“A tennis necklace will never go out of style. It’s a classic. The simple fact that it’s made of diamonds plays a massive role in this timelessness,” says Laura Mirabent, CEO and founder of Gold Lovin Girl. “Diamonds are the most popular gemstone and, overall, the most sought after—not to mention a tennis necklace is technically colorless, so it goes with anything.” The style actually has roots in athleisure—it has been around since the 1920s but got associated with the sport during the 1987 US Open when tennis player Chris Evert’s diamond bracelet broke. She demanded that they pause the match, so that she could scour the court for the strand of diamonds, referring to it as her “tennis bracelet.” The tennis necklace was adapted from the bracelet as a longer version to be worn around the neck. (Bonus tip: you can wrap your tennis necklace around your wrist to create a double wrap tennis bracelet). Mirabent credits celebrities and influencers for making the style trendy recently. Celebrities like Haley Bieber, Emily Ratajkowski, and Bella Thorne are as likely to wear the strand of diamonds with a gown on the red carpet as with a hoodie or sweater. And the style is not limited to one gender—plenty of men like Drake and Pharrell regularly wear the ice over their T-shirts and hoodies. There’s just something about seeing the glint and glimmer of a sparkly necklace from beneath a crew neck that screams chic. “There is a big misconception that a tennis necklace can only be worn with a dress or a fancy event, but I love wearing mine with my blue jeans,” says Mirabent. “I think it is fun to layer a tennis necklace, and I layer mine with a heavy gold choker, but I have also been known to wear multiple stacked tennis necklaces. My motto is there’s no such thing as too much when it comes to diamonds.” Now I know what you’re thinking: A string of diamonds is very pricey. But don’t worry—you don’t need to remortgage your house to wear the look. Faux diamond tennis necklaces are just as chic and look more authentic than ever. If you are ready to invest in a piece you can wear for years to come and pass down through the generations, check out our favorite tennis necklaces below (scroll to the end if you’re looking to splurge).
