Lariat-style necklaces...

Back when I was sick with a cold, I had a succession of brainstorms about lariat-style necklaces. Seriously, I got up in the middle of the night and started making sketches! (g) When I got well enough to feel like claying again, I make a couple of prototypes of the style of necklace I had been sketching. Now I'm trying to decide whether or not this is just another instance of a fevered (or sleepy) brain thinking something is a great idea when it's really only so-so, at best. ;o)

I know I'm not the first one to make a lariat-style necklace-- even though I'd never personally worn one until I made one myself-- and I'm fairly sure that someone out there has probably made some even in the exact same style that I've been experimenting with. But anyway... It's still sort of "my" idea. I'm just trying to decide if it's one I even want to claim ownership of. ;o)

Here are a couple of photos of the first tries I've made:

I don't know how much you can tell from the photos, but the first one has a polymer clay focal button-bead with four piercings (like a button), and the second has a polymer clay focal button-bead with two elongated piercings (like a different style of button). Oh, and there are a pair of matching earrings in the first picture, too. All the other beads are store-bought glass or acrylic beads.

These lariats can both be worn in at least a couple of different ways:

#1-- The first is just the traditional way (or what I think of as traditional)-- like a bolo, or what I call a "Western" lariat. Put your head through the loop, with one strand of cord around your neck, and pull the focal bead up as tightly as you like against your neck, with the two beaded dangles hanging down in front. Or you can wear it the same way, just with the focal turned around to the back of your neck. (Only useful if you wear your hair up and have a backless dress.) Really, the dangles are too long on these lariats to suit that style very well.

#2--These lariats were actually made with another way to wear them in mind. Wrap the doubled cord around your neck, with just enough slack that you can "button" the loop (at the end of the doubled cord) over the large focal bead (and the dangles). Pull the focal bead tight to hold the necklace in place. The focal bead should be off to one side of your neck, with the dangles hanging down at slightly different lengths.

In my mind's eye, I saw this design as a very stylish, flirty, attractive type of lariat-- almost like a ribbon tied around your neck with a cute bow at the side. But like most choker/dog collar style necklaces, they aren't as comfortable as a looser-fitting necklace. Also, they may be more flattering on some necks than on others. A final mark against them is that you need a certain degree of flair and/or sass to wear something like that. I don't know how often I'll feel that a necklace of this style "goes" with the rest of my outfit... or personality! (g)

Anyway, I'm giving it some more thought. I already have the makings for one more lariat waiting for sanding and buffing. So we'll see how it turns out. It's sort of a psychedelic citrus theme with greens and yellows, so at least it'll be a little bit different from the others, but it's another flower-shaped focal. Sorry to bore you with my repetitive shapes. ;o)