Red Carpet Bling: 7 of the Most Legendary Red Carpet Jewelry Looks
When it comes to rocking the flashiest, most outrageous bling around, there’s no better time to do it than while walking down the red carpet, which is why so many of our favorite celebs can be seen dripping in iced out diamonds chains or iced out with gorgeous rings. It all depends on your style—some celebrities like the eye-grabbing attention of big, iced-out pendants with unusual custom designs while others prefer to ball out on more subtle jewels that may not catch your eye from a football field away but lend a sense of elegance and style. Here are some of our all-time favorite celebrity jewelry looks over the years—and some tips on how you can follow in the footsteps of the glamorati.
Scarlett Johannson
Just this year at the 2020 Oscars, Scarlett Johannson decided to flex on everybody when she stepped on the scene wearing diamonds that totaled a whopping $2.5 million. Not sure about you, but we would feel nervous even walking around with that kind of cash on our bodies, but she completely owned the look. Good for you, ScarJo.
She kept it simple with a gorgeous body-hugging silk dress decked out in sparkling strands on the bustier top, which perfectly complemented the diamond earrings and bracelet she sported from Forevermark. Although her bling wasn’t as in-you-face as some of our other showstopping celebrity looks, ScarJo kills ‘em with class. The jewelry is understated while still blinding you with its beauty. The pear-shaped drop earrings were estimated at more than 26 carats of diamonds while her bracelet topped 29 carats.
Migos
Always the ones to make a splash with their outfit choices and jewelry accessories, the members of Migos have captured the attention of the world with a number of their red carpet looks. But, perhaps one of the most notable examples took place when these three hip hop stars arrived on the scene of the 2017 Met Gala. With a new theme every year, the Met Gala is constantly attempting to push the boundaries of fashion and art at their annual opening party for the fashion exhibit—and the celebs love to play along.
The Migos crew stood out in their sleek matching Versace suits paired with their ever-present sunglasses. But, the real stars of their outfits were the layers upon layers of iced-out gold chains they sported. And, they didn’t just stop at chains. There were chunky, gemstone-encrusted rings, iced-out bracelets, and even one baller watch. Although the actual total was never reported, it’s estimated that the Migos were collectively wearing several million dollars worth of jewels on their bodies.
Charlize Theron
Personally, we think Charlize Theron can do no wrong. She’s beautiful, funny, and a great actress—plus she looked absolutely baller at the 2020 Oscars when she walked down the red carpet with a $5 million Tiffany & Co. diamond necklace. Audrey Hepburn would be so jealous.
So, what does $5 million’s worth of jewelry look like? Actually, Theron’s accessory was relatively understated for such an expensive piece of jewelry. The real star of the piece is the 21-carat marquise cut diamond in the center of the chain, which is also adorned with 165 smaller diamonds that have been set in platinum, increasing the one-of-a-kind piece’s total value.
Diplo
LA-based DJ Diplo is known for his dope beats and eccentric outfits, including a questionable purple cowboy getup complete with sparkling accents at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. But, he decided to put his own twist on his jewelry accessories, this year at the 2020 Grammys with a truly unique necklace that was placed under his shirt’s collar as a blinged-out neck tie piece. The necklace was designed by Bulgari with sapphires, diamonds, turquoise, and lapis. The mixed blue tones of the gemstones really pulled the piece together and added an interesting accessory to an otherwise pretty standard outfit for Diplo.
Cardi B
Welp, Cardi just has to outdo everybody with her style, her music, and, naturally, her jewelry. If you thought Charlize Theron stepping out in a $5 million diamond necklace was baller, check out the $5.5 million’s worth of jewelry Cardi pulled out for the 2020 Grammy Awards. Although this amount is the total price of all the jewelry she was wearing combined, it still speaks volumes to her commitment to style and, well, just generally being a boss bitch.
Made from 310 different, individual diamonds, Cardi’s necklace was custom designed specifically for her and actually had to be sewn onto her dress right before she headed to the event. The necklace featured eight rows of diamonds in varying sizes to create one of the most expensive collar-like additions to a dress that we’ve ever seen. And yet, that wasn’t enough for Cardi. She also piled on a literal armload of diamond-encrusted bangles just for an extra flex.
2Chainz
Naturally, with a name like 2Chainz, you better be showing off your chains on the red carpet. One of the 2Chains most notable award show appearances happened in 2015 when he arrived at the BET Awards in a truly incredible diamond chain. This piece was a custom gold chain that featured an oversized padlock pendant covered in diamonds and brightly colored gemstones. We think the message was that he’s got his bling game on lock—or maybe the entire fashion game. Who’s to say, really.
Of course, to stay true to his name, 2Chainz paired the attention-grabbing custom gold chain with a very simple second chain that added a level of class without taking away from the custom piece he was clearly trying to show to the world.
