Photograph courtesy of It’s Especially Lucky
Charm jewelry, once enjoyed mostly by octogenarians and tweens, has proven its staying power, with newfound popularity that goes beyond social media’s confines.
For Yasmin Rahimi, founder of charm jewelry brand It’s Especially Lucky, the backlash against the conformist, minimalistic styles of the last few years makes sense. “I’ve always been a maximalist, and I love that people have a newfound love for it—of mixing and matching, of wearing whatever they want, however they want,” she says.
Rahimi, who began making jewelry while in school at UGA, now has charm jewelry in over 500 boutiques across the country. She’s been especially successful, though, with her local pop-ups selling charm necklaces—the newest iteration of the classic style, which began with bracelets. “I had a lot of leftover inventory [from wholesaling], so I started doing pop-ups heavily again last year,” she says. Her charm bars, as she calls the in-person customization experience, have taken off, and Rahimi now pops up around town at Buckhead Village, Ponce City Market, and other locations. Her charm selection includes popular of-the-moment pieces such as evil eyes, bows, and initials, and allows customers to choose what speaks to them. One pop-up even had customers waiting in line for three hours after a TikTok featuring the brand went viral.
Photograph courtesy of Prettiest Lobster
The desire for individualism in style speaks to Jessie LaMay, the owner of the charm necklace company Prettiest Lobster. LaMay does only one-of-a-kind pieces, sourcing vintage and antique charms from Georgia and the surrounding states. “Charms have this ultimate cool-older-sister vibe,” LaMay says. Their process is simple—they find the charms and make them into necklaces, to be sold the following week at Space Queen in Candler Park and various outdoor markets. Currently, LaMay’s into fishing lures. They remove the hooks, clean them up, and dangle gold or pearl pieces for sparkle.
LaMay says nostalgia is a huge part of charm culture, and they believe charm jewelry should be made of found objects to get the full effect. “Trend cycles are so fast now, but charm jewelry forces you to slow down,” LaMay says. “They have to look collected to look unique. You can’t just pick one up at Urban Outfitters.”
Photograph courtesy of It’s Especially Lucky
Charms were traditionally gifted over many years at some of life’s biggest moments, often reflecting the recipients’ particular interests, such as a book for avid readers or a suitcase for those with wanderlust. Now, a collection is often built in one single session via the act of making the jewelry. Lauren Cohen of Always Pretty Busy, a craft-party business, has carved out a niche helping others make charm jewelry at workshops in her Sandy Springs studio. She posits that the classes she began earlier this year have taken off for several reasons: Charm jewelry is relatively easy to make, a class allows you to do something with your hands instead of scrolling on your phone, and it’s an opportunity to spend dedicated time with friends and family. With business partner Abby Kelley, she’s also recently launched Craft Lab Atlanta, an elevated craft experience where they bring the charm party to you. Cohen loves the sense of accomplishment that creating gives her students, in addition to the wearable results. “They’ve picked out every single element, and it feels special,” she says.
This article appears in our December 2024 issue.
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