Carefree Jewels to Soak Up What’s Left of Tomato Girl Summer

By Brittany Siminitz | August 30, 2023

Summer won’t officially be over until late September, but it’s not unofficially over yet, either—not until the end of Labor Day weekend.

Which means we still have a few days left to live that Tomato Girl Summer.

When I first heard the term popularized on TikTok (the same source that’s given us gems like Barbiecore and Coastal Grandmother), I envisioned the style of a chic woman who gardens. Wide-brim hats, straw, a bit of checkered fabric. I thought it was like Coastal Grandmother but less coastal—in touch with nature, but in a freshly pressed sort of way.

Instead, Tomato Girl refers to a Mediterranean style: locales where cuisine is heavy in tomato.

Picture a dream European vacation. The calm waters of the Mediterranean or Adriatic Sea, where you’d laze in the sun, on a beach or in a boat. For lunch, a simple but mouthwateringly fresh crostini brimming with tomatoes, or perhaps a bright red stack of caprese salad.

What are you wearing?

Red, as the name implies, is certainly welcome. As are fruit and vegetable prints, linen, headscarves, and espadrilles. Basically, if it looks like the wardrobe of a film set on the coast of Italy, you might have nailed the look.

Where jewelry is concerned, of course Italian-made gold classics are the perfect fit. But more playful styles, like fruit-themed jewels and kitschy shell and bead pieces, also work well.

Some may be looking forward to sweater weather, putting away their whites post–Labor Day and embracing the hues of autumn. But for others, there’s still time to have your tomatoes and eat them, too. And while the jewelry here suits this current TikTok-imposed trend, its charm and style will continue to shine in future summers. (You can also include these limited-edition Capri bangles from Buccellati in the mix.)