Jewellery trends of the past – 1960s styles

Jewellery designer Lisa Morgan from Biggleswade in Bedfordshire made a splash in the press recently for her unique animal-inspired jewellery range. We kicked off last week with a look at the classic styles and matching sets of the 1950s, but now it’s time to venture into the gems of the Swinging Sixties…

The 1960s was a decade where skirts got shorter, the music got louder, and jewellery became much bolder and brighter. Gone were the conservative costume jewellery styles of the previous era – the women of the 1960s favoured daring colour combinations, ranging from chic monochrome to popping neon, and larger, more eye-catching designs. Plastic was one of the biggest winners in the jewellery arena in the 1960s – it replaced more expensive materials such as gold and silver, and allowed for chunkier pieces such as bangles and diamond rings to be stacked and layered. Ethnic jewellery was another extremely popular style in the 1960s, with influences coming from East Indian, Asian and Egyptian origins. The trend for these exotic pieces no doubt came from the hippy-esque boho styles that were so prevalent, which is why they often came in floral, natural designs reflective of the ‘flower power’ movement of the time. If you want to recreate the 1960s in your own jewellery collection, come and visit the stores of Hatton Garden – with a range of stunning vintage and modern jewellery, you’re bound to find a piece to impress!