The politics of the power necklace – from Harriet Harman to Prue Leith

Lockdown may be well and truly over, but sartorially, at least, it’s clear that some of the habits we acquired during those long days at home have remained. Now that everyone can see us in our entirety, you’d imagine women would have moved on from the power necklaces that were such a crucial part of looking “put together” on Zoom, where we were only seen from the neck up.

But the statement necklace is here to stay – and this has been a bumper week for them. As for what statement they’re making, read on. Do you speak “necklish”? It’s never too late to learn.

Harriet Harman’s chain of justice

What it says: ‘Boris, I’m taking you down’

As statement necklaces go, Harman’s is peerless. That oversized gold chains are ultra-fashionable this season is the least of it: of far more significance is the symbolism. You don’t need a GCSE in cultural studies to know that chains are a symbol of bondage, or that prisoners are shackled by them upon their arrest. “It radiates justice like the chains on Marley’s ghost in A Christmas Carol”, one Twitter user noted, while others compared it to the spider brooch worn by Lady Hale in 2019, when the supreme court ruled that Boris Johnson’s proroguing of Parliament during the Brexit crisis was unlawful. Well-played, Harman. Well-played.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s luxe neck mess of innocence

What it says: ‘You’re only suing me because I’m rich and famous’

Paltrow’s court appearances have the world in thrall, and are as powerfully on brand as one would expect from a woman with a £200 million wellness empire that sells everything from jade eggs to cashmere sweaters. Worn on Day 2 (of eight, no less), her neck mess, by one of her favourite jewellery brands, FoundRae, conveys the casual insouciance of an innocent woman. And is also available to buy on her website, Goop – or was, before it sold out. But fans can still buy similar ones, for what’s the point of being sued if you can’t use the free publicity to your advantage?

Liz Truss’s circle of Truss

What it tells us: ‘I am clinging to familiarity because I’m out of my depth’

Did Truss have a comfort blanket as a child? As an adult, she certainly has a comfort necklace: the unassuming gold (or gold-plated) “circle of Truss”, as it was named. Despite being worn day in, day out when she was in office, no brand ever stepped up to claim it: all we know is that it was a gift from her husband. Does she wear it in the shower? In bed? Perhaps it’s gone green by now.

Prue Leith’s punchy perspex

What it tells us: ‘I’m in my 80s and can wear whatever I like’

Obviously, it’s not a prerequisite to turn 80 and adopt a bold accessory as a signature, but that hasn’t stopped Iris Apfel from adopting quirky, oversized glasses, or Prue Leith from gravitating towards necklaces that are as much of a talking point as her culinary skills. Whether she knew that the necklace she recently wore on Bake Off resembled a certain type of sex toy is unclear: what’s more clear is that she probably doesn’t care, the saucy minx.

The Princess of Wales’s heirloom pearls

What it says: ‘I will be Queen one day’

Not that Catherine has anything to prove: still, it doesn’t hurt to reassert one’s status via the most powerful power necklace in the pantheon, a four-strand pearl and diamond necklace that belonged to the late Queen. Made by Garrard in the late 1970s, it was Diana, Princess of Wales who wore it in public first, at a state banquet in 1982. The Queen later wore it during a tour of Bangladesh in 1983, and again in 1995 for Margaret Thatcher’s birthday (make of that what you will). Catherine has since chosen it for several significant royal occasions, most notably for the late Queen’s funeral, where it was in perfect keeping with royal mourning dress codes.