Cord Necklaces Are the ’90s Jewelry Trend Having a Major Revival

On nearly every corner of the internet—whether it be TikTok, Instagram, music videos, or celebrity street style—one notable jewelry trend is amassing a significant following: the cord pendant necklace. The trend has gained considerable popularity in pop culture from Sabrina Carpenter sporting a glass pendant by Brooke Callahan in her “Espresso” music video to Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan wearing a rope choker with a single large pearl in a recent Teen Vogue cover.

The style in question features a sculptural pendant hung on a rope or leather cord and is composed of metal, glass, or stone. As the centerpiece, the pendants take on a myriad of forms: in materials ranging from glass-blown flowers and hearts to circular medallions, metal beans, or natural stones.

Vogue’s Favorite Cord Necklaces:

Its craft and simplistic nature have attracted DIY enthusiasts to create their own, and it has enabled self-made jewelry designers to establish successful businesses, such as Brooke Callahan, whose floral-shaped glass pendants went viral, and Vertigo, whose medallions were spotted on celebrities all of last summer. (Paloma Elsesser and Emily Ratajkowski previously wore Vertigo designs.)

The cord necklace also embraces more luxurious forms, like Tiffany’s Elsa Peretti 18k yellow gold Bean on a silk cord, or the designs by Marie Lichtenberg which put a unique spin on the concept by introducing an 18k gold enamel locket on the end of a multicolor rope, revealing a cheeky charm inside.

Below, explore a collection of 24 cord necklaces, handpicked by Vogue, to see why it’s the jewelry trend worth rallying behind.

Metals

Small sculptures formed in silver or gold sit like art at the center of your chest, like Elsa Peretti’s Bean pendant—a style resurrected from her original designs in 1974. For a more beachy take, consider Éliou’s conch necklace wrap or Ben-Amun’s silver spiral that nods ever so subtly to the whorl of a mollusk shell.

Stone

Medallions and beaded orbs made of natural stones like jade, onyx, and tiger’s eye give the cord necklace-wearer an earthy edge. With the base of the necklace being a mere string, a chunky stone-carved pendant will be the real center of attention.

Beachy Materials

This kitschy twist on the cord necklace emulates the candy-like jewelry of the aughts, where color-play and abstract shapes are welcome.