyday earring you can own. A convertible piece, like a necklace that can also wrap as a bracelet, earns its place by doing two jobs.
Real pearls warm to your skin slowly, have tiny natural differences, and feel slightly gritty if you gently rub two together. Faux pearls feel smooth, light and perfectly uniform. Neither is wrong, but real freshwater pearls give that genuine glow for surprisingly little.
Pearls are also the softest gem you are likely to own, around 2.5 to 3 on the Mohs hardness scale, so they need a little kindness. Put them on last, after perfume, hairspray and hand cream. Wipe them with a soft, dry cloth after wearing. Store them apart from harder pieces so they do not get scratched, and keep them away from water and household sprays. Treated gently, a good pearl lasts for decades. Every Sarah Valley pearl piece uses genuine pearls on hypoallergenic, skin-safe settings, and you can see the full materials we use if you want the detail.
For a modern look that costs less, choose freshwater or baroque pearls rather than perfectly round ones. The slightly irregular shape is bang on trend and gentler on the budget.
Pearls were never the problem. The matchy, formal styling was. Lead with contrast, stop matching your set, choose a shape and colour that feels like you, and a pearl turns into one of the most modern, wearable things in your jewellery box. They also happen to be June’s birthstone, so if you are buying for someone born then, see our guide to birthstones by month.
When you are ready, explore our handmade pearl earrings, or have a piece made to order around the pearl colour and style you love. Each one is crafted by hand in London on skin-safe materials.
Step away from the traditional strand. Our signature collection blends genuine pearls, vibrant gemstones, and crystals inside a gorgeous wire-crocheted setting. It's an entirely fresh, artistic take on jewelry that you can dress up or wear with a simple white tee. Handcrafted in London using skin-safe, premium materials
Not any more. Pearls are one of the biggest jewellery trends right now. They only look old-fashioned when worn in a matchy, formal way. Pair them with casual or modern pieces and they look fresh.
Break up the set. Skip matching pearl necklace, earrings and twin-set, and instead pair one pearl piece with jeans, a blazer, or gold jewellery. Choosing baroque shapes or coloured pearls also instantly modernises the look.
Use contrast. Wear it over a t-shirt or shirt, layer it with a chain of a different length, mix gold and silver, or choose an irregular baroque pearl instead of a perfect round strand.
Absolutely. Pearls with jeans and a white shirt is one of the easiest modern looks. The casual denim balances the classic pearl, which is the exact contrast that keeps it current.
You can, but the modern approach is not to match them perfectly. Mix a pearl necklace with non-matching earrings, or wear pearl studs with a non-pearl necklace, so the look feels styled rather than like a set.
Yes. Pearls and gold are a lovely modern pairing. Let one lead and keep the other as an accent.
Pearlcore is the trend of styling pearls in bold, everyday, often unisex ways, mixing them with casual and streetwear looks rather than saving them for formal occasions.
Put them on last, after perfume and hairspray, wipe them after wearing, store them away from harder jewellery, and keep them from water and chemicals. Pearls are soft, so gentle handling keeps them glowing for years.
Sarah Mubarrak is the founder of Sarah Valley, a handmade jewellery brand based in the UK. She designs unique pieces using natural gemstones, crystals, and pearls, all crafted by hand with skin-safe materials. Inspired by nature, Sarah creates jewellery for women who want to feel confident and stand out.
