The Facebook group Wear your Pearls on Inauguration Day is giving me life. There are so many incredible images of women of all ages and races from all over the US wearing their favorite pearl necklaces or peal encrusted accessories.
On election day in November women were wearing pearls to show their support of Kamala Harris and to acknowledge the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Now this moment has continued to wear them on inauguration day.
Regardless of how you feel about Kamala Harris politically, wearing pearls is to show solidarity of women supporting women in breaking through glass ceilings. And after all the horrible things that happened in 2020, it is so nice to start 2021 with something positive.
I posted this video me me wearing various pearl themed items (I am so extra, one item was not enough. I have pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, a mother of pearl ring, Chucks covered in pearls AND an Oakland in the (White)House t-shirt.
Then I started sharing images of mannequins and pearls on the Facebook group. For example, here is way to keep your pearl necklaces from being tangled up in a drawer AND decorate your room by turning your pearls into an art display.
Or if you have broken necklaces and other jewelry you can glue them together on a used mannequin torso like this:
I love this because it is a fabulous way to upcycle a used dress form AND jewelry that is no longer wearable.
We sell used dress forms at Mannequin Madness in Oakland which is also the birthplace of Kamala Harris.
A lot of women who took our zoom class on How to Make a Dress Form Holiday tree were decorating their trees with pearls and keeping them on display after the Christmas until the inauguration.
There were so many people using pearls on their tree that I created a board on Pinterest to showcase this trend.
Kamala Harris has a special connection with wearing pearls due to her sorority affiliation which is described in this Vanity Fair article. But wearing the pearls has nothing to do a sorority or political affiliation. It is more about what pearls represent which is described below.
This founder of the Wear Your Pearls on Election Day Facebook group is Hope Aloaye. She chose pearls as a symbol because they come in different shapes, colors, and grades just like all the women who joined the group. No doubt this is probably why the group went viral in a short period of time. The images are amazing!
And the group has photos of everyone from famous people like Barbara Bush to Ruth Bader Ginsberg to infants wearing their grandmother’s pearls. One lady made a Dress Form Holiday tree as a tribute to her deceased mother and decorated with her mom’s favorite items including strings of pearls.
This is what pearls represent:
Pearls are formed over many years, deep within the sea and must first overcome many obstacles to survive.
The resulting shining pearly luster is the reflection of light penetrating through the nacreous layers prove a result of perseverance, a testament to the oyster or mussel’s ability to overcome great challenges and survive yielding the formation of a smooth, glistening beauty.
Because of their timelessness, pearls have always been considered a symbol of one’s beliefs and values, like beauty, completeness, purity, happiness, love, chastity, perfection, power, truth, and wisdom.
Known for their calming effect, pearls are believed to balance ones karma, strengthen relationships and keep children safe.Variations:
Pink Pearls- symbolize success, fame and good fortune.
Black and Gold Pearls – symbolize wealth and prosperity.
White Pearls- symbolize innocence, beauty, sincerity, and new beginnings. This is what makes the white pearl a true classic for bridal jewelry.