DaBaby
Relatively new on the scene in the world of hip hop, DaBaby wanted to show off some of the results of his recent success—including an $18,000 chain commissioned to famous jewelry Johnny Dang. Although $18,000 may sound like peanuts to you now, after hearing about celebrities rocking millions of dollars’ worth of jewelry, DaBaby’s custom piece is something unique to him that we appreciated. Owning a piece by Johnny Dang is like the ultimate sign that you’ve made it as a rapper. So, when DaBaby da-buted his new chain with the name of his record label “Billion Dollar Baby Ent.” at the 2019 BET Awards, he was all smiles.
How to Rock Your Bling Like a Star
- Pick a Statement Piece
Most of the time, when a celebrity is trying to steal the show, he or she looks for a piece that is going to do just that—capture everyone’s attention. Now, sometimes this means wearing something borderline ridiculous (remember T-Pain’s “Big Ass Chain”?)—and if that’s the kind of attention you’re looking for, then go for it. Find the most outrageous pendant that speaks to you. But, if you want a more laid-back style while still looking baller af, you need to focus on a statement piece.
Your statement piece is the focus of your accessories, so it’s the chain that everyone’s eyes will go straight to when looking at your outfit. Typically, the statement piece is the largest, flashiest one. Find a pendant that you love, and make it your token statement piece. You can also invest in other pendants to switch out your statement necklace without having to invest in a new chain constantly.
- Iced Out or Nothing
There are plenty of people who love the look of a clean, classic gold chain with no extra frills. This style is true old school and definitely has its place in the world of hip hop fashion, but, if you’re looking to dress like the stars, you have to go blinged out. Red carpet looks are all about showing off your style and your success. And, what better way to show how successful you are than literally covering yourself in expensive gemstones?
Ironically, most celebrities get to rock their red carpet jewelry looks for free because it’s great marketing for the brands, but, if you’re not racking in the red carpet invites just yet, you will have to shell out cash for those celebrity-style iced-out gold chains. These days, you can get everything from your bracelets and gold chains to your watches iced out, so you might as well go big.
- Confidence Is Key
Everything that we do is about confidence, from the way we walk down the street to the way we rock our wardrobe. Don’t let other people’s opinions influence your own decisions. You want to be true to yourself and show off a look that makes you happy and comfortable.
If you’re going to be rocking any flashy red carpet-esque looks, you’re going to need confidence because you are going to get some attention with your iced-out chains and custom pendants. That’s okay. Rock those diamonds confidently and don’t worry what other people have to say. You’re a baller and you know it.
- Bring Out the Grillz
A great way to elevate your jewelry style to the next level is by adding other accessories, and what could be more gangster than an iced-out grill? The idea of turning your mouth into its own piece of jewelry is nothing new in the world of hip hop, but technology has made it way easier to create dope pieces that bring out the sparkle in your gold chains while also feeling comfortable to wear. Get your own custom grill to break out when you’re really looking to floss on everybody.
Caring for Your Jewelry
When you invest in expensive diamond chains and other gold jewelry pieces, you want to make sure that they’re going to last for years to come, which is why it’s so important to properly care for your collection. When you take preventative measures to keep your jewelry safe, it’ll last a lifetime.
- Clean It Regularly
The most important way to care for your gold jewelry is by cleaning it on the reg. Depending on how often you rock your pieces, you should do a weekly cleaning and a monthly deep cleaning. When you wear your jewelry, it’s being exposed to dirt, sweat, grease, and the elements of your surroundings, making it very susceptible to damage.
If you wear your jewelry on a daily or almost-daily basis, we suggest using warm water and a little bit of dish soap to rinse your pieces once per week. For a more in-depth cleaning, you can use the same mixture but allow the jewelry to sit for a bit longer. Many people also use a soft bristle toothbrush to clean hard to reach areas.
- Store It in a Safe Place
Gold chains should never be sitting out in the open when they are not being worn. It’s easy for dust, dirt, and other grime to build up on the surface and impact the quality of the metal. Instead, invest in a jewelry box where you can keep your most valuable pieces tucked away, safe from the elements. If you’re concerned about your jewelry becoming lost or stolen, it’s also a good idea to have a jewelry safe, where you can lock your most expensive pieces and rest assured they are protected.
- Get Expensive Pieces Insured
Finally, one of the most efficient and important ways to keep your jewelry safe is by getting it insured. There are several steps to accomplishing this, including taking your pieces to an appraiser, but having jewelry insurance could make a big difference.
Homeowner’s and renter’s insurance only cover up to a certain amount of value, and they sometimes exclude specific items like jewelry, so, should your jewelry be stolen or damaged in your home, your current insurance won’t necessarily cover the cost. Jewelry insurance guarantees that you’ll be protected in the event your pieces are ever stolen, damaged, or, in some cases, even lost.
Shine Bright Like a Diamond
Everyone loves diamond jewelry. It makes us feel special and look great, which is why we wanted to look to some of our favorite celebrities to see how they handle rocking their bling down the red carpet. If you’re looking to step up your jewelry game, browse our Frost NYC collection of iced out diamond chains, iced-out bracelets, pinky rings, and dope rolex watches to find the perfect new addition to your collection.