What I Wore Sunday, Volume 13 (Pearls, Pearls, Pearls!)

Hi there, FLAP-ers!

For Mass this morning, I wore something I've already posted on this link-up; so instead of showing you my outfit, I'm just going to show you what I wore around my neck.  It's a vintage plastic "Pop-it Bead" pearl necklace.  I saw one recently in an antiques shop for about $15 and thought it was sort of neat (because I never met a string of pearls I didn't like).  I resisted, however, because I already have plenty of pearl necklaces.  But then on Friday, as I was dropping off a small box of donated items at Goodwill, I saw this lovely necklace, exactly like the one I'd just seen at the antiques shop, hanging near the register...for $1.99.  Cha-ching.  (How hard is it to get out of Goodwill without buying something, I ask you.  Or is it just me?)

My "new" pearls at their full length of  @19", with all the beads in use.

Here's the history behind this type of faux pearl necklace, information which I found on-line (and edited a bit) after making my purchase:

Vintage Accessories: Pop-it Beads

Pop-it Beads are made of plastic, Lucite, Celluloid, or Polythene, and they snap together to create necklaces, bracelets and earrings. They are also called ‘Pop Beads,' ‘Snap Beads,’ or ‘Snap-it Beads.’ Production of Pop-it Beads began in the early 1950s as a cheaper alternative to real gems and pearls. These plastic versions gave women with tighter budgets the ability to indulge in an ‘expensive’ look which they could find at the ‘Five and Dime’ store. Unsurprisingly, these plastic beads became extremely popular during the decade with teenagers and much older ladies

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The standard length was usually 50-60-inch-long strands, and the wearer could alternate between designs and customize them. For instance, they could pop them apart to create necklaces, bracelets, and even belts. The possibilities were endless.

 As you can see, you can just pop the necklace apart and commence customizing.

How many times do you wish you could change the length of your necklace, depending on the neckline of the top you're wearing?  With Pop-it Beads, that's a snap to do.

Here's the necklace with 2 beads removed; at @18", it's ever-so-slightly shorter .

Now here it is with 6 beads removed so that it's @16", or about choker-length.

This Goodwill string of pearls is surprisingly real-looking (and even gives the illusion that there is a knot between each pearl).  I just love it--and I'm sure I'll love it even more as I get older, my hands get more arthritic, and it gets even harder than it is now to fiddle with those impossible necklace clasps!

Before I go, one more thing: the "Five and Dime" store...is anyone who's reading this old enough to remember what those are, like yours truly?  I guess I'm about as vintage as Pop-it Beads.

And by the way: speaking of a string of Pearls (with a capital P), some of the newest beads that have been added to our family necklace are celebrating a birthday today.  MY TWIN GRANDDAUGHTERS ARE TWO!  Happy Birthday to my identical little darlings. Grammy already has pearl Rosary bracelets put away for you two, to give you on the day you receive your First Holy Communion.  Pearls for Pearls...that's my motto!

And although we won't be able to be there to celebrate with the birthday girls in person, our visit with them later today will look something like this (except the little cuties on the screen will be toddler-sized, with a good bit more hair):

Thank goodness for Skype!

Now head on over to Emily and Kendra's Fine Linen and Purple for more fashion gems.  :)

Postscript (9:00 p.m.):
I'm joining the gals over at Camp Patton, too, for Grace's new link-up called "Sunday Best." I was enjoying some of the posts there, but thinking it was not for an empty-nester like me. It seemed as though it was strictly for young moms who could not only show you what they wore to Mass, but could also report the Mass behavior grades of their small children.  I just re-read Grace's post, however, and realized that she's inviting everyone to the party. (Thanks, Grace!)  So head on over to the Camp and check out the cute fashions (and cute kids!).