8 Incredible Pieces of Fringe Jewelry (slideshow)

This year fringe is in. From bathing suits to business suits with flair, the concept of fringe takes center stage. This is also true in the world of jewelry, where innovative designers and tried-and-true brands create fringe-style earrings and necklaces using gold, diamonds, pearls and gemstones. Here we bring you a look at eight absolutely incredible pieces of fringe jewelry.

But before you click on the slideshow below, we bring you a few details about fringe in clothing and costume. It seems the concept dates back to the Mesopotamian era – when people wore long garments with fringe as a border or edge. It was considered the easiest way to embellish leather or other type of fabric garment. It was in the early 1920’s that fringe became a true decorative statement as part of the flapper look. Later, in the 1960’s, fringe in America became popular more out of a hippie and youth movement where wearing fringe became a way of showing sympathy for the Native American cause (that was a central theme at the time). In the 1969 movie, Easy Rider, fringe became a popular look for men, too, thanks to the drifters (Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) who wore casual fringed jackets. Today, adorning jewelry with fringe transforms a classic piece into a playful, whimsical piece that is both modern and vintage at the same time.