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Jewelry is such a beautiful part of any wardrobe that it deserves just as much thought and attention as the rest of our closets. I used to think that because each piece is small and doesn’t take up much room, I didn’t need to worry about how much I was collecting. This of course all changed when I began packing for my big move across the world; I was immediately overwhelmed by the sheer amount of items I had and how many pieces were getting overlooked simply because I couldn’t see them in my large heap. Things had to change, and they did with these 6 useful tips I am sharing with you today. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Take a Look at Your Current Collection
Lay out everything you have on your bed, table, or wherever you are comfortable. Then separate the items you wear most often and find the similarities in these pieces. For example, do you often reach for gold pieces or silver? Take note.
Once you have done that, look at all the other items that aren’t getting much sunshine and find the similarities between those as well. I would argue, it is almost more important to know why you don’t like something as opposed to why you do like something.
Step 2: Do You Prefer Silver or Gold
In order to determine this, you will need to figure out what your undertone is. Linked is a great video to help you out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw_ie8PUXGI
When you finally understand your undertone, you will be able to understand why certain colors look better on you than others. A general rule of thumb is: if you are cool - silver tends to look better on you, warm - gold looks great on you, or if you are a neutral - you look good in both.
Mixing metal is always a fun twist to this rule.
Step 3: Choose Between Solid vs. Plated
This decision comes down to price, mostly. Solid will obviously hold a higher price tag than plated, but that doesn’t mean plated is a bad option. There are a few non-tarnish plated jewelry brands coming out that promise to be waterproof, sweat proof, and saltwater proof. It’s magic. I recommend Hey Harper and Ellie Vail.
Step 4: Experiment with Lower End Options First
Before splurging on your next piece of jewelry, it might be wise to give it a test run beforehand. Believe me, I say this from experience. Vintage and secondhand jewelry is a good way to practice this method because sometimes costume jewelry can look really cheap and tarnish almost immediately, which doesn’t justify any price tag.
Step 5: Start with the Basics
This is the perfect place to start when building your collection from scratch. Look for some common basics like stud earrings, hoop earrings, a delicate necklace, a simple bracelet, and delicate rings. You only really want to introduce pieces that you will actually wear and that work cohesively with the rest of your closet.
Here are some classic hoops to add to your collection:
Step 6: Know Your Size
This might be the most important step on this list. Here we are talking necklace length, ring size, and even bracelet size. Choosing the right size of all of these will ensure that you will wear those pieces you will be buying and that they work with the rest of your collection. For earrings, it’s good to know how long you like your earrings and how well they play with your overall proportions. And for hoops especially, the thickness of the hoop might be more important than the overall size.
Luckily, finding your size isn’t difficult and with the right tools (a ring sizer & a soft tape measure) you can confidently purchase online or in-store.
I hope these tips help guide you with your closet re-creation journey. And as always, we are here to help.
Till next time,
Dre