Where to buy beaded necklaces?

June 20, 2018 7:06 AM

Hey y'all, where are some good websites to buy single strand beaded necklaces (solid colored or multicolored)?

I am trying to jazz up my work wardrobe with some accessories but Etsy is overwhelming. I like a lot of color but more simple things are good too, I just need to know where to buy stuff! I am not talking like fancy pearl necklaces here, prefer to spend say < 40-50 for a necklace. Basically a single or double strand version of this (I have done some custom orders from that seller but am hoping to find something ready-made). Or similar things. Mefites, where do you buy pretty beaded necklaces?

posted by leesh to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (11 answers total)

I think Etsy is still your best bet. Have you played around with the filters on their search tool? They are powerful -- check out these results.

Look down the left side -- you can filter the results by price (I entered a max price of $50 and left the lowest price blank). At the top, you can sort the results by price (I like to do this, because I find that price correlates with quality on Etsy jewelry). You can also use the minus side to exclude certain terms (you'll see that I excluded terms like braid and pendant, but you could also exclude colors you already have). And if you are looking for a specific color, you could add it to the search, which would narrow the results even more.

The results I got are not all multi-strand and not all single color, but there's a lot there that looks like the necklace you linked to. If you refine the search even further, you might not be so overwhelmed.
posted by OrangeDisk at 7:30 AM on June 20, 2018

World Market frequently has interesting necklaces. If there's a bead store in town, try them. Craft shows are great for jewelry.
posted by theora55 at 7:45 AM on June 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Thrift stores have lots of necklaces like these, often vintage, for less than ten bucks. I've also had good luck on eBay. The quality may not be as high as the piece you linked to, but you'll have variety.
posted by XtineHutch at 7:55 AM on June 20, 2018

We Buy Black -> Categories -> Clothing and Accessories -> Jewelry -> Necklaces -> Beaded Necklaces. 117 results may mean there's nothing that quite checks all your boxes, but it's not an overwhelming number to look through at least!
posted by solotoro at 8:02 AM on June 20, 2018

Anthropology, Chan Luu, Sundance have great necklaces, going to be expensive though. Etsy is your best bet. Or, they're easy to make once you learn how, and it's a great hobby.
posted by bluesky78987 at 8:22 AM on June 20, 2018

You can search for “Twist Beads”. Back in my day, they were called Twist A Beads.
posted by artychoke at 8:44 AM on June 20, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks for all the answers so far! I know how to use filters on Etsy but I'm really looking for specific online shop recommendations. I'm not looking to go to a brick and mortar store or to take up beading right now. Here's a link to the kind of necklace/shop I want (not twisted).
posted by leesh at 9:17 AM on June 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

I find a lot of J Crew necklaces have this vibe. Ebay seems like a good place to look.
posted by zoetrope at 11:26 AM on June 20, 2018

My old pal Stefanie Wolf makes things that might interest you.
posted by vrakatar at 2:34 PM on June 20, 2018

When I first "met" Sandy on the internet back in 2008 she was a high school teacher, selling her beaded work. I don't know if she is still teaching, but her site has grown. Prices still seem very reasonable:
http://beadeuphoria.net/page/187408

She has all kinds of handmade stuff, but I've linked (I hope) to the more simple, single-strand men's necklaces which is what I bought -- numerous pieces -- because I'm not into shimmery stuff. She finds really beautiful stones and beads. She also does custom work, and can adjust a piece if you'd something a little different (the fittings, clasps, etc.)

Happy shopping!
posted by alwayson_slightlyoff at 3:23 PM on June 20, 2018

I have had a lot of good luck from ebay:

Turkey Turquoise

Blue Tiger's Eye

KUKUI NUTS LEI BEAD
posted by loveyhowell at 6:56 PM on June 20, 2018