Whether you have curated a collection based on timeless jewelry essentials or prefer trendier alternatives, displaying your jewelry in the best light requires proper styling. Jewels naturally garner adoration, but with some styling tricks, they have the power to make us look and feel our absolute best.
Rule #1: Ground Any Jewelry Look in the Essentials
Building your jewelry look around a capsule jewelry collection ensures you will look polished. Allow your personal style to influence your jewelry basics, and be sure to ground your ever-changing looks around your core pieces.
“Essentials” describe the metals, styles and overall aesthetic you center your look around. Gold link jewelry, classic uniform pearls, and simple diamond jewelry are great examples and starting points. Keeping a few pieces consistent in your jewelry style allows you to look effortless and composed, whether your look is simple or extravagant.
Rule #2: Make Thoughtful Jewelry Choices
We are all guilty of getting into the habit of throwing on the same staple studs or gold jewelry every morning. However, while repeat wear is the point of jewelry essentials, we must not forget that jewelry has the power to change how we feel.
Color can set the tone, and including a pop of ruby red or emerald green in your jewelry look can instantly liven your mood. With some extra pep in your stop, dressing your specific face shape with thoughtfully chosen styles can diminish and enhance certain facial features. Women with round or square faces can elongate their features with layered necklaces and long drop or chandelier earrings. Women with rectangular and heart-shaped faces can soften their defined bone structure with rounded pieces, such as chokers and hoop earrings. Selecting jewelry with these things in mind will complement your natural features.
Rule #3: Mixing Metals and Gemstones
Mixing metals and gemstones looks best when multiple necklaces, bracelets or rings are layered evenly and equally. Every mixed jewelry look requires “bridge” pieces, which include two or more of the metals your look is centered around. These pieces could be anything from a pearl and diamond necklace to a platinum set opal ring as long as they tie your ensemble together. Bridge pieces convey that your mixed metal look is intentional; if you are going to mix metals and gemstones, embrace it!
Another way to explore new combinations is mixing antique and contemporary jewelry for one eclectic yet cohesive look. Whether you crave the elevated sophistication of Victorian era jewelry or want to exude the flamboyant glamour of the Art Deco period, combining antique jewelry allows for personal expression and experimentation. For example, an Art Deco jabot pin from Cartier, sporting deep crimson rubies and delicate green jade, may provide a complementary statement piece to more simple, contemporary jewelry.
Rule #4: Build a Look Around Statement Pieces
Even without including a statement piece, you should always pick a focal point for your jewelry. You can wear the most fabulous antique earrings, pendants and rings, but without including simple pieces to direct the eye, your amazing pieces can look cluttered.
Rule #5: Seasonal Jewelry Dressing
Jewelry is the perfect tool to balance the extremes of summer and winter dressing.
In winter, we must bundle up, and frequently, we wear what appears to be the same outfit every day during the cold months. Jewelry is an excellent way to dress up and distinguish an ensemble, even if you wear the same coat and cold weather accessories daily. Considering that winter dressing is bulky, the snowy season is the perfect opportunity to display your wintery white diamonds and singular statement pieces.
In contrast, summer jewelry is all about layering and experimenting with combining unexpected pieces. Summer is the perfect time to wear colorful gemstones and experiment with a new jewelry look. Seasonal jewelry dressing is all about finding balance and enhancing your clothing.
Rule #6: Properly Care and Clean for Your Jewelry
