Look to Love: The Stacked Choker Necklace

By Brittany Siminitz | April 20, 2022

I’m not typically one to get too invested in celebrity fashion trends, but several weekends ago, two high-profile stars wore similar looks I just can’t shake.

For the April 7 premiere event of her new Hulu show The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian wore a custom latex dress from the late Thierry Mugler. While the form-hugging silver dress was certainly a scene-stealer, it was the reality star’s pile of necklaces (and matching bracelets and hoop earrings) that had me mesmerized. At first glance I thought they might be rubber, but upon closer inspection, they seem to be silver and slinky, much like the tubogas style. I’m still searching for information on them—everywhere I’ve looked just says that her dress is paired with matching jewelry (if anyone happens to know, please share!).

That same weekend, as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, singer Camila Cabello wore a neck piled high with tight-fitting necklaces too. Hers were easier to get information on: all from Jennifer Fisher. The star’s stylist, Rob Zangardi, stacked three different styles of chokers numerous times. The look was absolutely epic.

The average price for a Jennifer Fisher choker necklace is $350, so theoretically, if a person really wanted to re-create the look, they could do so at a fairly reasonable price. But most everyday people aren’t going to buy, like, 10 necklaces at once, so they either opt for a fast-fashion-esque version of the piled-high look or—and this is preferable—they select one very compelling fine jewelry piece that won’t take up as much real estate but still garners attention and looks great.

Much like the way couture fashion translates to the real world, I wouldn’t expect most to coat the lengths of their necks in chokers (though I’d really, really like to). But what this could signal is a return to the choker necklace, simple in its form and versatile as anything. The looks vary from seventies sexy to nineties cool, and I’m extra here for it.

A tubogas necklace would fit this particular look beautifully, and it’s a timeless style that shoppers wouldn’t have to worry about losing interest in as a fad. That slinky, snakelike texture is incredibly chic—it’s something I think someone might reach for continuously throughout the years, even if it occasionally does take a back seat to other styles. As a matter of fact, to whomever was the lucky buyer of this vintage three-row tubogas necklace by Bulgari, from Christie’s Magnificent Jewels sale in 2015, I say it’s high time to break it out of the vault (and also, can I borrow it?).

The tubogas style feels the most compelling in this moment, but there are plenty of other options on the market that could stand in for it, such as a herringbone chain or a slinky, sexy snake chain.

You don’t have to be a fan of the Kardashians or listen to pop music to appreciate such a bold look. But a single, classic choker like the ones pictured here will always be a reliable staple in any jewel box.