I wrote last week about quality and choosing clothes, particularly as we age. Today I'm going to turn my attention to the subject of accessories - and how to choose them no matter your age.
When I was young, quality in jewellery meant:
Real gold (not gold plated or gold colour or silver or resin or heavens no plastic!)
Real gems (diamonds, pearls, sapphires, emeralds, rubies)
That meant that jewellery was small in scale and we had few pieces that had to work with everything. As I grew up silver became more acceptable (and white gold and platinum more popular), and then other semi-precious stones such as turquoise and lapis lazuli and the like gained in popularity.
Nowadays, there is so much 'costume' jewellery around and you can spend a fortune buying pieces made from resin or other materials, you can't tell the cost of many pieces as there is no longer the same emphasis on gold and traditional gems in jewellery as the only indicators of quality.
So if you can only identify quality with those old rules, but want to expand your jewellery selection outside of these tight boundaries, what to look for?
Material and Construction
What is is made from? Gold, silver, platinum, stainless steel, titanium, wood, stone, coral, plastic, glass, resin, enamel ..... there are just so many different materials that jewellery can be made from. These days it's not about the material so much, as the design and style that goes into the piece. If a piece doesn't look cheap, like it's made from poor quality plastic then or really cheap metals that will discolour quickly then it doesn't matter what the "cost" of it is. Only princesses, celebrities and the super rich wear the amazing real gems these days.
If it's poorly made it will look cheap.
Personality Style
This to me is the most important thing to consider when choosing jewellery. Does it resonate with you? Does it represent who you are? Is it your style recipe? Do you like how it looks?
If you are more classic in your dressing style, yes you will want to go for more traditional gold with real gem style pieces. But if you are relaxed think about pieces made from polished stones like turquoise rather than cut diamonds. Or if you are creative you can really have fun with unique pieces that you either make yourself or buy from galleries or markets.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing personality inspired jewellery.
Discover more about personality style and choosing necklaces.
What Are You Wearing it With
The outfit you plan to wear your jewellery with also matters. Think about the level of refinement, are you dressing up or more casually. More casual outfits require more relaxed jewellery rather than lots of sparkles (unless of course you personality calls for bling). Daytime may require different pieces to nighttime.
Can you wear jewels with jeans? Of course - but look at your whole outfit - and take some tips from Jan.
Your Defining Features
What are you defining facial features? Did you know that replicating elements of your facial features with the shapes of the jewellery next to it will create the most harmonious appearance. If you have mostly curved features, go for curved jewellery shapes. If you are angular look for straight lines and angles in your necklaces and earrings. If you have both elements in your face, then look for jewellery with both curved and angular or straight elements.
So you can see that there are a number of elements you want to consider to make sure the necklace you choose is right for your outfit, and suits your personality style.
