In summer photo dumps on Instagram feeds from the Amalfi Coast to Fiji and everywhere in between, one accessory, glistening in between the tanned and glowing cleavage of every hot girl with a notable following, has been glaringly hard to ignore: the cross necklace. The cross has recently become a symbol in personal style in a way that differs from its use as a tongue-in-cheek fashion statement or bold, period piece accessory, as seen in Chappell Roan’s oversized cross pendant at the 2024 VMAs, part of her medieval-inspired costuming. Many women who wear a small cross pendant have also been outspoken about their Christian faith and conservative values.
One notable example of hot girls pushing conservative, Christian values to the mainstream was this past summer’s season of Love Island USA. It started with 22-year-old contestant Belle-A lamenting about the importance of her faith, which evolved into conversations about how she’s a “high-value” woman, a known talking point of male right-wing, “red pill” podcasters. Fellow Islanders Olandria and Huda spoke of their missions to find a husband in their introductions in the first episode, a less typical pursuit than past Islanders who have simply said they’re looking for someone tall, dark, and handsome with tattoos. Multiple Islanders from this past season had Bible verses in their social media bios, and the cross necklace was a frequent accessory for a number of Islanders, both male and female.
According to Google Trends, searches for cross necklaces have been up this summer, starting to spike in May and hitting a peak in early July, a timeline that matches the popularity of Love Island USA this summer. On Peacock’s “Shop the Islander’s Look” page, Belle-A’s gold cross necklace from Alex and Ani is linked. There are even silver cross pendants linked to male Islanders Ace and Chris. Other Islanders notably wore crosses throughout the summer too, including Casa Amor girl Clarke, whose toying with her cross during a recoupling ceremony caught the eye (and hearts) of some viewers. And during the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion on August 25, both Jeremiah and Charlie sported gold chain pendants.
Some brands have hopped on the trend to capitalize on this renewed interest. Trendy jewelers like Brilliant Earth have cross pendants on their “Best Selling Jewelry” page, and Hey Harper has a “Faith” necklace on their front page. Higher-end jewelers like Tiffany have a wide variety of cross pendant offerings, including collaborations with other designers. Charm-heavy brand Pandora, which has seen a rise in popularity among Gen Z and Gen Alpha clientele, also offers a range of cross charms and pendants. As the popularity of TikTok Shop rises, one frequently promoted item is a cross pendant with a crown around it, being pushed by standard users and micro-influencers alike.
Of course, it can’t be said that every hot girl in a cross necklace is a Bible-thumping Christian, and there are some more devout followers of God who are offended by the uprising of cross pendants as a hot new accessory. For others, a cross necklace is just a necklace, devoid of any deeper meaning. “I’m not at all religious, and I wear a few. I’m a huge jewelry collector, and my collection is almost entirely from my travels. I have a small turquoise one, a big silver one, and a big gold one,” Melanie Johnson, 32, says of her cross pendants. “I bought them all while traveling at local or thrift shops. They just happen to have been pieces that called me.”
For formerly religious people like Em Kapp, 28, the attachment to the cross symbol runs a little deeper. They still carry a rosary they received as a teenager, pointing out that if you’re a practicing Catholic, wearing a rosary is considered disrespectful. “It still holds some significance to me in a complicated way. I don’t hold the same reverence towards it as I used to — it’s an object that reminds me of a part of my upbringing,” they say. “And I like the aesthetic of it, since my favorite album is My Chemical Romance’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge and Gerard Way, who is also a former Catholic, put a lot of Catholic imagery into that album.”
It’s true that cross necklaces have been around forever, and you may have even owned one yourself as a child or teenager, but why the sudden surge of adult women wearing them in their bikini pics? Well, for starters, it’s a simple and effective way to communicate that while they might be scantily clad, they aren’t easy. The cross necklace is a stand-in signifier of values, a way to say: I can flirt and have a little fun with you, but ultimately, I am looking for a husband.
The new fashion trend is yet another marker of a push towards more widespread conservative values – or a “recession indicator,” depending on who you ask. As the Trump administration continues to attack freedom of expression and minority groups, including women, some people have opted to lean into the right-wing conservatism of it all. In traditional media and on social media, a resurgence of Christianity is apparent, with shows like Are You My First? (described as “Love Island for virgins“) and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives taking off. As well as “trad-wife” influencers like Nara Smith becoming increasingly popular (she boasts nearly 5 million followers on Instagram, and nearly 12 million on TikTok). The beloved influencer’s promotion of the “soft life” aesthetic has influenced many young women on social media who are looking for a form of escapism from the harsh reality of a dwindling job market, sky-high rents, and other recession factors that make an independent life harder to achieve. Young men are trending more Republican, as young straight women looking to settle down struggle to strike a balance between their own political views and what they might accept from a partner.
Sure, a shiny necklace dangling between your cleavage might look hot in photos. But when the overwhelming influence of social media erodes people’s ability to distinguish between being sold a fashion accessory and being sold neoconservatism, the line between promoting one’s values and promoting one’s value as a person begins to blur.
