Agreed! I went through an ultra preppy phase in college so I'm a bit tired of cream colored pearls right now, but I'm seriously considering investing in some black pearls. I think they look just a little more edgy, but add a bit of class to an outfit that might need a little "something."
I have a strand of Chanel pearls. I bought them last Christmas from Bergdorfs on a whim and have been really struggling to find ways to wear them. I am not girly by any means. During the day I'll wear them with ripped black skinnies & my denim/leather Alexander Wang jacket. I am afraid to look matronly in them. :/
__________________ La Bella Vita -- fur, Chanel, Balenciaga, Alexander Wang, leather, Helmut Lang, cigarettes & cappuccinos.
^ They're not for everybody. But they don't have to be too conservative if you style them right... I think the trick is to do smaller pearls, or at least small doses of them... I have pearl bracelets that I love.
Some designers are doing some very interesting things with pearls - I especially like jewellery using the irregular-shaped, baroque pearls - they can look great and tend to be cheaper as well
I love pearls, but it's really annoying that most jewelers don't seem to have any idea where they're from. I really want some Paspaley pearls but I have no idea where they sell them.