friendship travel necklace

Stylish Best Friend Necklaces for Grown-Ups

This isn't the Claire's friendship jewelry of yesteryear.

As preteens, my friends and I would browse the candy-colored walls at Claire's and almost always walk away with novelty trinkets around our necks. And by novelty, I mean necklaces with charms in the shapes of pizza slices, gummy bears, and, of course, half-hearts. In our still-developing minds, we thought these necklaces were the best symbols of friendship and proudly wore them everywhere. While I'm (somewhat) sad to say these necklaces did not last until adulthood, I'm happy to report that the best friend necklaces of the early aughts have gotten a major upgrade. 

Long gone are the days of cheesy plastic pendants. Instead, jewelry brands have modernized the best friend necklace with quality materials and simplified designs to create sentimental keepsakes that can be worn daily. Sure, you may still see the shareable heart design from the past, but as you can see from this list, they've taken on a much more elevated approach (case in point: Monica Vinader's Togetherness Set ). Either offered in a set or as a single piece, plus the option to add personalization to many, the stylish friendship necklaces, below, offer up sweet gift inspo your friend will actually want to wear. 

• Best Overall Best Friend Necklace: Kate Spade Best Friend Necklace Set of 2 in 18k Gold Vermeil
• Best Affordable Best Friend Necklace: Ten Wilde Te Amo Heart Necklace Set
• Best Gemstone Best Friend Necklace: Moon Magic Yin Yang Moonstone Friendship Necklaces
• Best Unique Best Friend Necklace: Rellery Pinky Promise Friendship Necklace
• Best Customizable Best Friend Necklace: BONBONWHIMS BonBon Charm Necklace

The classic broken heart design but without any frills, Kate Spade's Best Friend Necklace Set is a gift any one of your friends will love. With its dainty chain, simple design, and a two-inch extender, this necklace works for any personal style and can be worn stacked or on its own. If you're looking for a more affordable, yet quality pick, this set is a great option as it's made of 18k gold vermeil, a.k.a. a sterling silver base with 18k gold plating. Because of the durable silver base and gold plating, this necklace is sure to last your bestie a lifetime. 

Customer Review: None available. 

Do you and your best friend make pinky promises like it's nobody's business? If so, this charm necklace is a no-brainer gift. The pinky swear symbol represents a promise of love, friendship, or sisterhood, plus it's a more subtle take on the best friend necklace. It's also made from 18k gold vermeil with a sterling silver base and two layers of gold plating to ensure this piece stays shining for years and years to come. Buy one for your bestie in gold or sterling silver then snatch one for yourself to match. 

Customer review: "I got this for my cousin as a bday gift (I bought a matching one for myself) and it’s such a cute friendship necklace! It looks just like the photo and I love how it looked!" — Rellery

Channel Kendall Jenner and gift your bestie a nameplate necklace. Back in 2016, the model gave friends Gigi Hadid and Cara Delevingne these Lola James necklaces that spelled out their couple names i.e. "KenGi" and "CaKe"—how cute! While Kendall's exact style starts at $395, you can get a similar look at Baublebar for over $200 cheaper. Take after Kendall and combine your name with your bestie's or take her full name to show off your friendship to the world. Made from 18K gold plated sterling silver, your friend will be wearing this piece for years to come, plus it looks just as good on its own as it does with a layered necklace stack. 

Customer review: None available. 

For your fashion-forward friend comes this heart-shaped set from Monica Vinader. These handcrafted pendants put a modern spin on the classic heart shape with a simplified design.  The pieces come together to create an etched heart, but when worn apart, they look more like circular abstract shapes. Made from 18k gold vermeil, you'll get the look and feel of solid gold at a much more affordable price tag. You and your bestie can also feel good wearing these pieces, since they're made from 100 percent recycled gold and silver. Be warned that the necklaces' length runs on the short side, although it's nothing a necklace extender couldn't fix. 

Customer review: "It’s beautiful but very tiny and the chain was way too short to wear... It’s sad because it is beautiful."

Show the yin to your yang a little love with these friendship necklaces. Set with an ethically-sourced authentic moonstone from India, these necklaces represent balance and protection so you can always be with your bestie no matter where she's at. Choose from 18k gold or rose gold vermeil, or opt for sterling silver to suit her style. Whichever metal you go for, know that these necklaces are durable (and cute!) enough to wear every single day. 

In case you're looking for a friendship necklace for more than one of your friends, GLDN has got you covered. With sets of two, three, and four necklaces, these necklaces make for the perfect gift for your entire girl squad. Each necklace combines to make a circle but breaks apart into a delicate piece of jewelry suitable for everyday wear. Opt for a sterling silver set or go with the 14k gold-filled option, which contains more real gold than regular gold-plating, yet keeps an affordable price tag. 

