Pearls have had a stranglehold on this year’s Love Island men. Once the preserve of grannies the world over, the strands of dazzling sea jewels have taken over every other accessory in the villa. Chain boys like Normal People’s Connell are seemingly done for – it’s the boys dressed like Harry Styles who are kissing and killing.
More fundamentally, we’re left wondering how this pearl craze came about. And why it was allowed to run rampant around the Love Island villa, like shag bands in secondary schools in 2004. Viewers think there might be a secret sign we’re missing. So let’s take a closer look at the Love Island pearl phenomenon:
Stage One, Ron
Even in his pre-villa promo pictures, Ron was wearing a pearl necklace with a small blue bead detail and a small matching bracelet. When he pulled out his jewellery collection on the show, he opted for a simpler design. But there’s no doubt who started the pearl trend among the boys. This guy right here.
Stage two, David
In episode four, David made his blink-and-you’ll-miss-him bombshell appearance with two chunky strings of pearls in his toes. Usually paired with an open black shirt (more on that later), he only lasted two days on the show but was the next super-spreader of the pearl trend.
Stage three, Tom
Ah ha. An outfit thief. In episode five, when David’s bed was barely cold, Tom took inspiration from the black shirt and pearl necklace look and tried it on himself. It looks like he’s wearing the same blue flower variation as Ron in his promo pictures. So it’s likely he borrowed it from the trendsetter himself.
Stage four, Will
Not one to shy away from a vibey accessory, Will found his own pearl necklace to match his blue-tinted glasses and fluffy bucket hat in episode seven. Definitely the jazziest design we’ve seen so far, Will’s beads also have a dangling gold pendant in the middle, and he hasn’t taken it off since he found it.
Stage Five, Kai
He almost resisted the lure of the pearls, but in episode 16, Kai also jumped on the band wagon, wearing a black T-shirt combo that we’ve seen Ron wear about 500 times. Shaq is actually one of the few OG boys who’s still pearl-free at this point. And that’s not the end of the story…
Stage six, Jordan
The 6ft 5ins tall Jordan would have been better off dead than entering the Love Island villa without his pearls. He wore them in his entrance videos, on his date with Tanyel, on his date with Olivia and barely took them off before he was evicted. They’re basically a criteria for being a contestant at this point.
But WHERE do they come from?
Why exactly are all the Love Island boys wearing pearl necklaces?
There are many theories floating around the internet about these necklaces, including the idea that the boys think pearls make them look more wholesome and innocent. Initially, we thought Love Island’s communal eBay wardrobe was the source of the craze – that pearl necklaces were suggested and supplied to the boys by experts. But it turns out they’ve done it themselves.
In emails to The Tab, eBay representatives confirmed they didn’t put the pearls in the villa. And reports have now claimed that the necklaces are from a brand called Cernucci. So apparently Ron brought two necklaces into the villa, the boys started borrowing them and when the brand saw the popularity growing, they shipped a load of more to South Africa as fast as they could.
But that’s just a theory.
So why do men suddenly love pearl necklaces?
Obviously, Harry Styles is the main culprit for bringing pearl necklaces into the mainstream male wardrobe as a symbol of sexiness. And some fans are seriously unhappy that they’ve gone as far as Love Island:
“If you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada, think of the necklaces as Andie’s cerulean sweater,” wrote one viewer on Reddit. “They are a watered down trend that started with men like Harry Styles and style influencers on TikTok a few years ago. “They’ve finally been watered down enough to be heteronormative enough for the average trendy straight man’s wardrobe.” Facts.
So get your pre-orders in for Ron’s BoohooMAN beads collection now! Just kidding. But it will probably happen.
