<p>I have an 18" strand and a 24" strand ( the 24 is a baroque strand, though not noticible )
Both of my girls wear their pearls that I bought them when they turned 18…D2 more so , probably because of her sorority</p>
<p>Off-topic but when my mom went to China, she wanted to get me a pearl necklace and she found this guy selling pearl necklaces and she thinking they were fake, haggled the price down to $15. Cut to three months later when I accidentally break the strand, she goes to a jewelery store to get the necklace restrung and finds out the necklace is indeed real and was actually worth $300-$500.</p>
<p>also in response to OP, I LOVE my pearls and many of my friends love to wear pearl necklaces too.</p>
<p>Pearls are a classic gift. The latest style is in pearls that are brownish.</p>
<p>^Do you mean Tahitian pearls in brown color? or regular pearls
[11X13.5MM</a> Chocolate Brown Tahitian Pearl Necklace 14K Diamond Clasp 17.5in](<a href=“11X13.5MM Chocolate Brown Tahitian Pearl Necklace 14K Diamond Clasp 1”>11X13.5MM Chocolate Brown Tahitian Pearl Necklace 14K Diamond Clasp 1)</p>
<p>I wear a stand of large white pearls in the summer and ivory pearls in the winter. I don’t do that deliberately, the white ones just seem to go with brighter cottons and the ivory with sweaters. Anyway I really wanted to tell you all that my daughter took a16inch strand of pearls 6mm that I gave her and had them restrung with one small sowarski crystal (light pink) in between each pearl and they look stunning. It’s not too flashy, just a little updated. They have many colors of the crystals. I’ve seen a very light brown that’s pretty with ivory pearls. They can be always be restung when their mood changes.</p>
<p>I wear pearls all the time, so does my D in her mid 20’s.</p>
<p>I broached this topic a couple of years ago on CC… didn’t get as many responses, but here’s the link:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/448086-what-should-i-know-about-pearls.html?highlight=pearls[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/448086-what-should-i-know-about-pearls.html?highlight=pearls</a></p>
<p>btw - since I don’t have any pearls, I borrowed D’s for a wedding we attended last summer.</p>
<p>Ah, well, if it’s a sorority thing, no wonder. There’s nothing I know less about! I do live on the East Coast, but there’s nary a pearl in sight on any of D’s friends or my own. I guess I just don’t see the point in jewelry that is mostly kept out of sight and brought out only for limited occasions–seems like such a waste of something beautiful. So while I loved having my pearls when I got to wear them regularly, now that I rarely dress up for anything anymore (wore my “good” corduroy jeans to book club last night and was overdressed among the sweats and yoga pants), they seem kind of sad and lonely just sitting in my jewelry box.</p>
<p>actually, D2 is not in a sorority, and never had any desire to be in one, but she LOVES her pearls.</p>
<p>This thread reminded me that I have a string of pearls that I wore at my wedding. They were a gift from my aunts. I’m going to start wearing them again!</p>
<p>My mother received a double strand from my father when I was born. My mother split the strands, giving the longer one to me several years ago. Neither of my girls (24 and 19) would be caught dead in the pearls. Neither will wear gold jewelery either. We are West Coasters, not that it matters.</p>
<p>I have pearl earrings that I received from my grandmother last Christmas…she gave a pair to all her granddaughters. </p>
<p>I absolutely LOVE them and wear them all the time, even with casual clothing.</p>
<p>I would love to have a strand of pearls for formal occasions.</p>
<p>I am in the west coast also, Bay Area. I wear pear earrings several times a week. They look great with everything. When my D went to a job interview in SF, I noticed she was wearing her pearls ( earrings and necklace) too.</p>
<p>When we visited our daughter in China a couple of years ago (she taught school there for a year) we went to the Pearl Market in Beijing. They sell everything there. I got one long strand of pearls and a few mini-pearl multi strand necklaces and some earrings. My one regret for that whole trip was that I didn’t spend more time deliberating and buying those pearls. We went with a private tour guide who knew the prices of the items and would tell be what to bargain for before we approached a stand, so got everything at very good prices but we had another appointment so had limited time at the Market. I hate feeling pressured shopping and that was the ultimate hurry-up shopping place. </p>
<p>If you ever go to Beijing, make sure to go to the Pearl Market!</p>
<p>My daughter, age 24, wears her pearls all the time and got necklaces (same place, but without us) for many of her friends. She lives in NYC but is from a small town. I don’t think you can peg the pearl wearers to a certain stereotype! ;)</p>
<p>My daughter is 17, east coast, and she wears a strand of pearls at least once a week. I would say that her style is eclectic, generally, but she’s very into fashion - loves Free People, Burberry, Chloe…nothing sorority sister about her. I think the pearls look great and add a classic touch. </p>
<p>I don’t wear them because they make me look matronly.</p>
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<p>No reason you can’t wear a black cashmere turtleneck, jeans, boots and a strand of pearls! Let them have some fun! (off to go get my pearls that I too don’t wear as much as I should)</p>
<p>Think I’ll take my strand and my mom’s (left to me) to the jeweler and see if I can update a bit - oh yes, and shop for D’s pearls! Thanks for all the insights.</p>
<p>I have one strand DH gave me when our daughter was born, love them, wear them periodically. Another strand of freshwater pearls my Great Aunt bought for me in China, love them, wear them more often. DD has been known to borrow the freshwater set from time to time. She wears the pearl bracelet I have to Mock Trial, it was a “good luck” present to me for a debate tournament long ago when dinos roamed the earth. She’s a sophmore in high school.</p>
<p>I took a pearl knotting class a year ago at a local beadstore…and loved it… I have made several necklaces…long, short, double and triple strands…potato pearls, coin pearls etc… I think kids today like a big variety of jewelry…and classic has a place, along with all the H&M bling… my girlfriend’s sister was in China for a bit…and I too wish I had focused in on the opportunity to have her bring home some gumball size pearls, which are supposedly affordable when in China!! I have another girlfriend who had large diamond earrings, she had them reset into a ring…and replaced the earrings with beautiful pearl earrings… she likes to see the diamonds and likes the pearl earrings more than the diamonds…</p>
<p>Trust your instincts…if they say pearls, then do pearls… or start a charm bracelet for her!! Something traditional for a significant event is a good thing, IMHO</p>