Customer review: "These are really beautiful and my friend was so touched/ happy. The hammered detailing really makes it. The adjustable neck is a great feature because you can change the length to match your needs." — GLDN

A lock can symbolize the strength of two people together, making it a great symbol for a friendship necklace. This Initial Lock Necklace by the female-founded jewelry brand, Oak and Luna, has a ton of customizable options to make this friendship necklace extra special. Available in sterling silver, 18k gold vermeil, rose gold vermeil, and 14k solid gold, you have the option to go as luxe as you want. You can even bling it up by adding a diamond. Customize the lock with your and your bestie's initials or swap each other's initials for a cool take on the friendship necklace. 

Customer review: "It's really cute. I like the length. The design suits my style. The turnaround time was good. I liked getting a picture of the item before it was shipped." — Oak and Luna

Ten Wilde is one of our favorite jewelry brands for stunning gold jewelry at an affordable price. Case in point: the Te Amo Heart Necklace Set. These friendship necklaces offer a vintage spin on the classic heart design, plus "Te Amo" puts a Spanish flair to "I Love You." The pendant is also made of 10k solid gold so this gift will last your bestie for a lifetime. At under $200 for two necklaces and solid gold, we'd say this is a steal of a deal. 

Customer review: "the te amo necklace was a gift from me to myself and my best friend!! we live in opposite sides of the country so when i'm wearing it, i just feel closer to her. the perfect "i love you" gift for your BFF for any occasion." — Ten Wilde

You can quite literally tell your best friend anything with this personalized dainty necklace. On two vertical bars, write out each others' names, the date you two met, an inside joke—the choice is yours! Choose from 14k gold filled, sterling silver, or 14k rose gold filled for a piece your friend can't get anywhere else. With the necklaces' varying lengths, your best friend will have so many different options of styling, too. 

Customer review : "I did a ton of shopping around for a necklace of this style and finally landed in Made By Mary. I can honestly say that it is beyond perfect! I wear it every single day and love it so very much!" — Made by Mary

For the friend who is always wearing color, even in the dead of winter, comes this reversible pick from Baublebar. On one side of the pendant is your choice of enamel color, including fun shades like lavender (above) and light blue. On the other side, you can opt for your bestie's birthstone or go with her favorite gemstone. On both sides, you get to choose two characters that represent your friendship. After you're done customizing, the end result is a fully personalized necklace unlike anything else in your friend's collection. 

If simple and dainty are two words you would not use to describe your friend's style, head to BONBONWHIMS for a piece that will suit her. The brand features some of the funkiest, coolest pieces I've seen, all inspired by a heavy dose of nostalgia. With this charm necklace, you can add your friend's initials, her birthstone, a pop of her favorite color, and even her favorite gummy bear flavor. Whatever combo of charms you choose to go with, this will surely be a fun piece she'll keep near and dear to her heart. 

Customer review : None available . 

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Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick , our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.

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By Halie LeSavage Published 2 May 24

She's heating up the lingerie dressing trend.

The actress wore a slip dress with a '90s styling cue–plus her favorite Mary Janes.

By Halie LeSavage Last updated 3 May 24

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• Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Tours, Attractions and Things To Do in Nizhny Novgorod

Nizhny Novgorod is the fifth largest city in Russia with a population exceeding 1.2 million. The city is located at the confluence of two rivers - the Volga and Oka. It is the center of Nizhny Novgorod region and Volga Federal District, as well as one of the country’s major administrative, economic and cultural centers.

Furthermore, Nizhny Novgorod is the Russia’s largest industrial center with the enterprises of mechanical engineering, metalworking information technology playing a leading role.

Nizhny Novgorod was founded in 1221 by Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich to protect Russian borders. Under Ivan III, Nizhny Novgorod was a sentry city. It had a regular army. This was the place for Moscow to march against Kazan.

Nizhny Novgorod made a great contribution to the construction of the Russian state. In 1612, Kuz’ma Minin and Prince Dmistry Pozharsky’s militia from Nizhny Novgorod played a decisive role in the liberation of Moscow from Polish intervention.

During the Soviet period from 1932 to 1990, the city was named after Maxim Gorky, the Great Russian writer who was born there. From 1959 to 1991 it was a “forbidden” city for foreigners because of defense plants, located there. On October 22, 1990 the city got its former name, and about at the same time, it began developping tourist business.

Today, the city, once playing such a significant role in the history of Russia, is developed into a modern metropolis. So, the urban development plan intends to build a metro bridge, cableway, funicular, and a new branched transport infrastructure there. Furthermore, Nizhny Novgorod is the Russia’s largest center of river cruise tourism and venue of Nizhny Novgorod fair-based major international exhibitions.

