A sautoir is a very long necklace, typically well over 30 inches and sometimes much longer, often finished with a tassel or a large pendant at its end. The word is French, and the style is inseparable from the fashions of the 1920s, when long sautoirs of pearls, beads or chain were worn over the straight, dropped-waist dresses of the period.
A Necklace of Many Lengths
A sautoir is rarely worn at full length only. Its extra length is a styling tool: it can be doubled into two shorter strands, looped once and worn long, or knotted low on the chest. The terminal - the tassel or pendant at the end - gives the long line a deliberate finish, stopping it from looking like an ordinary chain that simply happens to be long.
Historic sautoirs were often ropes of pearls or jet beads with a silk or gem-set tassel. Modern versions use long fine chains, station chains or bead strands, and the tassel may be chain, beaded or crystal. Because the piece is long, weight matters: a sautoir should hang comfortably for hours without pulling.
- Tassel sautoirs - a bead, silk or chain tassel finishes the end.
- Pendant sautoirs - one large pendant anchors the long strand.
- Pearl sautoirs - long pearl ropes, knotted or doubled, in 1920s style.
Wearing a Sautoir
Long necklaces lengthen the line of an outfit, so a sautoir flatters plain, high or simple necklines where its full drop can be seen - shift dresses, plain knitwear and column silhouettes. Avoid competing detail at the neckline itself. When doubling a sautoir, make sure the clasp sits neatly at the back and the two loops fall at clearly different lengths, which looks intentional rather than tangled.
Choosing Length and Weight
Decide how you will mostly wear a sautoir before choosing its length. If you plan to double it, the two loops need enough difference in length to read as two necklaces, which means starting longer. If you will wear it single and long, the terminal should fall at a point that suits your usual necklines, not into them. Weigh the piece in your hand as well: a sautoir is worn for hours, and a heavy tassel on a long strand pulls steadily. A well-balanced sautoir hangs straight from the neck without the strand twisting or the terminal swinging sideways as you walk.
FAQs
- How long is a sautoir necklace?
- A sautoir is generally 30 inches or longer, and many are 36 to 48 inches or more, so they can be doubled, looped or knotted.
- What is the tassel for on a sautoir?
- The tassel is the decorative terminal of the necklace. It finishes the long strand, adds weight so it hangs straight, and gives the eye a focal point.
- Can a sautoir be worn doubled?
- Yes. Doubling a long sautoir into two strands of different lengths is one of the classic ways to wear it.