Jewelry is arguably one of the most fun expressions of personal style, and an aspect of fashion that can truly last a lifetime when taken care of, passed down between generations as mementos of lives beautifully lived. This past year I’ve spent a lot of time taking inspiration and thinking about jewelry, discovering my preferences and beginning to build a capsule rotation I hope to keep for a long time. Ultimately, jewelry never has to be something serious or perfectly curated, but I hope this article serves as a fun record of the things I’ve considered and advice I can share when it comes to creating your own unique collection!
Durable Pieces
Perhaps the best piece of advice I have when reading this article is to invest in durable pieces–it may hurt in the moment, but it is truly so worth it to be able to wear something daily and rarely have to worry about maintenance. Considering how lazy I am when it comes to taking my jewelry off, being able to wear pieces in the shower, at the gym, to bed, and through every phase of life has always been key for me when seeking out jewelry.
My personal go-to low-maintenance material is sterling silver, identifiable by an imprinted “925” hidden somewhere on every piece. Sterling silver also tends to be pretty affordable, and has a much brighter appearance than many other silver-toned materials, which is a quality I personally gravitate towards.
For those who wear gold, it can definitely be tougher to find durable pieces, as gold plating and filling can come off fast without proper care, and solid gold obviously gets expensive fast–but I promise it’s worth the patience when seeking out pieces, and don’t forget that jewelry is pretty easy to find cheaper secondhand–one of my favorite bracelets is actually a piece I found on Depop!
Building with Basics
The key to creating a staple jewelry stack always starts with the basics. This isn’t an exact science by any means: choose whatever silhouettes and subtle details speak to you, but seek out simpler pieces.
This could mean a pearl stud earring for a second piercing, or a thin textured ring band you can build around, or a plain & simple bangle on each wrist–my current favorite example of this are the cape cod screw-ball bracelets if you need some inspiration. These basics will be what stay on you at all times, adding volume and acting as a blank canvas for whatever feeling and look you want to emulate.
Statement Jewelry
Once we’ve laid the groundwork, it’s easy to move on to statements, and this is definitely the fun part. Statements are what make truly memorable stacks and inherently create strong identities: I often attribute certain emblems or specific styles to the people that wear them, like the dark oxidized swallow pendant a friend from home never takes off, or the mixed-metal fish cuff that’s central to a friend at Brown’s daily bracelet lineup.
Statement pieces could feature anything from chunky silhouettes to large stones to carvings, and really allow you to explore different sizes, textures, and shapes, building effortlessly off of previous basics. My version of this lies in a bracelet with little fish acting as the links, utilizing different textures that really shine under light. Being visually interesting and playful in theme, it’s quickly become one of my favorite pieces, and something that adds character and individuality to my simpler base.
Mixing Metals
Beyond statement pieces, mixed metals are another perfect way to add interest to your jewelry rotation. This was an idea I was kind of scared of for a long time, but the more I see it done, the more I’ve fallen in love with it–specifically sterling silver and gold. Whether it’s mixing multiple pieces of different metals, or choosing individual pieces that incorporate both, it makes for a stylish detail and nicely highlights the beauty of both tones.
Placement & Pairing
When it comes to actually putting all your jewelry all together, take the time to play around with where you’ll wear each piece, and even test different configurations out for a day. Certain textures and styles pair especially well, and putting effort into this helps create a balanced and put-together look.
Working with what I have now, for example, pairing the fish bracelet with a beaded one plays off of their similar textures in a way that just feels right, and styling them with my simplest basics allows them to really shine. I also love leaning into the coastal theme with pieces featuring sea glass and pearl, creating a cohesive narrative.
Sentimentality
Next, let’s talk about meaning. This of course is always optional, but perhaps my favorite thing about my jewelry is that each piece tells a story–a bracelet from the small jewelry business I used to work at in my hometown, a ring from the streets of Galway, a bracelet a cafe customer gifted to me straight off her own wrist, an heirloom given to me from a family member, and the list goes on and on. It’s so meaningful to have jewelry be a physical representation of my sweetest memories and the people who’ve shaped me, making each piece feel especially authentic.
As a final thought, I love playing into the idea that the “right” jewelry pieces will find you as time goes on, and it’s not a process meant to be rushed. Especially in an age of increased convenience and overconsumption, it can be easy to fall into traps of seeing items on socials and wanting to have them now, putting in an overnight Amazon haul or purchasing a whole stack off of Pinterest–and believe me, I’ve definitely fallen into that trap. But recently I’ve noticed I honestly feel a lot happier when I’m more intentional about what I purchase and when I purchase it, and that patience truly pays off when it comes to creating a collection you hope to keep for a lifetime.