1980s Add a Bead Necklace on Like Totally 80s

Eighties fashion for women included jewelry - lots of jewelry. One trend for women and girls included Add a Bead necklaces. It is actually one of the nicer (or should we say enduringly tasteful) trends of the 80’s and continues to a much lesser extent today.

Add a Bead necklaces came in several different forms. They were most popular in the early 80s and were favored by the slightly preppier crowd, owing in part to their understated flare. Most of Add a Bead necklaces began with a gold chain in the length and thickness desired. Then the concept began in the form of a gold bead, a pearl or other gemstone on the chain. Add a Beads were used to honor and celebrate many occasions. For example, it was a great anniversary gift for the husband to the wife. He gave her the necklace with the corresponding number of beads to years married on it. Each year, a new bead would be added on to the necklace.

Add a Beads could be given as gifts for birthdays, anniversaries, years taught, years worked, years volunteered, children taught, years sober and so forth. It was meant to be built upon year after year. It was often proudly displayed and a great topic of conversation.

From a marketing standpoint, it was genius. Give the consumer something that 1 – needed to be built upon every year. It was guaranteed income every year unless the buyer sluffed off and forget to purchase a new bead for the new year. 2 – It was a surefire gift every year and the gift giver didn’t need to come up with any original ideas.

The repetitiveness is what may have caused the trend to slow down a little. Women got tired of getting only a bead for the necklace every year at anniversary time. The necklace was one of the few things not caught up in neon, camo, or extra large in size. The necklaces were dainty and very pretty. They showed sentiment behind them and were a great gift. Even though the trend has slowed down, beads are still available in some stores.