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Fashion Icons Credited To and Used With the Permission of Jessica
Introduction
We know what everyone says about Princeton fashion. They say that we all look like we stepped out of a J. Crew catalog; now that isn’t a problem, but the lack of diversity in our stylings is an issue. Where is the fashion experimentation? Where is our drive to dress to impress?–dead with the flowers held hostage under the snow. Believe it or not, spring is soon to come which means new clothes. I don’t think that we intentionally fall into the roles of J. Crew models, but what else do we know? Trendy has become the way of life in almost all stores. Modcloth, American Apparel, and Urban Outfitters are more similar than they ever were before. Unique pieces are hard to find. Enter Etsy. Etsy connects the sellers with the buyers in a unique way. Hand-made products, that are one-of-a-kind and often custom-made, are not only really unique but perfect for Princeton collegiettes. In the upcoming weeks we will highlighting our most recent favorite shops on Etsy!
Jungle Jewelry owned by Brittany McBride (Toronto / Brampton, Ontario–Canada)
The tagline of Jungle Jewelry is: “Accessories for the Inner Tigress.” Could anything be more perfect? With our University’s mascot as the tiger, we Princeton women are tigresses and Jungle Jewelry is, therefore, meant for us! You have probably never heard of Jungle Jewelry, but Brittanny (a part-time florist, wedding planner, and jewelry maker) uses her eye for fashion to create chic jewerly pieces that have not only stand-out appeal but are absolutely unique. Princeton collegiettes, we are always looking for new jewelry to dress up our outfits, ay? Jungle Jewelry is the perfect new find as your source of jewelry, and we are positive that you will agree.
Her Campus Princeton: When did you open Jungle Jewelry?
Brittany McBride: Jungle Jewelry was born on July 4th, 2009, three days after my 21st birthday. Even though we don’t have Independence Day here in Canada, it was an ironic day begin because it marked the beginning of my own independence, as an artist and as an individual.
Her Campus Princeton: Why did you open Jungle Jewelry?
Brittany McBride: Etsy is a real online community of artists and crafters. There is a real sense of camaraderie and everyone supports each other, exchanging business tips and ideas on the forums and posting images of your work in the treasuries for others to see. In addition, Etsy offers a unique online opportunity to market my work to potential customers on an international platform. I make most of my sales at boutiques and craft shows throughout Ontario, but having an online storefront is important to reach out to customers that would otherwise never know about me or my work, or learn about different ways to support the handmade community in their own communities.
Her Campus Princeton: So if you could only describe Jungle Jewelry in one word, what word would it be?
Brittany McBride: Mega-awesomeness. It may not be in the dictionary, but it is a word for the purpose of this question.
Her Campus Princeton: Why should a Princeton collegiette want to know about Jungle Jewelry?
Brittany McBride: They should know and recognize that it is important to support independent artists and handmade items. As consumers it is important to be conscious of the hidden catches of buying from chain stores and big box markets. Simply put, mass produced items suck. Handmade products are built to last as opposed to the big box item that has been engineered to break down in a set time or to become obsolete (forcing the purchase of a replacement). Quality is an important part of my buying decision, and an important part of my reputation. When you buy a piece from an independent shop, you can speak directly to the creator of those products. You know exactly what ingredients went into the creation of said product and you can learn exactly how it was created.
Big box stores ship thousands of products at long distances releasing tonnes of pollutant gasses and uses up valuable fuel. While this may be a necessary evil when it comes to food and other such items, it is unacceptable to me to have a chair shipped cheap from China when I can drive a few minutes up the road and buy one from a Mennonite shop. It may be more expensive, but it will also be better quality. So while the product you buy in a chain store may appear to be cheaper than a handmade product, there are hidden taxes on the environment and on local economies that, when factored in, make that product exponentially more expensive.
Lastly, when you buy a handmade item, you are keeping a small business alive. Small business provide local jobs and make important contributions to the community. They give workers acceptable ways to break free of the oppressive workplace system where an employee is but a number and can be exploited and used up like an expendable resource. My Etsy shop is as much about selling my work as it is about creating awareness and bringing people’s shopping habits back to creative, unique and well made products.
Our Favorite Jungle Jewelry Items
Visit Jungle Jewelry here!
Check out Jungle Jewelry’s website. Fan Jungle Jewelry on Facebook and follow Jungle Jewelry on Twitter for updates!
Make sure to stay tuned for the giveaway! Remember that the “code word” is underlined.