2026 Choker Revival Spurs Celebrity-Led Multi-Length Necklace Layering Trend

Justin Bieber arrived at the Grammys wearing a necklace with 100 carats of diamonds while Hailey Bieber showcased a custom collar centering on a 30-carat pear-cut diamond, paired with 20-carat pear-cut earrings and a 12-carat pear-cut ring. Their coordinated “Ice Out” pins, also worn by Carole King, Billie Eilish, Kehlani, Rhiannon Giddens and Brandi Carlile, linked high-carat spectacle to a political statement and crystallized the choker’s return from red carpet extremes to everyday layering discourse.

That celebrity spotlight feeds a styling shift: short, nape‑hugging pieces are being combined with longer chains and pendant necklaces to create multi‑length stacks that read both nost Marie Claire connected a cohort of stars — Keke Palmer and Margot Robbie among them — to this layered approach, and Harper’s Bazaar documented the look on Margot Robbie at the Wuthering Heights premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre on January 28, 2026.

Materials and finish are moving alongside silhouettes. “High-polish gold is still relevant, but it’s being balanced with texture,” explains Sangster. “Soft brushing, gentle ridging and tactile finishes are returning, inspired by vintage and mid-century jewellery but executed in a cleaner, more modern way. These finishes make gold feel warmer and more wearable, less pristine, more lived-in, which aligns with how women actually want to wear their jewellery now.” That phrasing frames why a nape-hugging collar now sits comfortably with a worn-in chain and a pearl pendant.

Retail options illustrate the trend’s breadth. Entry-level collar examples include the Jenny Bird Dane Collar at $118 and the Alexis Bittar Solanales Skinny Crystal Pavé Collar Necklace at $275 at Nordstrom, while higher-tier pieces appear in ELLE’s round-up — At Present’s The Tatiana at $695 and Laoli’s The Drop Cord at $750. Sale-priced pendants such as Ben Amun’s Red Stone Spiral Pendant Necklace now $240 at Bloomingdale’s and Julietta Eze’s necklace now $192 at ShopBop show how consumers can mix price points within one layered stack.

Runway and street styling broaden the vocabulary. WhoWhatWear notes: “No longer reserved for occasionwear, brooches are being styled in fresh, playful ways—pinned to linen blazers, lightweight knits and even cotton shirts. Designers embraced sculptural shapes and vintage-inspired motifs, providing us with plenty of inspiration on how to personalise spring layers.” The same outlet observed, “Pearls have shed their classic reputation in favour of irregular shapes, mixed metals and unexpected silhouettes. Worn with everything from relaxed tailoring to floaty dresses, these updated pieces add a timeless element, while still feeling contemporary.” On elongated silhouettes, WhoWhatWear adds, “Extra-long necklaces were styled in layers across SS26 collections, draped over sheer blouses, tanks and fluid dresses. The elongated silhouette naturally complements spring’s lighter fabrics, and I for one, am eager to try this trend.”

Trade signals reinforce momentum: the AGTA Spectrum and Cutting Edge Buyer’s Choice awards highlighted gemstone spectacle with the 35-carat kunzite “Cotton Candy” necklace winning a Buyer’s Choice award, and Kering has reopened entries for the Kering Generation Award x Jewelry with the theme “Second Chance, First Choice,” underscoring sustainability conversations running parallel to the choker revival.

From 100-carat showpieces to $118 collar starters, the 2026 choker revival is less about a single strand and more about layering language — textured gold, modern pearls, brooches and long chains stacked together to make necklaces the year’s defining finishing move.