Pandora - fab or chav?

[phooey]

I bought myself a cream leather Pandora bracelet, to go with the lovely Monica Vinader cream and silver Fiji bracelet DH bought me for Xmas.

I've become a tad obsessed, it's cleverly designed for magpies like me! I've bought 3 beads for it already at a cost of £40-£50 each

I'm going to buy a black Pandora string too so I can wear beads around my neck too.

I feel like a convert to a cult, but also that a lot of jewellery has copied the Pandora style recently, especially M and S costume stuff, so it's nice to have the real deal. It's also very versatile - adding different colours of glass beads depending on outfit.

Fab or chav?

[Hullygully]

Always be happy with your own choices and opinions. Asking for other people's is asking for trouble..

[BiscuitNibbler]

They are costume jewellery marketed as real jewellery, which is just conning people. If you like them, wear and enjoy them, but do not think for a moment that they will retain value.

[boobjob]

For the many reasons mentioned above, I am afraid, Pandora screams CHAV to me too

[diddl]

I like the glass beads but bought myself a couple of cheap ones to wear on a silver bracelet that I already had.

I think Pandora is vastly overpriced.

"They are costume jewellery marketed as real jewellery"

I think that that sums it up tbh.

[diddl]

To answer original question.

I don´t think "chav", but certainly not "fab" either.

Much nicer things are available for the price imo.

[Rannaldini]

HORRIBLE
lacking the charm of chav

[vjg13]

Dierdre Barlow wears one on Corrie and so did Big Mo on Eastenders..... should I go on

I think they have become too ubiquitous and do make me shudder when I see one.

[5DollarShake]

Ubiquitous. 'Trendy' and not in a good way; in a band-wagon way, which means they will date massively in a very short while. Teens like them, 'nuff said.

I dunno - there is so much jewellery out there these days. Every other person you meet is a 'jewellery designer' and if you put jewellery into google you will be completely inundated with different designers and products, let alone all the usual shops flogging jewellery.

Bearing this in mind, why wear what every other person on the street is wearing?

[teenyweenytadpole]

My 9 year old daughter loves her copy version bought from a local shop, and I do think it looks pretty on her. She really enjoyed choosing the individual beads. My MIL collects the "real thing" but I have to say I can't really tell the difference between my daughters knock-off version and my MIL's posh version!

[BendyBob]

I have a pale pink leather charm bracelet (it's not Pandora) with a nice magnetic silver clasp.

One or two small silver charms are all I want - I don't like them bulging with stuff jingling and rattling about.

I think the beads are overpriced and becoming too commonplace so I'm giving them a miss.

[DonaAna]

The Pandora ones are just naff. There are some OK charm bracelets - although they tend to work better if you are 18 and have a tan from skiing in Verbier - Tiffany's does some of the better ones, although they, too, have some junky looking bits. But Pandora is the pits. Sorry.

However, if it's a gift from someone you love, wear it with confidence. That's what style is all about, isn't it? (Think Isabella Blow wearing Pandora )

[TrillianAstra]

Pandora has some nice things.

But I don't like charm bracelets in general.

[bishboschone]

chav...on the basis they are very expensive and not very nice.

[HettyAmaretti]

Pandora = hideous tat.

[BlooferLady]

I'm staggered at anyone falling for this. For £40 you could get a beautiful piece of original vintage silver jewellery if you look hard enough. It's all going to be VERY embarrassing in 3 years' time.

Wouldn't call it chav though - more sort of Bodeny-mumsyish.

Sorry, but as someone said earlier, you did ask!

[barbieisaskinnybitch]

I'm torn - I don't know anyone who has one, and I think you should make your own mind up. BUT my SIL is the female equivalent of John McCririck in style-stakes & she lusts after one.

On that basis alone, I can't even think of getting one for myself

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I think they are a style free zone. Very naff indeed.

I went to dinner with SIL for her birthday, one of her friends had one which she boasted had cost her more than a grand on charms and looked very smug about it. I curled my lip mentally.

[phooey]

Point taken that I can't ask for peoples opinions and then be peeved when the majority think they are chav

They seem to genuinely inspire strong negative feelings in some posters though which is kinda interesting.

I would say however they're not 'costume jewellery' by definition as they are handcrafted sterling silver or 14ct gold, and for the price you'd get a pendant that you could only wear one way. The simple silver charms are £30, the 3 I have are the queen bee, which is silver with a gold crown; a silver ball with mother of pearl hearts, and a decorative silver and gold charm. I'm happy with the 3 beads on the cream leather - I think it looks stylish and has gained compliments - perhaps the leather is a bit less 'common' than a full-up silver one.

[ENormaSnob]

Not my cup o tea but each to their own.

[MissRead]

I don't like them personally as I think the beads are quite clunky and ugly but I do like the idea of a bracelet that you can build up over time and where the different beads/charms have personal meaning to you. I really love these for example.

I don't get the 'chav' label that is thrown at so many things on here as soon as a few people start wearing/using them. Chav means something altogether different to me. I also wonder how common (as in seen around a lot, not as in lower class) Pandoras, Boden and other things that get sneered at actually are - I don't know anyone round here who wears Boden and have only seen a couple of people with Pandora/Pandora-style bracelets. Think we must be a bit behind the times in my neck of the woods!

[rasta]

They are OK-ish I guess. However, for the same price, if not less, you could buy a lovely, hand made, unique piece of jewellery from a contemporary designer!

[phooey]

MissRead I actually nearly went for the Kit Heath one you linked to, I think they're really pretty! There are just so many more possibilities with Pandora as they have thousands of beads and a variety of ways of wearing them, not just the full silver bracelet look. I do love Kit Heath stuff - I fancy her stepping stones bracelet.

Re being called a chav - I posted about a Juicy Couture stripey velour dress on here once under a different guise - you can imagine the reaction I got (it's really nice, honest. And so practical )

[becklesparkle]

They're fab IMO, I didn't know they were seen as chavvy! TBH I don't see it matters what other people think if you love it!

I have a Chamillia one which is the same kind of thing, I personally think they have a nicer range of beads although the Pandora beads are the same size and also fit the bracelet. DH bought me it to cheer me up when I had just been told I was possibly quite poorly (all fine now - touch wood) and I have some pretty beads which he has bought me for my birthday, Christmas and our anniversary. I also have a Pandora bead for my starsign and some cheaper ones I've bought off ebay. I can definitely tell the difference between the cheap ones and the nice Murano glass ones!

I love the way you can chop and change, I have mainly pink/purple colours and some silver beads but I would also like to collect some other colours so I can change the bracelet when I feel like it. I like the clunkyness of the bracelet too.

In answer to what NancyDrewHadaClue said - I don't mind that beads are the main thing I'll get for special occasions for a while as there's not much I need so its nice to have something pretty that I'll get some use out of rather than chocolates and things that'll end up in a cupboard unused.

[higgle]

I have troll beads, bcause DH bought me the bracelet - is that viewed as better or worse? anyway mine has only 4 beads, which I like because somehow it is nice to see the silver chain. The clasp, which has a little flower and a pearl on it is exquisite. I'm quite old and not influenced by other people.

[Gertiegoolash]

I love mine, my beads all have personal meanings, don't really give a toss if there considered "chavvy" whatever that means anyway, if you like it thats all that matters