As celebrities walked onto the red carpet at the Golden Globes earlier this month, TikTok couldn’t help but notice the bare necks of their favourite stars.
Daisy Edgar-Jones and Selena Gomez are just two among the countless attendees that flaunted their bare décolletage. This was then followed by Margot Robbie’s appearance at the Sydney premiere of Babylon, wearing a 90s-inspired baby blue Versace dress – but no necklace.
The verdict? Necklaces are out of fashion for 2023. Countless users flocked to social media sites to speculate this phenomenon. Within days, the ‘no necklace’ mystery was trending. One theory is that the absence of the necklace points towards what Tiktok has dubbed as ‘recession core’. Some believe that the bare décolletage is an active effort to steer celebrities away from ostentatious gestures in a time of economic struggle. Who wants to see the upper echelons of society flaunting extortionately priced fashion trends in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis?
Others have gone on to speculate that the lack of jewelry is attempt to flaunt the
collarbone. One Tiktok user went as far to say that “collarbones are an accessory again”, calling back to the 1990s/early 2000s ‘cocaine skinny’, or ‘heroin chic’, era.
Popularized by slender supermodels, notably Kate Moss, ‘heroin chic’ is characterized by pale skin, dark under-eyes, and an emaciated body type. Some anticipate that this movement towards bare necks is an exhibit of skin and bones, and proof that the slim female body is becoming a fashion trend yet again. Fearing the effect ‘heroin chic’ may have on eating habits, Jameela Jamil spoke on Instagram, stating, “our bodies are not trends”. But within the online deep dive into the ‘no necklace’ mystery, there have been some simpler solutions.
Some defend the stylists’ choice by saying that statement earrings are more trendy, or that the necklaces often distract us from the look itself. Others think that a necklace is aging, and the lack of the piece gives a more youthful appearance.
In a time of rapid spreading news, and constantly changing trends, social media platforms like Tiktok are an unstoppable force. What is ‘trending’ today may be forgotten soon. And though the absence of the necklace may be pestering users now, the bedazzled pendant may be the talk of tomorrow.
