For too long, shell jewelry meant one thing and one thing only: puka shell necklaces (and occasionally, anklets). These surfer staples were must-haves in any early aughts summer wardrobe. Warm weather meant the smell of sunscreen, wavy hair doused with lemon juice, and some kind of flip-flop—worn alongside an anklet crafted from rough shell pieces. But over the last few years, shell jewelry has seen a kind of renaissance—and puka shells are no longer the only thing on offer. These days, we can adorn ourselves with pearly conches, painted cowrie shells, pink scallops, and everything in between.
Shell jewelry began making its comeback in February 2017, when Prada debuted several shell pieces at its Fall 2017/Winter 2018 runway show. Nearly a year later, shell jewelry started trickling into retailers—just in time for spring and summer 2018. Before we knew it, our Instagram feeds were filled with imagery of bright, minimalist shell pieces. The trend proved so popular that it returned for an encore in 2019—and then another one in 2020. And with each passing year, the shell jewelry trend grew a little kitschier, a little campier, and a lot more colorful.
And of course, more classic iterations of the trend persist. So if you’re looking to relieve your glory days in a seriously surfer-chic puka shell necklace, the zeitgeist has your back.
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