Palaeolithic examples of garments are rare and mostly indirectly identified through associated items such as appliqués or defined traces of ochre recovered from burial contexts. The multi-layered open-air site complex of Grub-Kranawetberg in Austria (c. 30,000–25,000 years ago) consists of hundreds of ivory and shell beads recovered from occupational contexts. Ongoing investigations into their morphology and traces of use suggest they were used by past hunter-gatherers to adorn garments. The assemblage is characterised by a high diversity of both shell and ivory bead shapes and exploited mollusc species. Seeing garments as composites of individual items all contributing to the narrative belonging to the wearer, we dig deeper into the tangible subset of the composition, namely the identity of shells and ivory appliqués. This includes data on the raw material selection, manufacturing processes, bead-types, use, re-use and loss. This contribution provides the first comprehensive overview of the taxonomic composition of the shell bead assemblage. Furthermore, we provide an overview of chronological and spatial trends seen across the site complex, namely Grub-Kranawetberg I and II and the associated bone accumulation. Then, we contemplate possible inferences on both the makers and the wearers of the ornaments through parallels in uses in life and death.