Costume jewelry that imitated nature was an emerging fashion that began to appear in the late 1950's, carried over to the 1960's. This could be seen in styles depicting floral displays with bright, bold colors. These were introduced into jewelry design with all sorts of materials as they were able to be made in a variety of colors, shapes and styles.
Another reason for the increasing use of costume jewelry was the increase in urban crime that was occurring during the 1960's. As people who went out on the town for a night did not want to attract unwanted attention from muggers and other criminal profilers, they would leave their flashy, gem encrusted pieces of jewelry at home and preferred to wear more subtle, but still enthusiastic, costume-like pieces.
Longer necklaces were also an emerging trend. These lengthier pieces were often accented with a single, medium sized pendant, like an animal, or other nature piece. Chains were very popular and often featured with complementary elements.
TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Wonder Years, and Mad Men really display this type of costume jewelry in their ensembles. Whether it be the look of Christina Hendrix, with a long chain to help accentuate your assets, or an oversized pendant to wear to the office like Mary Tyler Moore, there is something for everyone in the arena of timeless fashion jewelry.
Hot Tip: Looking to capture a hint of old school style while still staying current? Try some sweet retro style stripes. These bright and off-beat color combinations have a 60's throwback feel and make a hip, wearable addition to your body jewelry wardrobe.
