Sunday, January 15, 2012

I love jewelry

I woke up with jewelry on my mind this morning. It's one of the pleasures in life that always brings a smile to my face. I was lucky to grow up around women with impeccable and unique jewelry styles. As I grew, and they grew further away, I find comfort in taking pieces of them - memories of them- with me on my daily adventures.

I'd like to share some of my jewelry staples over a series of posts but first must tackle the critics. (Typically, I just have one, his name is Michael). 

Common criticisms or misconceptions about my jewelry passion:
1) It has to be expensive
This is just untrue. Some of my favorite daily staples are inexpensive costume pieces that I've picked up while running errands. (Shiny things distract me.) Granted, I have some beautiful, expensive pieces, but they aren't valued by me because they are expensive. They're valued because I love them. And love the people who gifted them to me. My taste = things I love. I won't buy earrings on super clearance at Stein Mart if I don't love them.
2) Jewelry doesn't DO anything, what is the purpose of spending money on something that doesn't DO anything.
Ah, the materialistic, inanimate object argument. Trust me, this debate could go around in circles for hours. My new approach- honesty! This is what jewelry does for me:
  • Routine - I'm finished, ready to go in the world, when my earring back is firmly in place. The comfort of this routine starts my every day on the right foot.
  • Sentimentality - There is a memory or a story associated with 75% of the jewelry I wear. Someday's I'm a walking scrapbook of my life. I have a grandmother on my ring finger, my other grandmother on my wrist, mom on my other ring finger, and my aunt and michael around my neck. I get to have the people I love with me all day long. How lucky is that?
  • Confidence- Even on the greyest, most exhausted, frumpy, grumpy, plain ol bad day, something about me will still be shining. I can still look in a mirror, see that twinkle, and smile. It's silly but it's something.
3) You already have one, why do you need another?
This is Michael's favorite argument with me re: watches. Jewelry is not about need, it's about want. Nobody needs jewelry. The simplest answer: I want another because I do.
4) "I don't have any nice pieces like you do" 
My girlfriends say this to me a lot. My response "well then let's get you some." I think "nice" is less about price and more about practicality. Every girl should have neat and simple pieces she could put on with every outfit and feel finished. (We'll cover these in the staples). Also, I encourage girls to ask for jewelry as gifts. We're hard to buy for and with some clear, specific direction your friends and family would love to build your collection.

Okay, that should cover the common ones, if you have additional criticisms please email delete@yournotgoingtoruinmyjewelrybuzz.com.





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