Pearl Jewelry: How to Wear It Without Looking Too Formal

For a long time, pearls had a reputation problem. Mention a pearl necklace and people pictured formal dresses, weddings or the kind of jewelry that stays in a box until a special occasion.

We think that's a shame, because pearls can look fantastic with completely ordinary clothes.

One of our favorite combinations is also one of the simplest: pearls with denim. A pearl necklace with jeans and a white shirt feels totally different from the same necklace with a cocktail dress. The contrast is what makes it work.

Stop treating pearls like a matching set

If you want them to feel more relaxed, don't automatically pair pearl earrings with a pearl necklace and a pearl bracelet. Pick one. Or mix a pearl piece with a simple chain, metal bangles or something more casual.

Perfectly round, perfectly matched pearls tend to read more traditional. Irregular shapes and mixed materials immediately loosen things up. Neither is better—they just create different moods.

Yes, you can wear them during the day

A small pair of pearl earrings can go with a T-shirt. A bracelet can work with linen and sandals. A necklace can sit next to a plain gold chain. Pearls don't know whether you're going to dinner or the grocery store.

The trick is not to style the entire outfit around them. Put them on the same way you'd put on your favorite everyday earrings and get on with your day.

And if you do want to dress them up later, that's the nice part: they'll happily do that too. Very few pieces of jewelry can move between casual and polished quite as easily.

See the Silfran Pearl Jewelry collection, including our Pearl Cascade Drop Earrings.