Tassel necklace: trend + protection from evil spirits

Tassel jewelry in Chloe SS25 (tassles were all over the place in this show including tassle earrings and on bags)

One of (the many!) things I love about jewelry, is its longevity. The fact that the tassel necklace was just on the runway in Paris and you can trace this design back to Ancient Egypt is just mind blowing to me.

A woman wearing a long version of a tassel necklace. Egyptian-painted limestone relief at Bersha, tomb of Djehuty-Hotpe in the reign of Senusret II, 1878-1841 B.C.

Ever since the days of Ancient Egypt, the long necklace has come back in vogue whenever fashion trends toward more minimalistic (often column-style) dressing. Just look at the dress that the Egyptian woman is wearing in the image above. I would totally wear it.

Detail of Tutankhamun’s corselet with beaded tassels, likely worn at the King’s coronation.

Gold pendants with tassels, 7th-6th century BCE Metropolitan Museum of Art

The tassel, like many amulets, was thought to keep off the Evil Eye because evil spirits dislike tassels and fringed objects. And if the tassel could make a little noise, all the better because a soft sound like a jangling pendant was thought to recreate the sounds of the deities. So it was a win/win jewelry choice.

And while we might all be able to use a little amuletic power against the Evil Eye, if we fast-forward to the 1920s, wearing a tassel necklace, was less about the spiritual and more about complementing that minimalist silhouette.

Tassel necklaces in a 1920s Downton Abbey note how similar the sihouette is to our Egyptian lady above.

This style of necklace became known as a sautoir (basically French for long necklace) and it was the almost a required accompaniment to the flapper style of dress. The necklace could be a long strand of pearls (often with a tassel), but any material was fine as long as the length was correct.

Jane Birkin wearing a fabric tassel and a silver one in the 1970s street style shot.

The tassel necklace pops up again and again throughout the 20th century, but again we see it becomes a trend when the silhouette is streamlined, making it just perfect for the 1960s. Another reason that the tassel likely was big in the 1960s/1970s was due to the contribution of Hinduism into hippie culture. (We are stepping a bit out of my historic comfort zone but..), I don’t think you can look at these tassel necklaces and not think of the Hindu japa mala where the tassel has profound spiritual power.

Saint Laurent SS 21

Tassels have been sort of spin-off of the arty pendant necklace that we’ve been seeing (also see perfume bottle pendants), but the fact that when you wear one, you’re keeping the Evil Eye at bay gives it a little extra oomph. Of course, my favorite place to find your own would certainly be a search for vintage tassels on Etsy.

As always, happy hunting.

Christie Tyler wearing the trinity onyx tassel necklace by Le Sundial and carrying (Morandi’s St. Agni Slim Woven Tote- Black)