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Refresh Your Jewelry Style with Pieces You Already Own

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Masha Krukow Student Contributor, George Washington University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at GWU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

From time to time, you might want to give your style an upgrade, but going through with such a change may be easier said than done. When accessorizing, it can be especially difficult if you have grown accustomed to specific habits in styling your day-to-day looks, such as by frequently wearing the same jewelry combinations. However, if you aren’t in the place to be spending on new jewelry, or you just want to avoid making unnecessary purchases, it can be tricky to diversify your looks with the same pieces. Here below, I’ve consolidated a list of ideas for inspiration to switch up your jewelry routine with pieces that you might already own!

Mixing and Matching Gemstones

Most of us can appreciate a matching set of jewelry, especially those curated with vibrant gemstones. While the obvious accessorizing option is to wear a pair of earrings and their matching necklace together, why not try including a variety of gemstones for a colorful new combination? You can match gemstone colors to the hues appearing in other elements of your outfit or incorporate various pops of jewel tones into a neutral look. If you have a few necklaces, earrings, bracelets, or rings with a variety of stone colors to choose from, mixing and matching them can be a great way to get more wear out of your pieces and create stunning new looks.

Necklaces with a variety of gemstone colors via Pinterest.
Colorful gemstone earrings via Pinterest.

Watch and Bracelet Stacks

While traditional analog watches might not be as popular now due to the prevalence of digital options, they are a beautiful accessory that are available in any type of metal finish that jewelry also has. If you have watches that don’t get as much use as they could, you can take the opportunity to include them as an addition to your wrist jewelry by wearing them alongside similar bracelets. This technique is just the way to include a wearable and classy statement piece to max out your wrist stack.  

Gold watch and bracelets via Pinterest.
Silver watch and bracelets via Pinterest.

Pearls and Metal

Pearls will always be a jewelry staple, and many avid jewelry wearers own something with pearls in the design. For simplicity’s sake, pearl jewelry might be minimalist in terms of the number of pieces worn at once, particularly in more formal scenarios. However, for everyday wear, one of my favorite ways to style pearls is by combining them with other metallic necklaces, earrings, and bracelets. Including a variety of textures and finishes to your jewelry combo can contribute more interest to a relatively simple outfit. Additionally, baroque pearls have become increasingly popular and can add an organic feel through their variety in shapes and sizes, elevating the uniqueness of your styling.

Pearl bracelets and necklaces accompanying gold jewelry via Pinterest.
Baroque pearl necklace with gold necklaces via Pinterest.

Chunky Earring Stacks

If you’re an earring-wearer, chances are that you’ve accumulated a wide range of earring styles over time, especially if you have multiple ear piercings. A fun way to dramatize any ear stack is by layering on chunky hoops and drop earrings that you might typically wear only one pair at a time in your first lobe piercings. Whether you go with varying sizes of the same style of earrings or mix it up with different shapes and finishes, you can make great use out of the pieces you already own and mix and match across both of your ears. Though it might not be a traditional method to style earrings, it’s a great option to allow your accessories to do the talking and increase your use of the bolder earrings in your collection. 

Chunky earring stack via Pinterest.
Chrome chunky earring stack via Pinterest.

Mixed Metals

If you’re someone who owns jewelry in each possible metal color, then this tip is definitely for you. With time, I have seen increasing numbers of people styling silver and gold jewelry pieces together. Think about how many additional jewelry combinations you could add to your rotation if you freely wear pieces together without regard to color! To help achieve cohesiveness in a mixed metal combination, you can try using similar styles of jewelry or motifs like charms or rhinestones that pull a common theme across your different color pieces. Though this technique is usually done with silver and gold jewelry, I also think rose gold and silver/white gold would be another amazing combination and hope to see it widely worn in mainstream style inspiration in the near future. 

Gold and silver jewelry via Pinterest.
Gold and silver necklaces via Pinterest.

Layered Chokers

If I ever wear a choker when layering necklaces, I normally choose one and wear it with several other longer necklaces. One way to pay more attention to some of your neglected chokers is to wear multiple at the same time. You can adjust each by their length to have some higher up on your neck than others, or even wear them layered closely to concentrate their impact in one area. This styling method can also be done along with techniques such as the mismatched gemstones and mixed metals ones listed above for a diverse range of style options.

Layered chokers via Pinterest.
Layered chokers via Pinterest.

It can be difficult to pull yourself out of a style rut while remaining mindful about consumption. With these jewelry tips, perhaps you can find inspiration to refresh your jewelry combos to create various new looks with the pieces you already have!

Masha Krukow is a junior studying Marketing and Business Analytics at the George Washington University. After having grown up in overseas military communities for most of her life, she currently resides in northern Virginia and loves to explore DC and the surrounding area. When Masha is not writing or studying, she loves doing makeup, shopping, going for walks, and talking with her friends.