Nizhny Novgorod is one of the richest cultural centers of Russia. The most prominent artists have received education in the local theater and art schools. The city has opened a large number of theaters, museums and cinemas.

This city can surprise any traveler by an entwinement of modern and ancient buildings, each time rising before your eyes in a completely unexpected appearance.

Attractions

Miscellaneous.

• #Luxury travel
• #Unusual Moscow
• #Jewish Heritage
• #Russian traditions

Nizhniy Novgorod

Nizhniy Novgorod was founded in 1221 on the place of the ancient Slavonic settlement, on the junction of the Volga and the Oka Rivers. It was intended to be one of the main centers of the Suzdal principality. Nowadays Nizhniy Novgorod is the third-largest city in Russia with a population of more than 1,4 million. 

The old part of Nizhniy Novgorod is of great historical and architectural value. Nizhniy Novgorod is included in the list of cities, which were recognized by UNESCO as the most valuable cultural monuments in the world. The most attractive sights of Nizhniy Novgorod are the Kremlin, the Rozhdestvensky cathedral, and other orthodox churches and temples.

• #Russian History

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Why Ladylike Jewelry is Making a Comeback

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans has something to do with. But for some, demure classics like the button earring never went away.

The pendulum—or should we say triple strand of pearls—has swung in the other direction. Legacy pieces from historic brands (talk to me, Harry Winston) are what we want now. One of those Tiffany & Co. crosses, perhaps, or a Verdura black-and-white cuff.

The desire, in other words, is for ladylike jewelry that is clean and sleek and has enduring value, the kind that’s as good as (sometimes better than!) money in the bank. What’s driving this interest? It’s not the latest TikTok aesthetic. Far from it. Fashion may have something to do with it. The slender sheaths on Prada’s 2024 fall runway are crying out for a massive bubble-shaped cocktail ring; those sleek shifts at Michael Kors’s show clearly crave a Schlumberger Bird on a Rock.

As it turns out, a subtly chic ensemble in ­double-face cashmere provides the perfect backdrop for these singular baubles. Then again, there is really no reason your everyday outfit would not benefit from an extravagant jewel. In fact, at the Cartier presentation in Paris in January, a spectacular piece was pinned to the waistband of a pair of blue jeans, and it looked perfectly happy to be there. Maybe our collective obsession with Ryan Murphy’s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans has something to do with it.

“As a group they had a very simple elegance—no frills, no excess. Very confident, very precise,” says Lou Eyrich, the show’s costume designer, of those midcentury denizens of La Côte Basque. But, she adds, in light of their sartorial restraint, “the power of a single piece of jewelry can elevate a whole outfit. The jewelry had a bold confidence.”

We may never reach the impeccable heights of those legendary women, who spent all day, every day, literally keeping up appearances. Then again, we can have more fun. On a good day you could even take a second look at the brooch (an item that jewelers have been trying to revive for the last half century, with varying results).

The jewelry historian Marion Fasel credits men with the return of the pin, and it is true that a hot dude striding the red carpet with diamonds on his lapel has done much to resuscitate this beleaguered item. This is also the rare jewel that can introduce a bit of whimsy—like a JAR zebra—into an otherwise prim and proper getup. Even uber-Swan Babe Paley punctuated an austere frock with a Jean Schlumberger starfish.

Or you could eschew the faintly wacky brooch in favor of that demure classic, the button earring. Dara Allen, a model, stylist, and fashion editor, confesses that she has a big collection of these and wears them pretty much every day.

“They just work for me. They’re simple and not too fussy,” Allen says. “They lift your face up.” Allen’s muses include not just those infernal Swans but icons like Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Onassis, and even someone who isn’t, strictly speaking, real.

This character, usually seen rocking an Alice-blue ballgown, with a headband holding back her impeccable blond hair and always a pair of button earrings lighting up her exquisite face, has long been an inspiration. “Since I was very young,” Allen says, “I have loved Cinderella!”

Lynn Yaeger writes about fashion and design and contributes regularly to The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Vogue.

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The Top 12 Things to Do in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia

Take a first-rate trip to Russia's fifth city

Ershov_Maks/Getty Images

Although it's Russia's fifth-largest city, you could be forgiven for never having heard of Nizhny Novgorod. Notwithstanding that another Russian city is simply called " Novgorod ," the current name of the city just doesn't have a memorable ring to it. (By contrast, its name during the Soviet years — Gorky, like the famous author — was much more iconic.) At any rate, this city of just over a million around six hours east of Moscow is more than worth a visit. These are just 12 reasons why!

Tour the Kremlin's 13 Towers

Like most every other city in Russia, Nizhny Novgorod is home to a Kremlin. (The word "kremlin" means "citadel" in Russian, and has nothing to do with the modern Russian government) One thing that elevated the Kremlin of Nizhny Novgorod above others in Russia (with the possible exception of the Moscow Kremlin and one or two others), however, is the fact that its wall has 13 towers. During the summer months, at least one free walking tour per day operates from the main entrance of Nizhny Novgorod's Kremlin.

