How body jewellery made such a fashionable comeback: popular in the noughties, belly chains made a r

Then there’s the return of the anklet, spied on many an “It” girl – including model Phoebe Tonkin who donned a sweet pearl number worn over sheer black stockings and Mary-Jane heels for a night out in New York City. Cool brands like Foundrae, Jacquie Aiche, Shay and Roxanne Assoulin are all doing fine gold and fun beaded versions.

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Indeed, it seems no body part should be left unadorned, from glinting whole body chains to the diamond tooth studs from Parisian dental technician-turned-artist-and-jeweller Dolly Cohen, whose precious studs and grills have been worn by everyone from Beyoncé to Rita Ora.

There were the lip rings shown at French fine jewellery brand Messika’s recent high jewellery presentation in Paris, and sparkling pavé septum rings from cool Los Angeles-based Dorsey, which uses lab-grown sapphires and fine jewellery techniques.

And lest you think the belly button piercing was the one Y2K fashion trend to not make a comeback, singers Dua Lipa and Megan Thee Stallion, as well as model Hailey Bieber and actress Julia Fox, have all made a twinkling diamond case for its return. Meanwhile, New York brand Maria Tash has a slew of tasteful navel options.

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For the founder of Messika, Valérie Messika, the first to launch an ear cuff in high jewellery, challenging the boundaries of fine and high jewellery is her drive. Diamond jewellery, she notes, should be worn “on any part of the body”, and ideally “worn comfortably close to one’s skin like a tattoo”.

The joy of wearing jewellery beyond the usual fingers, wrists, neckline and ears is something that jeweller Jacquie Aiche connects with too. Her eponymous brand’s bestselling body jewellery pieces include her colourful bead, diamond and gold body chains and anklets.

“I have so much love for body jewellery because of the way it makes you feel. Draping diamonds and gold along the body gives off a luminous shine while inspiring self-love, confidence and sensuality. And anklets are the perfect layer to add a playful glow to every step you take,” she says.

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Lydia Tufnell, category manager jewellery at online retailer Farfetch, says body chains and anklets in particular are a growing category. Partly, she says, because they are versatile and can easily change the look of an outfit.

“These pieces are incredibly versatile and can be effortlessly incorporated into your day-to-day look, such as a simple gold or silver anklet. You can also use them to elevate your look by opting for pieces adorned with pearls or stones. While they are easy to wear year-round, we tend to see a natural uplift in anklets and body chains during the summer months. These accessories can become staples in your jewellery wardrobe, perfect for keeping on 24/7 and integrating into your everyday looks,” she says.

Some of Tufnell’s favourite brands in this space include shoe labels such as Amina Muaddi and Jimmy Choo, which have transformed ankle straps into bejewelled anklets in fun colours; Mizuki, renowned for pearl jewellery and now doing sweet pearl anklets; and Y2K-inspired brand Blumarine, which has developed a following for its body chains.

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As for how to incorporate body jewellery into your existing wardrobe, Tufnell says it’s probably best to start small and not stray too far from your typical style.

“It’s always helpful to narrow down what colour of jewellery you tend to lean towards. Personally, I gravitate towards gold jewellery day to day, so when I am looking at incorporating something new like anklets or a body chain my primary focus in my search criteria is something that’s gold,” says Tufnell.

“This way I know that it will sit back and tie in well with my existing jewellery.”

Aiche, on the other hand, says to not worry too much about the “rules” when it comes to body jewellery.

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“I never limit myself when I’m layering up. I build my shine with anything that calls to me – whether it’s a bra, body chain, finger bracelets, anklets or all of the above. It’s all about styling it in a way that makes you feel good,” she says.

As for my long-neglected noughties navel piercing, I’m starting to think it might be time to bring it back – albeit dressed up in far chicer jewellery options.