Minimalists Are About to Be Mad, But Chunky Beaded Necklaces Will Dominate Summer 2026

Dainty jewelry is dead; long live dainty jewelry. Welcome to the reign of chunky beaded necklaces—at least the news I’ve gathered from the street style coming out of the fashion capitals and the expert-written Substack newsletters in my inbox.

Everywhere I look, I see maximlist beaded necklaces in place of hair-thin chains. I open my email to tastemakers waxing poetic about Don’t Let Disco, the New York jewelry brand leading the luxury-ification of beaded jewelry. Spelunking through Parisian and Milanese street style, I see—and save for later—outfits featuring big bauble strands layered over boxy suiting and spring sundresses. I log onto Slack and see MC’s Style at Large columnists calling beaded necklaces their secret style weapon. Even better: I walk around my Brooklyn block or head to an industry event in SoHo and am distracted by the supersized beads accessorizing every other stylish woman who passes me by.

All this to say: big ol’ beaded necklaces are back, baby—and I’m not mad about it.

To staunch minimalists, or those scarred by the statement necklaces of the 2010s, the chunky beaded necklace comeback might feel out of left field, perhaps even unwelcome. But considering that maximalist beads were popular outfit finishers on the Spring 2026 runways, the writing has been on the wall for a handful of months now.

To wit, the beaded necklaces gaining traction among tastemakers today are a far cry from the coral and salmon-colored strands we layered over J.Crew Jackie cardigans a decade ago. These are large and in charge, definitely still in the category of a statement, but with a clear emphasis on luxury and artistry. As such, this also puts the spring jewelry trend miles ahead of the randomly strung-together strands you made at summer camp, using whatever your counselor found in a craft store’s clearance bin.

At Chanel, Matthieu Blazy topped off plaid skirt suits and starched Charvet button-downs with layers of glossy, galactic-looking pearl marbles and chevron-shaped pavé resin beads. (Yes, chevron; perhaps the discourse about a 2016 fashion revival wasn’t that far off after all…) With an assist from every fashion nerd’s favorite jewelry designer, Presley Oldham, New York City fashion darling Henry Zankov’s Spring 2026 runway glinted with crystals, pearls, shells, wooden blocks, and Murano glass beads on silver chains. Elsewhere, Michael Kors went full-tilt boho with ultra-chunky wooden beads, while Bottega Veneta draped liquid-like droplets around models’ necks.

Bottega is not new to material manipulation—see: the Italian fashion house’s denim-printed leather pants and fiberglass fringe—so it’s unsurprising that designer Louise Trotter would approach a beaded necklace like a sculptor would when making a piece for a modern art museum. Her chunky, crystal-clear take also represents what the 2026 jewelry trend champions: bold expression done so masterfully well, and undeniably expensive-looking, that no one would dare call it tacky.

Peeking through your favorite lightweight spring jacket or over an after-hours slip dress, as a color pop against a neutral top layer or clustered together because the more, the merrier, the best chunky beaded necklaces rebrand kitschy as a compliment. Ahead, you’ll find more beaded pieces on my radar, as well as a few styling ideas that I’m stealing from the street style crowd. Oh, and given how ubiquitous the jewelry trend already is, I can all but guarantee it'll dominate Summer 2026, too...

Continue Shopping the Chunky Beaded Necklace Trend

Street Style Inspiration