Consumers want fabrics and silhouettes they can live in: relaxed shapes, fluid drapes, and a casual dress code that’s timeless.

Trends forecasters herald 2020 as the year of wearable fashion. Styles you can wear day in and day out are key in fashion and accessories. Accessible and re-creatable, the trends are simple to incorporate into current wardrobes without too much fuss or imagination.

Popular colors channel confidence and calm (with Classic Blue the Color of the Year), and preferred silhouettes pull away from the body “to better enable life to happen”, defines the trends forecasting firm, MintModa.

The trend in jewelry signals the same in designs that are easy to layer in with existing styles, allowing wearers to customize their own looks, finds the luxury trends forecasting firm, The Futurist for The Plumb Club. Popular silhouettes are elongated, sometimes voluminous, with negative space to keep it light and easy to mix in styles.

Everyday jewelry is hands down the biggest trend for women, cheers Dana Cali, marketing and communications for the New York based Mastoloni. “We’re seeing how important it is that jewelry is versatile enough to wear morning, noon and night and for any occasion, whether it’s work, black-tie, or Sunday brunch.”

Women today want jewelry that speaks to and enhances their outfits, not only for special occasions, but also on a daily basis, concurs Allison Peck for the New York-based Brevani brand. “When we think of fashion overall we think about apparel and jewelry falls under that same fashion umbrella. Women are having fun with their wardrobes, now more than ever, mixing unconventional colors, silhouettes and patterns. Why should jewelry be any different?”

Favorite Designs
The Futurist points to fluid and lightweight styles, such as open bands, bangles, cuffs, collars, and hoops with diamond accents; dangling diamonds; diamond pavé, micro to organic and irregular settings; off set stones and clusters of stones; and diamond baguettes.

Links and pearls are cited as leading design elements by multiple trends trackers. The trend for layering chains and lengths of chains was seen extensively at recent fashion shows, hearkening back to the 1980s and ‘90s, tells Gloria Maccaroni, director of brand development for Silver Promotion Service (SPS).

Pearls continue to be a key trend, with looks ranging from simple pearl necklaces and stud earrings, as adorning Dior and Celine to ornate pearl chokers and large hanging pearl earrings accessorizing Chanel, Burberry and Tory Burch.

Maccaroni of SPS sees pearls paired with silver popular. Cali concurs that both classic and modern styles fall within the everyday versatile trend for self-purchasers. But for Mastoloni, yellow and rose gold is dominating the trend, with greater interest in unique pearl shapes and colors.

The art of layering extends beyond the neck, finger and wrist to explore the ear that has become a big canvas for stacking styles from drops and hoops to studs and cuffs. Earrings remain a top accessory, and Maccaroni says that for 2020, their styling is more about the abstract.

The trend for “wearable style” came into play with the generation of self-purchasing women who are practical, but still want to make a statement, tells Theresa Namie, merchandise manager for the Minneapolis, Minnesota based manufacturer, Ostbye. Among the key design directions she has spied include yellow gold with textures, chokers you can layer on to and create a statement look, and the staple of stacking rings and bracelets. “Our jewelry tells a story and when we go out, it can be a conversation piece.”

Relatable Colors
Colors prevalent on the New York runways for Spring 2020, identified by Pantone are hailed as friendly, relatable and familiar. The Color Institute cites 12 top fashion colors and four classic neutrals it describes as infusing heritage and tradition with a vibrant, youthful update in strong multi-colored combinations.

The trends reflect our desire for stability, creativity and more spontaneous approaches to design says Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute. “In this era of personalized self-expression, this palette of recognized favorites leverages on its familiarity, while adding unique twists and turns, and elements of humor, modernity and entertainment.”

Eiseman relates the latest fashion colors to be reflective of the current political and cultural climate, citing a pervasiveness of blue signals people want calm and stability. In addition to the Color of the Year, Classic Blue, the spring palette has a dark Navy Blazer, teal Mosaic Blue, and soft Faded Denim.

Pantone’s palette includes two shades of green: a savory Chive and refreshing aqua Biscay Green. Orange continues to be a color to watch, evolving from Pantone’s 2019 Color of the Year, Living Coral. On the softer side is warm Coral Pink, and with more wallop are tangy Orange Peel and spicy Saffron this year.  And rounding out the selection is a fiery Flame Scarlet red; warm, earthy Cinnamon Stick; purple Grape Compote, and four neutrals — buttery Soft Sunlight, low-key khaki Lark, creamy taupe Ash, and crisp Brilliant White.

Trends forecasted by The Futurist for The Plumb Club identify sapphire as surging in popularity, as well as gems like opal and moonstone. Blue topaz is a favorite too, finds Breuning, based in the Lawrenceville, Georgia, as well as amethyst and peridot. Peck cites blue topaz and blue sapphire in non-traditional shapes like trillion an trapezoid as leading the pack in popularity. In fact, she cites fancy cuts as a leading trend in color in general.

Social media channels like Instagram and Pinterest provide the perfect platforms to show and tell stories that can help women visualize your products in their life. Market research shows that consumers look to social media for inspiration, advice, ideas, and solutions. They want to engage and pre-shop online, and social media is an ideal channel for jewelers to help shoppers find the ideal products. Cali especially enjoys the ability on Pinterest to design storyboards by style, price and person, and the ease of Instagram to push calls to action.