Summer 2026's Jewelry Trends Confirm It: Less-Is-More Accessorizing Is on Its Way Out

The best way to describe this summer’s jewelry trends is to reference a new niche aesthetic that's taking hold of the global fashion set: curated maximalism. Unlike the color-at-any-cost approach of dopamine dressing, or the excess often associated with more-is-more style, this flavor of maximalism is controlled and intentional. It’s one colorful, chunky beaded necklace rather than a cluster. A sculptural ear cuff hooked above a solitaire diamond stud, or a silver comb charm hanging from a leather cord à la The Row. Curated maximalism is still charming and eclectic, but it’s never kitschy or cluttered—as is true for this summer’s biggest jewelry trends.

While the majority of Summer 2026’s fashion trends skew more minimal—like the Pre-Fall little white dresses and high-vamp flats from the likes of Dior, Khaite, and Kallmeyer—this season’s jewelry is in pursuit of more personality. This tracks with what happens naturally when getting dressed for hot weather. When the feels-like temperature is in the mid-90s, and your to-do list can’t be ignored, you wear whatever clothes are easiest and rely on outfit finishers—i.e., the right accessories—to punch it up where they can.

Moreover, rather than pulling from the Pre-Fall 2026 collections, the list below is based on what jewelry is currently popular with the Paris, Milan, and New York street-style crowds. This means options aren't limited to a luxury brand's $10,000-plus pendant necklace or pavé diamond bangle—and, it also means each option is already out in the wild and available to shop. Here, discover seven fashion girl-approved, maximalist-ish jewelry trends to try this summer.

Elevated Beaded Necklaces

Get ready: Adult beads are back. In other words, in 2026, beaded jewelry has been repositioned as elegant and polished, several steps up from the hodgepodge strands you made at summer camp as a kid. Driven by luxury designers like Matthieu Blazy at Chanel and Michael Rider at Celine, as well as indie workhorses like Don't Let Disco's Ashley Moubayed, beads are now seen as a sign of craftsmanship—not to be confused with crafty—and of luxury. The street-style set has also played a key role in the great bead rebrand of 2026, opting for strands featuring gemstones, vintage resin, marble, and accented with golden charms.

Shell Motif Jewelry

It's obvious but bears repeating: Seashell jewelry trends every summer, and the 2026 season will be no exception. In summers past, tastemakers have been drawn to shell motifs more minimal in look. (I'm talking about you, Juju Vera's Petra Shell Pendant.) Now influenced by a more out-there aesthetic, they're reaching for gilded chokers, mixed-material charm necklaces, and supersized pendants.

Functional Pendant Necklaces

Marie Claire has previously reported on the micro-trend of functional object jewelry—and fashion girls wearing perfume bottle necklaces in particular. These tiny pendant flasks, often purchased secondhand on eBay and worn to Paris Fashion Week, weren't dissimilar to the Victorian-era pomanders that women in too-tight corsets would sniff to keep from fainting.

Summer 2026 expands the functional jewelry category by adding micro-sized pouches, hair combs, and lighter cases into the mix. In doing so, the jewelry trend raises a worthwhile question: Why settle for purely ornamental pieces when you can wear something just as chic that also holds your spare change or can untangle your curtain bangs?

Stacked Bangles

On the streets of SoHo (both in NYC and London) and Paris's Le Marais, it's commonplace to see women wearing stacks of three or four (even five!) bangles. Some bracelets harken back to those in your childhood dress-up bin, rendered in bubble-gum pink and cherry red resin and shaped like cartoonish bubbles. Equally popular among fashion tastemakers are more natural-looking wood bangles and sculptural metallic cuffs that take up a hefty chunk of wrist real estate.

Hoop Ear Cuffs

For those who've conquered a simple hoop earring, consider the next level of ear adornments: a sculptural ear cuff (or even a few chunky ones worn at once). Stylish women have long used the wrap-around piece as an unexpected detail to accent a regular hoop or drop earring—and catch a photographer's eye, of course. Why not steal from their playbook and do the same this summer? A cuff that loops around your lobe or upper cartilage is far more interesting than a standard earring and, as a result, will make an outfit as simple as linen pants and a tank feel fresher.

Statement Metallic Chokers

Blame the 2016 fashion resurgence if you want, but the chokers trending for Summer '26 aren't like those you reblogged on Tumblr. These are more elevated, made of silver or gold instead of ribbons or stretchy elastic, and rendered as statement, sculptural collars.

Turquoise Jewelry

Typically worn as itty-bitty beads around the neck, peeking out from a polo collar, or dotting a bare décolletage, turquoise jewelry is also experiencing an uptick in popularity. Considering the unique blue-green shade feels just as summery as an Aperol spritz and coconut-scented sunscreen, the trend will undoubtedly continue to surge in the coming months. And while turquoise necklaces are the front-running style, a bracelet or earring spotlighting the prized gemstone is just as easy to wear with summer basics.

Why Trust Us

Emma Childs is Marie Claire’s fashion features editor with almost a decade of experience in the fashion industry. She focuses on in-depth trend reports and stories covering the intersection of style and human-interest storytelling. She analyzed hundreds of street-style images and runway shows and conducted market research to compile this breakdown of Summer 2026 jewelry trends.

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand