my mother's obsession with margaret thatcher's pearls
words by dilara
photos by getty images
How did the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, infamous Iron Lady, inspire generations of women, including my mother? And are pearls making a comeback? Yes, they are!
British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher making a speech 22nd May 1980
The last month, Ramadan and the cool weather bid farewell and we, the Istanbulites, welcomed the summer and the city’s very humid hot weather. The heatwave in Istanbul has begun, so did our sleepless nights. Last night, while I was aimlessly scrolling up and down my phone, I realized it was early July and this meant one thing and one thing only: my mother's birthday was getting closer. How exciting! Until now, every year, I and my two brothers have been buying a bag or a chic watch for her birthday present. This year, I felt like I had to do something different, something that's going to make her extra happy. And I suddenly remembered that she was obsessed with Margaret Thatcher's pearl necklaces. Luckily, I was already in the middle of preparing a new collection with pearls. Why don’t I design a pearl necklace for her? When I looked at her necklace, it was a symbol of grace and I realized why my mother loved it so much.
"she gave up the hats but not the pearls and turned ıts soft ımage to strength."
The Former British Prime Minister is also known as the Iron Lady, a nickname representing her conservatism and political ruthlessness. Although the nickname given by the Soviet press started as an insult, she chose to embrace it: “I stand before you tonight in my Red Star chiffon evening gown, my face softly made up, my fair hair gently waved, Iron Lady of the Western world,” said to members of her party with a humorous speech. And from this point forward, she became the Iron Lady. This is definitely not a political piece and I am definitely not here to discuss or criticize her political career and conservatism. It is purely about how a British political figure’s fashion sense has made an effect all over the world.
Margaret wasn’t the only famous icon who used pearls as her favourite accessory. There was Jackie O. Kennedy and others. The cinema icons or first ladies. Pearls symbolize grace, nobility, and also “softness”, which are the qualities of the perfect housewife. That’s why the advisors in the conservative party told Thatcher to lose the hats and the pearls. She gave up the hats, but not the pearls and turn its soft image to strength. Maybe this was part of the reason that her style was so followed and so loved by women. Margaret never left the house without her pearl earrings and necklace. Every day she appeared at work with the new jewellery. Also, she was obsessed with handbags. Here are some of Margaret Thatcher’s best style moments.
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There’s a lot to do to make mom’s wish a reality. I would probably have to get 6 mm pearls. And I had to go to the real pearl for this. Last year when I went to a jewellery fair in the CNR EXPO with my friend, we learned where to buy precious stones in Istanbul. There is an area for the specialist gemstones shops just outside the Grand Bazaar. If you want to buy precious stones in Istanbul, everybody says Tavukpazarı is the address. I have absolutely no doubt for their authenticity, maybe some for the level of their quality. But you would have to research and browse every shop, touch every gemstone to understand which ones are better. If the people in the bazaar and the stalls were selling things that were not good or fake, they wouldn't be in business very long. After all, the Grand Bazaar is the starting point for every good jeweller.
Choosing gemstones can be stressful. There are a lot of options. Which stone do you want? Where do you start? Are you looking for real stones or the synthetic ones? With these questions, I arrived at Tavukpazarı where there are a lot of shops to browse. Beyond all these extraordinary variety of styles and shops, the good news is that Tavukpazarı is at a bargain price. I looked every one of them and decided that the best shop is Seher. There are just so many interesting and different gemstones, and you’ll find so many of them there hanging from the ceiling to the floor wall to wall. Shiny gemstones and friendly vendors. I couldn’t have asked for more! The vendors were so kind that I definitely couldn’t leave without buying anything. I asked for 6mm pearl, they told me that the price was 52 dollars for a strand. But he added, ‘‘it isn't real, but a pearl called ‘Majorica’, however the other small pearls are real.’’ Majorica pearls which are imitation, have been made for over 100 years on the Spanish island of Majorca.
"what's the difference between a real and a fake pearl?"
I was captivated by the stones the moment I entered the shop. I couldn’t help myself but bought a strand of sparkly pink crystals, which cost me 10 dollars. It was so charming that I already started to design it in my mind. Before I bought the whole store, I left there immediately since I was supposed to find real pearls for my mother. Just right down the street, there was a store called “Rüzgar Ä°nci” that had a window filled with amazingly round and large pearls. I asked for 6mm pearls again, which were about 5000 dollars, but this time they were real. Well, it is reasonable compared to the general price on the market. You can buy Majorica pearls if the price for real ones were too high for you. Though you might be questioning now: “What’s the difference between a real and a fake pearl?” Of course, they are quite different in terms of quality and appearance. Only the one who has seen real pearls can figure out that Majorica ones are not real. If you are in the area, I would definitely suggest to you not to miss the chance to meet with the lovely gemstones shops and get a strand of pearls for you as I have seen pearls are making a comeback this year. I eagerly left the store and headed off to the office with sparkly goodies in my bag. Mom, I hope you like it and it will be worth that I melted in the heat.
A couple of years later her departure, Christie's offered a rare opportunity for collectors with an auction titled: Mrs Thatcher: A sale offering unique insights into the ‘Iron Lady’. Below is another insight her style from the auction.