The Back Necklace Is the Red Carpet’s Most Daring Accessory
From Princess Di to Michelle Yeoh, get inspired by how celebrities have styled the trend in their own way over the years.
This year's award season is now long gone, but a particularly audacious styling trend stuck out: back necklaces. Although typically seen in bridal wear and Old Hollywood glamour, back necklaces are making a striking comeback as the unexpected star of red carpets. Dripping in elegance, the trend is a sexy twist on a classic by shifting the focus to the back—turning an open-back dress or top into a canvas for statement-making jewelry.
With cascading strands, delicate chains, and bold gemstone embellishments, back necklaces are more than just an accessory; they’re an integral part of a look and make for an ultimate power move on the red carpet, combining a sensual energy with something elegant, too. Celebrities have been embracing the trend for decades, proving that a well-placed necklace can transform an outfit from simple to sensational. From dainty, barely-there strands to dramatic, draping pieces, back necklaces cater to a variety of styles.
Keep scrolling and read on to discover the styling technique's history on Hollywood red carpet, see celebrities who've been pioneers of the look, and understand its significance.
The Back Necklaces' Early Iterations 
The back necklace trend is nothing new, with some of its earliest examples seen on Old Hollywood movie stars like Shirley Maclaine in the 1964 picture What a Way To Go! Maclaine’s outward display of her figure was quite bold, albeit scandalous at the time. But she clearly wasn’t afraid to be daring, and the addition of the back jewelry was an elegant touch. The late 20th and early 21st century saw style icons like Princess Diana and Cate Blanchett continuing the trend in their own ways. To attend the premiere of Back To The Future in 1985, Princess Di accessorized her low back gown with a classy strand of white pearls. Although she was expected to follow royal protocol, she never shied away from bold choices on numerous occasions. This look epitomizes that.
Red carpet maven Cate Blanchett stepped out for the Oscars in 2000 donning a little black dress embellished with gold jewelry. Blanchett’s back jewelry stopped short of a typical necklace but was equally elegant and sultry. She has gone on to endorse the skin-baring trend more than once in the 2010s. 
The late 2000s and 2010s saw the back necklace trend evolve into a striking yet sophisticated accessory choice on the red carpet. At the Met Gala in 2009, Ashley Olsen made a bold statement with a reptile-shaped back necklace that stood out against her elegant low-back white gown. While Kate Hudson took a more delicate approach at the 2010 SAG Awards, pairing a silver-detailed white dress with a shimmering back necklace that complemented its embellishments. Anne Hathaway embraced subtlety at the Interstellar premiere, letting a dainty, barely-there back necklace blend seamlessly into her skin and enhance the elegance of her navy slip dress. Meanwhile, Jessica Chastain elevated the timeless appeal of a little black dress by draping a pearl back necklace with a tassel down its open-back silhouette, adding a touch of glamour to the trend’s growing presence on red carpets.
The Back Necklace Trend Today 
Zendaya took the back necklace look to new heights with an intricate spin in 2021, sporting an archival Roberto Cavalli gown from the Fall/Winter 2000 collection to the Ballon d'or Ceremony in Paris. The golden, skeleton-like hardware made her little black dress into a true statement. At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Taylor Russell opted for a more delicate approach, complementing her draped white ensemble with a dainty droplet necklace that sat between her shoulder blades. Sabrina Carpenter, on the other hand, embraced full-on glamour at the 2025 Grammys, pairing her custom JW Anderson gown with a dazzling diamond back necklace that reached just above her lower back. The 2025 Academy Awards saw multiple takes on the trend, with Michelle Yeoh donning a tie-shaped necklace and Margaret Qualley choosing a tasseled version, both adding a distinctive elegance to their red carpet looks.
The Significance of the Back Necklace
From time to time, minimalism has reigned supreme in styling, with many celebrity stylists swearing off jewelry altogether in favor of an unembellished, stripped-down look. But fashion, at its core, is about adornment—and the back necklace look coming back on recent red carpet proves that accessorizing with this sexy tough is back in full force. Draping elegantly down the spine, a backward necklace is a study in quiet seduction, offering a glimpse of skin without being overt. It’s a styling trick that’s had its moments over the past forty years, favored by everyone from Hollywood icons to modern-day it-girls for its ability to elevate even the simplest of looks. Whether layered over a backless dress for high-impact drama or subtly peeking out from a low-back blazer, it instantly adds just the right amount of intrigue and glamour.
