What is a choker and what do they wear?

Ironically, many girls, hearing this unfamiliar word, raise their eyebrows in surprise and ask: "What is a choker?". And most of them do not come to mind at all, that some have already worn, and others have been wearing this decoration to this day.

What is a choker

The peculiarity of this accessory is that it must have a sufficiently dense landing, as if justifying its name: after all, the choker is translated from English, no less than "strangler", "choke". However, these necklaces are not intended for masochistic pleasures, their main function is the adornment of a gentle female neck. Therefore, a choker is a bracelet around your neck or collar, so to speak.

History of occurrence

The history of chokers is rooted in the distant past. In North America, they were worn by representatives of some Indian tribes, who believed that these decorations drive away evil spirits. In the Middle Ages, chokers around the neck of women also had a place to be.

In general, this accessory has disappeared, then again it became fashionable almost every decade until the XX century. But it was not until the end of the 1990s that chokers became so popular that even young girls of the school age began wearing them. Now you remember what a choker is? Yes, yes, these are the necklaces woven of elastic wire. Black, lilac, yellow, most often they were sold with the same bracelet.

Of course, modern jewelry reminds little of the historical choker (photo in the article). However, they did not lose this in their grace and intriguing elegance.

Contemporary Chokers

At the peak of popularity, the chokers again took off in 2014, and now they have not given up leadership positions for several months. The current accessories, unlike those that a few hundred years ago were worn by European noble ladies, are now available to every fashionista.

If before the chokers were made exclusively of precious metals (silver, gold, platinum), lace and expensive fabrics and adorned with gems, now the designers' fantasies pour into no less interesting solutions from modern materials.

Today, the choker (photos of some samples are shown below) can be made of metal, leather, chains, velvet, fishing line, wire, thread, beads, ribbons. Affluent women can afford necklaces of pearls or, as in the old days, of precious materials.

To decorate the product used all kinds of beads, bugles, stones, pieces of fur, pendants, flowers from cloth and in general all that the imagination of the designer is capable of. Some chokers can have pendants in the form of beads as very short, and long enough - to the chest.

By the way, modern necklaces of this type do not always have a front buckle. Some models dress as if backwards - but the clavicles between the "legs" of the choker have space, they are not connected to each other. Such products are made only of rigid materials - others simply will not be able to maintain the required shape.

Celebrities and Chokers

In all ages there were famous women of fashion who served, in modern terms, icons of style for mere mortals and set the tone for dresses. The same story happened to the chokers.

The most vivid example, when neck necklaces began to be worn by all the courtiers and noble ladies, is the period of the XIX century - the time of the reign of Queen Victoria in Great Britain and Ireland.

The next monarchy, Queen Alexander (late XIX century), worn the choker solely for personal reasons - she was extremely shy about the mutilated accident of the skin around her neck. However, the maid of honor and the nobility took this as a fashion and did not hesitate to go with similar orders to jewelers.

Famous Gabriel "Coco" Chanel, the founder of the eponymous fashion house, after a long enough break returned the chokers former popularity. Coupled with the famous little black dress necklaces made of precious metals, leather or velvet, decorated with pearls and stones, have become a real hit among wealthy women of fashion.

A little later, the pearl choker became one of the most beloved ornaments of another monarch, Princess Diana.

In the films, "collars" are also often found - on the heroine Natalie Portman of Leon, Audrey Hepburn - "Breakfast at Tiffany", Angelina Jolie in Tourist, and also in many historical films.

Today, the chokers can be seen on many movie and show business stars: Rihanna, Nicky Minaj, Jane Fonda, Rita Ora, Naomi Campbell, Miley Cyrus, Cameron Diaz - the current fashionista has someone to equal.

With what to wear a choker

Now that we have remembered what a choker is, it's time to figure out which clothes it will look best for. The variety of materials and types of execution of necklaces suggests the possibility of combinations with almost all styles of clothing. The exception, perhaps, will only be business and strict suits.

Jeans, leather jackets, tops, shirts will look good with massive or, conversely, thin chokers from steel, fishing line, wire, chains, leather. For women's dresses, blouses, blouses or skirts, necklaces of fabric adorned with pendants, beads, beads, rhinestones will suit. For evening out, suitably dressed, overalls or dresses are best suited to richly decorated chokers, perhaps even with long pendants, if the décolleté is sufficiently deep.