4 Ways to Add Coral Beads to Your Spring Wardrobe

Coral is a power color. It is vibrant and eye-catching, pairs well with many other colors and signals that the wearer has confidence and strength. Coral also projects an energy of wit and sass and helps radiate warmth.

Coral trinkets have a long history of protecting their wearer against evil, and it even plays an important role in ancient Greek mythology.

Today, coral can be worn as a symbol of support for environmental causes. It can also play a vital role in sprucing up any spring outfit and making a powerful statement in your workplace, on a big date or even just around the house.

History of coral

Coral grows in the world’s oceans and provides a thriving, durable environment for fish and other sea creatures.

Red coral is the most popular of the corals because of its striking color variations and its versatility of use for jewelry or beads. It can be polished into a high shine or it can remain in its original matte finish. It is most commonly found in the Mediterranean Sea, which is likely how it made its way into ancient Greek mythology.

According to the ancient Greeks, the Gorgon sister Medusa was once a beautiful girl with flowing golden locks. After breaking a vow of chastity, Medusa was turned into a shriveled hag with green skin and snakes in place of her flowing locks of hair.

To prevent her from breaking her vow of chastity again, the gods stipulated that whoever looked into her eyes would instantly be turned into a pillar of stone. Medusa’s sad tale ends with her head floating to the bottom of the sea. Wherever it drifted, beautiful coral grew, an ironic twist to the curse placed on her.

Since ancient times, coral has come to be regarded as a precious stone, held in high esteem by the Egyptians, the Romans, the Hindu religion and Islam. In mystical crystal and precious gemstone circles, it is believed that coral protects against evil spirits and disease.

Coral as jewelry

Coral jewelry can be crafted in its original matte finish or polished to a high shine that catches the light. While it is a hardy gemstone, it is also quite malleable for crafting into beads.

Because of natural coral’s endangered status, modern technology allows coral manufacturers to mimic the shape and color of various species of coral. This allows for beautiful coral substitutes to be used as a stylish addition to any wardrobe without the need for mining endangered resources from the environment.

There are various ways to add beautiful coral details to your wardrobe this spring, including:

1. Coral necklaces

Coral colors range from vibrant, deep reds to pale pinks and light oranges. The spectrum of colors is beautiful and quite versatile for matching with a variety of other popular spring colors.

Especially popular during the Victorian Era in the United Kingdom and used to denote the worldliness of the wearer, coral beads in chokers and necklaces are still beautiful choices for an eye-catching statement piece.

2. Coral bracelets

Rounded coral beads are perfect adornments for bracelets, particularly when they are polished to a shiny brilliance.

This spring, sport a chunky coral bracelet that really pops. Conversely, you can also opt for a subtler and daintier beaded style with your spring wardrobe that catches the eye and pairs well with floral prints and patterns.

3. Coral earrings

Coral beads come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including squares, tubes, coins, faceted nuggets and heshi. This provides plenty of options for earring pendants to optimize the necklace and bracelet trifecta.

Earrings can also make use of smaller beads for dangling tassels, studs and even chandelier-styles.

4. Other coral adornments

Coral beads can add color to clothing, brooches, purses and other accessories to liven up more neutral colors or accentuate other pops of color throughout an outfit.

Add coral beads to vests, hats, tank tops and scarves to give them a little extra eye-catching decoration and texture. Coordinate coral beads with complementary colors and a little bit of sparkle to really make them pop and add character to your clothing.

Coral is traditionally seen as a warm color, so it pairs best with neutral and cold colors. Your coral addition to your outfit should complement the other colors, especially if it is being included as a dominant jewelry piece on the neck.

There are plenty of color options for coordinating with coral and wearers can easily sport coral with various outfits. Good coordinating colors for coral include:

• Gray
• White or black
• Neon blue
• Turquoise or teal
• Nude
• Caramel
• Brown
• Mint green
• Navy or dark blue

Silver and gold accent beads can also complement the use of coral in jewelry, but it should not dominate the piece. Darker shades of coral pair better with metal beads and accents, while lighter colors tend to wash out the accents.

When planning your spring apparel, remember: The bright color of coral should be the star of the show. Use it to update and give a modern yet earthy vibe to dated or classic looks to ensure your spot on this spring’s best-dressed list.