The other day I was spending my usual, unhealthy, amount of time scrolling through Instagram and Pinterest; dreaming wistfully of delicate rose gold necklaces, multiple intricately stacked rings, statement ear cuffs and hoping that one day I’ll put in some hoop earrings and not immediately take them out thinking ‘no, hoops are Regina George’s thing not mine’.
I Really Do Try…
Every time I go shopping it takes a lot of self-control not to pick up all the earrings, bracelets and necklaces I see. I wish, and this is a sincere wish, that I could be one of those people on Instagram or Pinterest who are out for a coffee and can just take a ‘details’ pic of their hand because it is perfectly adorned with just the right amount of jewellery.
And I really do try, I buy all the right things, in fact when I do wear it I feel I can style jewellery pretty darn well. But and it’s a big but… I forget. To be honest if it isn’t permanently attached to me I will probably have forgotten to put it on after I take it of to sleep, shower or exercise.
My jewellery box is packed full of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings that I continually fail to remember to wear.
It All Began When…
It’s been an issue for me since I was 12 and discovered Claire’s Accessories! Buying packs of two dozen plasticky earrings and long beaded necklaces I never seemed to actually wear the blasted things (although let’s not pretend that’s something I should regret!).
So now it is time for me to offer some advice so that, learning from my laziness, you can stop filling your jewellery box with necklaces that just end up a complicated twist of knots and actually start wearing Instagram worthy jewellery every day!
Cutting Down
Firstly, you need to cut down your quantities. If like me your jewellery box is over flowing… You need to cut down. Because on the rare morning when you think ‘I feel like wearing some jewellery today’, having too much choice is an instant turn off. You have to decide out of 20+ different pairs of earrings which you want to wear today.
With fewer choices your decisions will be quicker and much easier to make. Just like many of the most stylish and effortlessly cool people in this world probably have a capsule wardrobe, those with a capsule jewellery box probably wear a lot more jewellery than those who own twice as many pieces.
Getting Organised
Second, keep it simple and keep it separate. If you only have a minute to decide what jewellery to wear that morning you aren’t going to bother if your intended necklace is entwined with 5 others.
So it isn’t jut good enough to reduce the quantity you should probably organise your jewellery. Day and night. Simple and statement. Itches your ears and doesn’t. Gold and silver. However you choose, choose it because it makes your choice easier!
Have the pieces you want to access regularly separate from those you will only wear every so often. That way you will never be cut short in your intentions by a tangled mess or not being able to find the other earring.
Budget Buys
Thirdly, choose your budget jewellery carefully. The trick to buying cheap jewellery is to choose pieces that will work well with your expensive and sentimental pieces. I personally have many rings and necklaces that have been bought for me on special occasions or that I have inherited and for me it is important that I get use out of these pieces.
However I often find that they don’t always scream fashion and for me this is where high street jewellery comes into its own. I can buy rings, necklaces or bracelets that I can layer up with my more precious pieces making them more in vogue.
An advantage to this is that I rarely feel guilty about throwing bits away and changing up my jewellery box on a regular basis. This keeps my collection interesting and makes me excited, and as a result less likely to forget, to wear my jewellery.
Think Before You Buy
Fourthly, whether it costs £2 or £200 it is important to try and avoid buying jewellery on a whim. This is a trap I used to fall into and it only increased the amount of jewellery not the amount of time I spent wearing it! Really think before you buy a piece of jewellery.
Ask yourself:
- What outfits would it match?
- What other jewellery would it work with?
- Will it be comfortable to wear (anyone else have the hair and chain crisis regularly?)?
- And do you like it?
If you can answer these questions positively then it is probably worth buying. It’s fun to change up your jewellery collection and as I said in point two it will probably make you want to wear jewellery more.
Making A Statement
Finally, be fussy when it comes to statement necklaces.
These are pieces I rarely forget to wear, usually because I am getting dressed up and they are integral to my outfit. Because fashions constantly change I am always buying new statement necklaces for nights out. For this reason none of the statement necklaces in my collection cost me more than £15 and yet I have never left the house in one and not had a compliment for it.
One of my most complimented is a £4 Primark bargain. The trick is to look carefully at what you’re buying. It should have weight to it, or look like it has some weight to it and that it won’t bend if someone were to knock it!
You should also check the gems, how are they attached? Are the settings strong? Because there is not much worse than buying a necklace and then finding a stone missing when you next wear it. What is more irritating however is the chain breaking and why you should always check the thickness, strength and connections of the chain links.
Only the other day bought a body chain on a whim only to have it snap after someone walked past and caught their jacket button in it!
Trying Something New
I hope that these points can help you on the way to opening your jewellery box a little more, trying something new and maybe even rocking an Instagram worthy hand without having to spend wasted minutes finding pieces that match your outfit, untangling necklaces, finding an odd earring or wondering how you should style the pieces you own!
If you have any questions about the pieces in my collection I’m happy to answer questions.
The Lazy Beauty Addict 