Right, why exactly are all the Love Island boys wearing pearl necklaces this year?

Pearls have got this year’s Love Island men in a chokehold. The strings of iridescent sea gems, formerly reserved for grannies the world over, have well and truly ousted any other accessory in the villa. Chain boys, like Connell from Normal People, are seemingly done for— it’s the boys dressing like Harry Styles that are snogging and slaying.

Fundamentally, we’ve got questions about how this pearl craze first formed. And why it was allowed to run rampant around the Love Island villa like Shag Bands did in secondary schools in 2004. Viewers think there could be a secret sign we’re missing. So, let’s take a closer look at the Love Island pearl phenomenon:

Stage one, Ron

Even in his pre-villa promo pics, Ron was wearing a peal necklace with a small blue bead detail and a little matching bracelet. When he whipped out his jewellery collection on the show, he opted for a simpler design. But there’s no doubting who initiated the pearl trend amongst the boys. This man right here.

Stage two, David

In episode four, David made his blink-and-you’ll-miss-him bombshell appearance with two chunky strings of pearls in toe. Mostly he paired this with an open black shirt (more on that later) and, although he only lasted two days on the show, was the next super spreader of the pearl trend.

Stage three, Tom

Ah ha. An outfit thief. On episode five, when David’s bed was barely cold, Tom took inspo from the black shirt pearl necklace look and tried it out for himself. It looks like he’s wearing the same blue flower variation Ron was in his promo pics. So, it’s likely he borrowed it from the trend setter himself.

Stage four, Will

Unafraid of a vibey accessory, Will found a pearl necklace of his own to pair with his blue-tinted glasses and fluffy bucket hat by episode seven. Definitely the jazziest design we’ve seen so far, Will’s pearls also have a dangling gold charm at the centre and he hasn’t taken it off since he found it.

Seriously:

Stage five, Kai

He almost resisted the lure of the pearls, but in episode 16 Kai jumped on the band waggon too with a black T-shirt combo we’ve already seen Ron sport roughly 500 times. Shaq is legit one of the only OG boys who’s remained pearl free at this point. And that’s not the end of the saga…

Stage six, Jordan

Swanning in at 6ft5, Jordan would rather have been seen dead than enter the Love Island villa without his pearls in check. He wore them in his entrance vids, his date with Tanyel, his date with Olivia, and barely took them off until he was booted off the show. They’re basically a criteria for being a contestant at this point.

But WHERE are they coming from??

Why exactly are all of the Love Island boys wearing pearl necklaces?

There are many theories trickling around the internet about these necklaces, including one that the boys think pearls make them look more wholesome and innocent. Initially, we figured Love Island’s communal eBay wardrobe the source of the craze— that strings of pearls were suggested and supplied for the boys by experts. But it turns out they’ve done it off their own back.

In emails to The Tab, eBay representatives confirmed they didn’t place the pearls in the villa. And reports have now said the necklaces come from a brand called Cernucci. So, seemingly Ron brought two necklaces into the villa, the boys started to borrow them and when the brand saw the popularity building, shipped a load more supplies over to South Africa as fast as they could.

But that’s just a theory.

And why do men love pearl necklaces all of a sudden?

Obviously, Harry Styles is the main culprit in bringing pearl necklaces into the mainstream man’s wardrobe as a symbol of sexiness. And some fans are seriously unhappy that they’ve reached as far as Love Island:

“If you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada think of the necklaces as Andie’s cerulean sweater,” wrote one viewer on Reddit. “They are a watered down trend that began with men like Harry Styles and style influencers on TikTok… several years ago. “They’ve finally watered down enough to become heteronormative enough for the average, trendy straight man’s wardrobe.” Facts.

So, get your pre-orders in now for Ron’s BoohooMAN pearl collection! Just kidding. Probably will happen, though.

Love Island 2023 continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. For all the latest Love Island news and gossip and for the best memes and quizzes, like The Holy Church of Love Island on Facebook. Featured image via ITV. 

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