Climb Russia's Longest Staircase

Named for one of the most famous Russian pilots of the early aviation age (Valery Chkalov), the Chkalov Stairs connect two of Nizhny Novgorod's public squares, which sit on the upper and lower embankments of the Volga River, respectively. Built in 1943 (during the period when Nizhny Novgorod was known as Gorky), the Chkalov Stairs currently have the distinction of being the longest staircase in Russia.

Go Wild at Limpopo Zoo

One thing that surprises many travelers to Nizhny Novgorod is how amazing its zoo, colloquially known as Limpopo is. In addition to being home to a tropical botanical garden (which, not surprisingly, is indoors), the zoo hosts a variety of reptiles, mammals and birds. There's also a small sculpture park on the grounds of Nizhny Novgorod's zoo, including both original and replica pieces.

Shop (or Just Stroll) Along a Storied High Street

Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street has been the de-facto "Main Street" of Nizhny Novgorod for more than 200 years. Well, minus the Soviet Union period, during which the cafes that once (and now) lined it became somewhat worthless, since intellectual conversations were basically forbidden. These days, you can come here for a cup of Russian tea then shop at the dozens of boutiques you'll find on either side of the street.

Sun Yourself at the Spit

Nizhny Novgorod sits at the confluence of the Oka and Volga Rivers, with the triangle of land at the point they meet being known as the Nizhny Novgorod Spit. Ignoring the unfortunate double-meaning of its name for a moment, this is actually a wonderful place to get a tan, if it's summer in the city and the sun happens to be shining. Even if not, photographers will enjoy a trip here for a view of the Kremlin and city center across the Volga.

Marvel at the Open-Air Museum of Rozhdestvenskaya Street

Like Bolshaya Pokrovskaya Street, Rozhdestvenskaya Street has long been one of the most important streets in Nizhny Novgorod. However, while the former has become a primarily commercial artery in recent decades, the charm of the latter is in its well-maintained buildings, which hearken back to the mid-18th century. In fact, some locals go so far as to consider Rozhdestvenskaya Street an "open-air museum."

Ride Russia's Newest Cable Car

Russian investment in infrastructure isn't quite as dramatic as that of, say, China, but the Federation has nonetheless built a selection of interesting and modern transportation systems since the fall of the USSR. Among them is the just-opened cable car, which travels from the center of Nizhny Novgorod over the Volga River to suburban Bor. At any rate, a ride over the river and back is definitely worth inclusion on your list of things to do in Nizhny Novgorod.

Taste Traditional Shchi Soup

Shchi is one of Nizhy Novgorod's most delicious local specialties, available in most every local restaurant that serves Russian food. From above, a bowl of shchi seems incredibly complicated, with a colorful palette that suggests the inclusion of dozens of diverse ingredients. In fact, the magic of shchi is in its simplicity. Building on the traditional pan-Russian recipe of cabbage, pork fat and salt (yes, just three ingredients), locals in Nizhny Novgorod sometimes add minced meat or egg whites as bonus items, then top the tangy soup with a dollop of sour cream.

Survey Amazing Russian Orthodox Architecture

Think the only amazing Russian Orthodox churches are in Moscow and St. Petersburg? Think again. Nizhny Novgorod boasts several amazing examples of Russian Orthodox architecture. From the brilliant golde domes John the Baptist Cathedral near the Volga River, to the expansive grounds of 14th-century Pechersky Ascension Monastery, Nizhny Novgorod is an architecture buff's dream!

Take a Look Back in Time

Nizhny Novgorod's historical center is relatively large and well-preserved, but a stroll (or 10) through it isn't the only way to get a feel for the city's centuries-long past. Head to the Russian Museum of Photography, which not only showcases a variety of images of Nizhny Novgorod that date back a century or even longer, but also spotlights the equipment Russian photographers have used throughout the years, and notable figures in Russia's photography history as well.

Visit the Convent from the Movie "Salt"

You'd be forgiven if you've entirely forgotten the 2010 film "Salt." However, if you remember any destination from this spy thriller, it's likely the facade of Makaryev Convent, which is located within day-trip distance of Nizhny Novgorod. Having served as a monastery from its consecration in the early 15th century up until the beginning of the Russian Revolution, Makaryev became a convent after the fall of the Soviet Union , and is now home to 22 nuns.

Take an Excursion to a 12th-Century Tea Town

Another worthwhile day trip from Nizhny Novgorod is to the town of Gorodets, which sits about an hour to its northwest. With a history dating back to the 12th century, Gorodets boasts an interesting array of architecture and museums, including one dedicated to samovars. 

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