Flower Jewelry Is Summer's Hottest Accessory Trend — Here's How to Style It

These summer florals are actually groundbreaking.

"Florals have always been a thing." These wise words are courtesy jewelry designer and Rellery founder Sally Rong, and she's absolutely correct. Flower jewelry in particular has existed about as long as jewelry itself, but that's not to say floral jewelry hasn't evolved. In fact, the latest iteration of flower jewelry is lightyears away from the hyperrealistic designs and delicate pieces of the past. Having just launched Bloomscape Flowers, a new floral ring and bracelet collection, Rong is especially attuned to the shift in flower jewelry from delicate and muted to "maximalist, loud, bold, and vibrant."

"One of the biggest things I've seen this year is lots of different of very, very vibrant colors," she tells InStyle, describing the vibe of this summer's trendiest flower jewelry as "whimsical, bright, and very happy." But a color palette, even a sunny one, does not a jewelry trend make. Ahead, Rong breaks down the three major design elements that make this summer's flower jewelry so different from years past and shares her pro tips on how to style them.

Free-Form Florals

Summer's hottest floral jewelry has moved away from photorealistic renderings with precise petals and embraced abstract imperfection. "I'm seeing a lot of free-form florals," says Rong who can barely keep the whimsical floral rings in her latest collection in stock. The florals du jour are "not all symmetrical, but free-flowing and different than anything that we've seen in the past."

As a jewelry expert and trend whisperer, Rong sees this new embrace of imperfection as a partial response to the expectedness of symmetry. Her sketches for Rellery's Bloomscape Flowers rings started out precise and then moved into swift, free-hand drawing. The result? "It looks so carefree. It's not trying too hard, but it's still beautiful, which is actually mimicking nature, right? In nature, not everything looks the same."

When styling free-form florals, more is more. Rong recommends stacking different pieces together and not shying away from an oversized moment. "It's not just teeny, tiny, and delicate. It's maximalist," she shares.

Related:Gigi Hadid's Statement Flower Earrings Are Perfect for Summer Weddings — and We Found Them on Sale

A Retro Vibe

Rong also points out that free-form flower jewelry also lends itself to oversized blooms and a maximalist aesthetic that evokes the playfulness of the Y2K era and the energy of the '70s flower power movement. In fact, the throwback spirit of this summer's flower jewelry is, ironically, what Rong thinks is so captivating to younger fashionistas. "This style is about free-form self-expression. Nothing's perfect and it's all okay is the vibe and I think that's what's resonating with Gen Z."

If you're worried about incorporating retro florals into your jewelry collection, don't fret. It's quite literally all good. "Don't be afraid to experiment, because that's what the whole vibe is," Rong advises. "Think about stacking different pieces. Bring bold and delicate together. Mix and match your pieces."

Mixed Metals

The embrace of a maximalist, retro aesthetic makes this generation of floral jewelry uniquely suited to mixing and matching metals as well as styles. "Everything is very versatile when it comes to florals because it's supposed to be vibrant and colorful," says Rong. "You can stack different colors together, but you can also mix gold and silver as the mixed metal trend within jewelry is really big this year."

For styling, Rong suggests starting with the metal you're most comfortable with and then dipping your toe into another. "If you're a silver person, start slowly getting into the gold, and just play," she shares.

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