Once upon a time, in the early aughts, I fell victim to the trend cycle. Hard. With nearly every outfit I wore, I'd always top it off with a huge, heavy, statement necklace. You know the ones I'm talking about — the crystal, flower-shaped ones (a la J. Crew), and heavy, beaded bib styles. It kind of became my thing, especially in college. But as the trend cycle ambled on, these necklaces phased out. Now, I barely own any jewelry because frankly, I don't know where to start. That's why I'm building a jewelry collection from scratch — easy, layered pieces that work well while dressed up or down. Having core pieces that I can build upon as the years go by means that I will have options that I can pull out of my jewelry box at any point in time.
Back in my college days, my budget was a bit, err, limited. Most of my jewelry came from costume shops or the thrift store. Now, I plan on investing in quality pieces that won't fade or tarnish. You'll notice that all of my selections below are gold — I'm a Brooklyn girl through and through, and rarely wear any other finish. And aside from that, these pieces are an accurate reflection of my style, past and present. See what I'm shopping ahead.
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Everyday Jewelry Pieces: Hoops
I wear hoops every single day, practically. And I've gone through far too many to count, since I tend to pick gold-plated rather than filled. I opt for cheaper, replaceable earrings because I'm always losing them, whether it be within my apartment or while I'm out. But these beautiful selections from Laura Lombardi and Mejuri are worth taking special care of.
Everyday Jewelry Pieces: Studs & Huggies
Growing up, I once read that a woman is never supposed to leave the house without earrings on. Obviously, that piece of dated women's magazine advice is super antiquated and sexist. But I still don't feel like myself without something in my ears. These simple studs are fantastic for the days when I don't want to bother wearing anything too fussy.
Everyday Jewelry Pieces: Necklaces
I love the look of layered necklaces buried inside of a button-down or on top of a simple v-neck, my two quarantine staples. It's my goal to have a rotation of 10 necklaces to switch out throughout the week. Of course, a nameplate necklace is requisite.
Everyday Jewelry Pieces: Rings
I typically avoid rings because, like earrings, I always tend to lose them. But lately, since most of my time is spent on my laptop, I find delight in the little things — like doing my nails to compliment my keyboard. A pretty stack of rings would be icing on the cake.
