Throughout the past few seasons, the fashion world has been charmed by an ever-growing swarm of sassy snakes, cute cats and beauteous birds. It seems we’ve been ensconced into a whirlwind of animal inspired accessories, whether it be a crimson owl pendant spying dazzling emerald eyes, or a chunky ring embodying a fiery lioness. It’s the hot craze both on the catwalk and the high street.
Having assimilated a variety of species (by way of jewellery) into my fashion favourites, I found myself questioning the trend as a whole, delving for the core of the concept. Though it’s a given that distinctive animal shapes offer an immediate asset to an outfit thanks to the boldness of recognised design, I think that the main idea is often forgotten. Whether we are conscious of it or not, different animals symbolise specific traits. For example, a butterfly flutters essences of lightness, freedom and discovery, which when worn, flatters floaty garments of pastel hues. Compare this to a cat or snake whose assets highlight intelligence and mystery and you’ve got something that would instead match a darker and sleeker look.
The way to master this trend is to engage your animal accessories with your outfit, but most importantly your mood. Jewellery was originally created as a way of expressing a feeling or making a statement, something that symbolises you as your own person. Nowadays too many girls are jumping on the owl-necklace-bandwagon simply because they’ve seen ten other girls wearing it and strive to be ‘in fashion.’ This is of course a common misconception. Fashion is not about replicating trends to every exact detail, it’s about adapting the latest looks with a sprinkle of your own style. If we all copied each other to the closest corner and curve, there’d be no originality or progression in the fashion sphere.
The most recent way the trend has been adapted was highly raved about at London Fashion Week. The classic horse shape was transformed into a striking unicorn pendant, modelled by top bloggers and fashionistas alike, each adding their own twists, be it by colour, positioning or even gems and sparkles. These small, yet extremely effective choices and changes make popular new accessory trends personal and exciting – and we are all capable of this. When selecting your accessories, consider how you’re feeling. Calm and chilled? Keep it simple with some dainty birds. Fired up and excited? A tiger silhouette with a zing of colour. In fact, it’s guaranteed that there’s an animal or shape to match any theme of outfit or personality. Once you’ve established the look you want to create, you’ll find it easy to mix and match accessories, instantly shaping you into an original and inspirational trend setter.
It is also important to consider sizing; this will affect the message your outfit delivers. For example, a charm bracelet can either brighten or tone down your look (depending on the colour), whilst in contrast, a chunky pendant can easily be used as the centre piece and inspiration for your outfit. Something else to note when you’re rocking animal jewellery is that the best strategy is to wear your bracelet/necklace/ring as a solo accessory. Cluttering your limbs will simply divert eyes from the main feature, which of course you want to highlight, not hide.
Oh, and as a final tip… Steer away from the high street. When it comes to jewellery, chain stores can be a breeding ground of massively impersonal, unoriginal goods. You’ll find some absolute treasures by nipping into your local charity shop or browsing eBay; the pieces you find here will be the most memorable and unique.
Remember that your accessories shape your style. Work the trend in your own fabulous way.