Tassel necklaces by Elizabeth Yarborough and Podoll

Why It's Good:

An accessory that garners compliments, updates your outfit for right this second, goes with almost everything, looks great hanging around the house, and recycles little bits of metal that might otherwise end up as trash? How chic!

Why It's Green:

Elizabeth Yarborough makes unique, long (to the belly) chain tassel necklaces that rescue old metal beads and vermeil parts from the dustbin. Ann Lawson hand-makes (bypassing pollution-producing heavy machinery) jewelry like this tassel necklace-slash-belt for Podoll; by walking to work (a San Francisco studio close to home), she keeps her creative carbon footprint small.

Where To Get It:

For more information on Elizabeth Yarborough's chain tassel necklace, $325, go to www.yarboroughjewelry.com, click on "Collections" and hit "next." To place an order, call Opening Ceremony at 212-219-2688. Podoll Tassel Necklace, $485, is available at M.A.C. in San Francisco (415-863-3011); Cloth in Brooklyn, New York (718-403-0223); and Sydney Michelle in Newport Beach, California (949-673-2150).

An Accessory for All Outfits

Remember when tassels were silly dust-collecting thingamabobs that popped up here and there in granny's house? Talk about tassel turn-around. These days, tassels look grand hanging from doorknobs, jewelry-box keys, and even your ears. (They also belong to a decorative genre that's fun to say out loud: passementerie.) We happen to prefer them around our necks—just the thing to add individuality to a turtleneck, bring gravitas to a between-season dress, or loosen up last year's suit. We don't recommend wearing them on roller coasters (could knock your seat buddy out cold), motorcycles (just asking for a black eye), or mornings when your head already feels heavy on your neck (fluids and bed rest—and/or hair of the dog—on those days). In particular, we feel a yen for the chain tassel necklaces by gifted jewelry designer Elizabeth Yarborough (whose gorgeous website is a paean to chickens, jewelry and feathers). Each of her pieces is uniquely crafted from bits of discarded metal beads and vermeil bits. We also like the handcrafted sterling silver dual-function belt-necklace by Ann Lawson for Podoll, a San Francisco-based designer. Did we say dual function? Consider it triple function: When it's not around your neck, you can always elegantly hang it on a doorknob or use it as a deluxe curtain tieback.