How to Wear Choker Necklaces in 2016

Raise your hand if you’ve seen a choker today. Two? Three? Four? It’s safe to say this piece of jewelry has been seen everywhere this year, from the Paris runways to the streets of New York.

The trend has been a favorite among models and pop stars alike, appearing around the necks of Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, and Rihanna. Even little North has her own custom Fallon choker, while Taylor Swift was seen wearing four different versions of the neckpiece in one day. So what’s the big deal over a thin piece of ribbon? It’s definitely on trend with what we’ve seen on the runways: For fall 2016, Peter Copping paired ladylike ball gowns with bejeweled chokers for Oscar de la Renta, while Alexander Wang sent down his versions of a BDSM neckpiece.

Kendall Jenner

GC Images

The choker’s association with the ‘90s has made the accessory the must-have piece of the season, but the fitted necklace is known for creating bigger sensations centuries ago. Noblewomen in the Middle Ages wore chokers featuring a pendant stamped with motifs of Saint Sebastian to protect themselves from the bubonic plague. During the French Revolution, young women attending the secret bals de victimes (or victims’ balls) wore red ribbons to mimic the appearance of having been guillotined, expressing solidarity with the rebels who had been executed during the Reign of Terror.

---

Eddie Borgo shows us how to DIY the coolest choker ever:

---

In the 19th century, black ribbon chokers were favored by ballerinas as they gave the desired appearance of an elongated neck. Parisian prostitutes also wore a similar neckpiece, as depicted in Manet’s Olympia. Nowadays, chokers are best known for their connections with ‘90s style icons: Romy and Michele wore them to their high school reunion, while Cher Horowitz accessorized her prep-school chic outfits with a fitted neckpiece in Clueless. Gwyneth Paltrow famously donned a diamond choker when she accepted her Oscar in 1999.

Cara Delevingne

Dave Benett/Getty Images for Cha

Versatile and easy-to-wear, the choker can be an eye-catching feminine accessory for day and night. For a modest look that doesn’t scream throwback, New York-based stylist Genevieve Espantman suggests matching the color of your choker to the rest of your outfit. “Make it monochromatic, so if you’re wearing an all-white or all-black or all-navy look, pair it with [a choker],” she tells Allure. To make a choker office-ready, Espantman recommends wearing a version accentuated with lace or tiny beads. After dark, opt for a bejeweled neckpiece sprinkled with diamonds or crystals. “Make it the feature of your outfit,” says Espantman.

For a DIY take on the trend, emulate the ballerinas of the 19th century by wrapping a simple black ribbon around your neck. Katharine Brandes, the creative director of apparel brand BB Dakota, suggests buying suede or braided leather cord in bulk on Amazon, then cutting it to the length of your liking. You can tie it like a bow or secure an ornamental clasp for a bolo-esque necktie. For history buffs and children of the ‘90s who grew up idolizing the Spice Girls and Britney Spears, the opportunity to embrace this token of nostalgia is too good to pass up.

RELATED