We all know that fashion trends are like life; they come in cycles. All of us, whether knowingly or not, have worn a super cute outfit, composed of something our moms wore 20-something years ago. However, some trends extend farther than the 80s and 90s. Some, like chokers, extend back into the 1800s and even centuries before then, maybe year 1. These trends are taken and reworked into creative artistry every time they resurge.

Chokers originated in Ancient Egypt adorning the necks of the wealthy, usually as one of many protection symbols. This tradition sporadically traveled through the centuries to England in the 1800s, where jewels were still worn in bulk. At this turning point, however, chokers transitioned from symbols of protection and wealth to symbols of wealth and style. Chokers were made of pearls, diamonds, and jewels in general. Just like the style of dress at that time, they were made to be extravagant, flashy, and reeking of unlimited amounts of wealth and prestige, until prostitutes got a hold of them. Shortly after this period, extending into the late 1860s and 1870s, prostitutes wore colored ribbons around their necks, tied in bows. Some would say that this specifically symbolized their X rated roles, and they’d be right. Ribbons tied around these women’s neck gave way to their lifestyle, similar to that of the queens and high class women who wore pounds of jewels on their own necks. The provocative mood that chokers began with has traveled down centuries sporadically through the years; even now, there are still many of all ages and classes that tell tales of the chokers of yore and how their being brought back for teenagers to wear is a sin in itself –  ok, maybe not that serious.

Even though chokers have had a mixed past, they continue to resurge by the decades. Beginning again in the 1940’s, women wore fancy chokers (not as extravagant as their predecessors) as a way to glam up their outfit, to turn a casual outing in a dinner date. Then again, in another 50-year increment, the 90’s (like everything else) took a turn for the eccentric. The purpose of chokers was no longer a sign of high class or high fashion; they transformed into tattoo chokers for the Gothic crowd. Chokers adorned the neck of women and some men with black fingernails, chunky eyeliner, and supposedly dark souls. Since the transitional period of the 90s, chokers have officially been written on the casual list, and now we see girls from 13-20 something wearing them with party dresses or baseball tees. Seeing this history of what was once a prestigious charm is now as common and as normalized as the air we breathe. This history goes to show that when it comes to fashion, anything is up for grabs. Don’t be afraid to dabble in the past times because after all, past fashion will show up sooner or later; why not be the face of regurgitated future? Aspire to be fashionably different, even if the options are all the same.