8 Traditional Necklace Ideas Which Will Work Splendidly As Bridal Baubles This Wedding Season
Any Indian bridal look feels incomplete without proper ornamentation or as we like to call it, the 'sola-shringaar'. Traditional bridal necklaces are making a big-time comeback. It’s time to raid our mothers’ and grandmothers’ collection.
When it comes to the prettiest baubles, designs are always evolving and changing with time. When it comes to bridal jewellery, styles that go out of fashion today may make a comeback after a decade or two. Over the last couple of years, traditional necklaces items like the Satlada haar and chokers have resurfaced and are now a favourite amongst young brides-to-be.
Oh So Fashionable Traditional Necklaces
If you are also a huge fan of a traditional necklace and need some inspiration for your big day, read on the blog to find out the styles that are now back in vogue. We hope that these find a place among your own treasure trove of bridal jewellery:
1. The evergreen and royal Maharani haars
A Maharani Haar is an exquisite piece of jewellery that has been part of the royal Indian culture since the time of Rajas and Maharajas. It is without a doubt one of the most favourite styles for the grace and quintessential traditional whiff it lends to a bridal lehenga.
Usually, rani haars are multi-layered necklaces with pendants of assorted sizes.
How to style: You can combine this traditional necklace with a smaller neckpiece for those rani feels! It can be worn with both bridal sarees and lehengas, just make sure your blouse does not overshadow your neckpiece.
2. Bollywood’s favourite Satlada necklace
A Satlada Haar is a vintage, traditional necklace that has been trending over the last couple of years, all thanks to Sabyasachi and Aishwarya Rai (remember Jodha-Akbar?).
The Satlada bridal necklace, meaning seven rows, is a 7-string pearl necklace with ideally 465 pearls. The necklace is embedded with beautiful stones like polka diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Typically, in each layer, the centre consists of larger pearls while the smaller pearls are placed on sides towards the ending.
How to style: If a Satlada Haar seems too OTT for you, you can always customise it into a Panchlada (5-stringed) or a Teenlada (3-stringed). You can also style your multi-layered necklace with a choker to replicate Deepika Padukone’s mehndi look!
3. Chokers for authentic Indian vibes!
They are simple and underrated but chokers are big-time back in trend! Chokers are close-fitting traditional necklaces worn around the neck. The best part about chokers – these add-ons to bridal necklace sets are a perfect mélange of contemporary and traditional jewellery styles and you can never go wrong when investing in one.
How to style: Chokers can be worn with both traditional and western outfits. Pair it up with a deeper and broader neckline and channel your inner diva!
4. Traditional Rajasthani Aadh necklace
Aadh is an essential part of traditional Rajputi jewellery. It is a heavy gold necklace with a central, encrusted motif that's worn close at the neck. What sets this traditional necklace apart from a normal choker is the huge curved pendant with broad rims both on top and bottom.
The pendant can either be made from interlocked, individual pieces or can be a single piece of metal with an overlay of precious stones.
How to style: Wear an Aadh necklace with traditional Rajasthani dresses for wedding to complete the royal bridal look!
5. Thali/Mangalsutra - Symbols of matrimony
Image courtesy: Goodwin Jewellery
Known as the Mangalsutra in northern homes and the Thali in southern ones, these traditional necklaces are a simple marriage of a gold pendant worn within a string of black and gold beads, or even a golden thread.
This mark of marriage is also one of the gifts for the bride from the groom. It is a symbol of love, respect and dignity, worn by the wife for the well-being of her husband.
Thali designs can differ as per the religious beliefs of the person. Generally, the followers of Lord Shiva wear the ones with 3 horizontal lines while the followers of Lord Vishnu have 3 vertical lines in their designs.
How to style: A wedding Thali is a sacred thread that can be worn with just about every outfit by married women.
6. Kerala wedding jewellery
Traditional gold bridal jewellery holds a special place for all Kerala brides. No bridal look is complete without multiple sets of gold necklaces for the south Indian brides. The whole set usually consists of a simple choker necklace followed by gold mango necklace.
The next layer consists of two gold necklaces with pendants, the traditional gold chains with green and red stones, followed by the unique gold long haram, kasu mala and Gaja mala in the following layers.
How to style: Pair your complete traditional necklace sets with a Kanjivaram saree.
7. Polki and Kundan Jewellery
Both polka and kundan jewellery are stones, set in gold. While Polki jewellery created from uncut diamonds extracted in a natural way without any enhancement, Kundan is made of expensive glass stones in green or maroon colour. Mughals introduced Polki in India while kundan is a style of traditional bridal jewellery.
Polki is much shinier and expensive than a kundan set. However, both kinds of jewellery are very much in demand and can make any bride look royal and ravishing!
How to style: Flaunt your kundan and polki sets with your wedding trousseau.
8. All about Meenakari and Jadau jewellery
Jadau is often misinterpreted as a type of jewellery. However, it is a method used for making kundan and polki jewellery as opposed to a style in itself.
Meenakari jewellery is a form of art developed during the Mughal era and was immensely famous amongst the royals of Rajasthan. Meenakari involves colouring and ornamenting the surface of in various colours that are designed in an intricate pattern. Over a period of time, Meenakari has been developed by combining with traditional kundan pieces for spectacular designs!
How to Style: Wear than statement Meenakari neck-piece with your indo-western outfit to add that special edge.
We understand picking up the right wedding jewellery can be nerve-wracking, especially when trends change every passing minute! However, you must keep calm, do your research and of course, shop, shop and shop till you drop!
Love our list of traditional necklace styles? Then tell us. Mention your favourites in comments below!
