The idea of a vintage trend, in a way, feels like a contradiction. “Vintage” is often either synonymous with “timeless” or “outdated,” rarely ever “trendy.” But as fashion insiders know, trends tend to follow a 10-to-15-year cycle, and microtrends have brought even more past styles into the fray. And if experience—both as a vintage reseller and appreciator—has taught me anything, it’s that the desire for vintage morphs and transforms with the zeitgeist.
I find that vintage costume jewelry can be a fun outlet for experimenting with trends without requiring too much money. Vintage jewelry, of course, doesn’t always mean rare vintage jewelry, so you don’t need to break the bank to enjoy it. Additionally, older pieces generally flaunt better craftsmanship, so they can truly become part of your capsule jewelry collection if you so desire.
Without further ado, here are the hottest vintage jewelry trends to consider for the spring and summer of 2026. Along with feeling out cultural trends, I’ve also analyzed my own vintage jewelry sales to help you stay in the know.
Floral clip-on earrings
I know, I know—flowers for spring isn’t exactly groundbreaking. But I do think that there’s a renewed interest in floral clip-on earrings in 2026. Many vintage flower clip-on earrings tout stunning artistry—think carefully arranged moonglow cabochons, intricately carved celluloid, and painstakingly glued faux pearls and rhinestones. These days, you can’t find this level of craftsmanship at an affordable price. But do you know what IS affordable? Clip ons!
As the culture puts behind the polished dainty and old money aesthetics, there’s been a stronger swing towards big accessories. With large (read heavy) statement flowers back in style, clip ons are also, in my opinion, more comfortable for your ears than post or dangle earrings anyway. If you do find your ears feeling pinched by clips, I recommend buying silicone clip-on earring comfort pads online through Etsy or eBay.
Enamel ‘80s and ‘90s earrings
While they don’t necessarily fetch a pretty penny, ‘80s and ‘90s enamel earrings (signed or unsigned) have strangely become bread-and-butter pieces in my vintage fashion jewelry shop. The enamel often has a pearlescent or creamy finish paired with a warm gold tone metal body. The earring silhouette itself is usually a circle, teardrop, or triangle.
The rule of thumb is the chunkier, the better. While there will always be a time and place for simple, classic designs, we’re shifting away from the minimal, clean girl look and into a louder and bigger ‘80s/‘90s look à la Stranger Things. There are lots of pierced options for this style, too, so you’re not necessarily limited to clip ons if you want to indulge in a retro vibe.
Pearl necklaces
Pearls are back, my friends, whether costume or real. Along with classic white and round designs, be on the lookout for colorful finishes and irregular—or baroque—textures. My guess is that people are tired of the prim and proper coquette aesthetic, and the 1950s tradwife look has run its course as political turmoil continually escalates. Brown and gold tone pearls will be in style, especially in chunky multi-strand necklaces with rhinestone details.
Scatter pins
It goes without saying that big brooches are always en vogue. I do think, however, that the scatter pin has become something of a dark horse. People love a small embellishment on their bags and lapels, and a scatter pin adds a pop of fun without overwhelming an outfit. On the flip side, it’s also great for maximalist looks since you can group many small pins up, which is something you can’t do with huge, showstopper pieces.
Beaded necklaces
Beaded necklaces are making a comeback, so simple chains and cords may not be your only options in 2026. Again, I think visual texture and complexity are becoming more desirable than daintiness and simplicity. I’ve noticed an uptick in sales of seed bead necklaces with statement pendants, which show a renewed interest in the whimsigoth ‘90s look.
And don’t count out big beads. Ceramic and Lucite bead necklaces are getting their flowers, too, especially statement beaded acrylic and Lucite ‘80s styles. Chunky Chico’s pieces are usually slow sellers for me, but I’ve had more and more sales recently as people get back into that boho chic Practical Magic vibe.
Painted metal/enamel flower brooches
The idea of an enamel metal flower brooch is simple enough: It’s a brooch with petals fashioned from metal, whether you’re on the lookout for daisies, roses, or sunflowers. You’ll often come across bright neon colors, but iridescent finishes are common, too. Since many of these metal flower brooches are from the ‘60s and 70s, ‘they’re seldom perfect, often touting battle scars like chipped paint and light scuffs. This won’t detract collectors, though. I can’t seem to keep enamel flower brooches in my shop for very long—they move along like hotcakes!
Cameos
I think that in our AI slop-fueled technological dystopia, people crave detailed craftsmanship. Plus, with Bridgerton dropping new episodes this year, the Regencycore look is so back, my friends. Besides draping yourself with pearls, what better way to channel Queen Charlotte chic than by adding an intricate cameo or two to your look? Plus, a cameo is also perfect for a gothic Frankenstein or Wuthering Heights style. It all goes back to the idea of intricate being in as the slick and sleek Y2K aesthetic fizzles out.
Cameos typically depict a white silhouette of a person or flower against a color background. On the flip side, you might sometimes see an illustration of a person or flower against a white background. Cameos can be made from porcelain, shell, glass, or resin, and they usually come in the form of brooches, scarf clips, or necklace pendants.
It’s easiest to find cameos online, since they tend to get snatched up at thrift stores and antique markets pretty quickly. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, I recommend opting for a resin piece. Shell and porcelain options may have real gold accents and take more time to make, so you may encounter steeper prices when you shop around for them.
Well, folks, those are the vintage jewelry trends that I’m predicting for 2026. The overarching theme of the year is the more dramatic, the better. We’re moving away from sleek, perfect, and modest—in other words, conservative—and into an era of wild, loud, and ornate. And for some, like yours truly, that’s a relief.
