Hanging around

Statement necklaces got you in a chokehold? Trade last season's heavy baubles for this spring's lighter styles. "They fill in the neckline and look substantial, but weigh next to nothing," says Erica DeMarco, owner of the bejeweled W.O.W. boutique in Newton. One hot trend, she says, is mixing chains in various metals and link sizes with beads made of wood, resin, and painted Lucite. Also looking new are edgier designs in black-and-white sculpted rubber or boldly colored papier-mache, DeMarco adds. As seen here, women are happy to be stranded in Boston.