
Wartime / Utility Fashion · 1940s · American
Production
mass-produced
Material
plastic pearls
Culture
American
A flexible coil bracelet constructed from uniform plastic pearls in a champagne gold tone, arranged in a continuous spiral formation. The pearls appear to be strung on elastic or wire, creating a spring-like structure that would expand and contract to fit the wrist. Each pearl is approximately 4-5mm in diameter with a lustrous finish that mimics natural pearls. The coil design allows the bracelet to wrap around the wrist multiple times, creating texture and visual interest through the repetitive circular forms. This type of costume jewelry exemplifies wartime fashion's shift toward affordable alternatives to precious materials, using synthetic materials to achieve elegant effects during a period of material rationing and economic constraint.
Lineage: “Native American beadwork”
That champagne pearl bracelet, with its tight coil of uniform faux pearls, speaks the language of wartime restraint—precious materials replaced by clever plastic mimicry in a format that's all about controlled abundance.
Lineage: “1940s wartime utility”
Lineage: “1940s utility jumpsuits”
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