Shopping for Fashion Jewelry
A rundown of my favorite brands and styles.
In response to my call-out for pre-maternity leave newsletter content requests last week, I received a number of inquiries about jewelry, which is convenient since I’ve had a post entitled “SOMETHING ABOUT JEWELRY!!!” in my drafts for a few weeks now. There’s a lot to cover, so I decided to break up the material into two newsletters. The first, out today, will tackle fashion jewelry. The second, out next week, will tackle fine jewelry.
For those who are just beginning to build their jewelry collections, I’ve shared a 4-piece edit of fashion jewelry staples according-to-me as a jumping off point — or starter pack, if you will. After that, I dive into a list of my favorite fashion jewelry brands, along with links to specific things I’m eyeing from their current offerings.
My personal fashion jewelry starter pack:
A turquoise rondelle bead necklace. Rondelles are disc-shaped beads with a slightly flattened appearance. They really lend themselves to this type of single-strand, monochrome beaded necklace, creating an almost tubular effect. I wear my turquoise strand pictured above constantly, often with swimsuits and ribbed tanks in the summer and with red or gray sweaters in the winter. I think the earthy quality of turquoise stones gives makes it feel like a neutral in a lot of ways, even though the color packs so much punch. (My friend Jennifer Shanker, the founder of MUSE, calls turquoise the “white jeans of jewelry.”). You can find necklaces on Etsy that purport to be made of real turquoise beads, but it’s hard to verify. Personally, I’m not picky about whether the turquoise is or isn’t for this type of style. The way it looks, and the color of the stones, takes priority. Here’s a nice-looking one ($68) from Anthropologie that comes with two other bonus necklaces.
A chunky gold pendant or brooch. I “made” both of the above necklaces by buying the gold pieces on eBay and affixing them to a thin pearl strand and silk cord, respectively. This is a really fun, easy, and relatively inexpensive way to create a unique statement necklace, or to breathe new life into a brooch you’d never otherwise wear. Something like this ($28) would look so chic pinned to a black rope cord or a silk ribbon. But it’s also a treat to stumble across the the entire, ready-made enchilada ($65) in vintage form.
Gold coin earrings. I like coin earrings as an alternative to hold hoops. They’re equally versatile, but more intriguing. The ones I’m wearing above are many years old and no longer available, but this pair ($65) — randomly from the Met Museum’s online store — are great. Becca Jewellery, which I reference in my round-up below, also makes beautiful ones ($184).
Baroque pearl earrings. I wore the above pair ($305) from Completedworks (another great brand included below) on my wedding day and still love and wear them often. Here’s a similar but less expensive option via Etsy ($115).
My favorite brands for fun and colorful fashion jewelry:
Eliou: Vacation-ready pieces designed by two friends with great taste, and handmade locally by their team.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Ringo necklace ($180), which I would wear just as eagerly at the beach with a colorful one-piece swimsuit as I would with a sleek black dress and strappy sandals while out to dinner.
Brinker & Eliza: A mix of trendy and vintage-inspired pieces designed by a mother-daughter duo.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Thelma necklace ($168), because I love a good puffy heart pendant.
Sandra Alexandra: Whimsical pieces handmade by artisans in Spain, primarily using colorful lampwork glass.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Sea Urchin Vrellos Necklace ($89), a one-way ticket to the Mediterranean.
The Sage Vintage: Vintage and original pieces with a heavy emphasis on eclectic charm assortments that tend to sell out.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: This vintage scarab bracelet ($52), which reminds me of one my grandmother gave me that I need to dig out and wear more often.
Timeless Pearly: Attention-grabbing jewelry with unlikely, off-kilter combinations of different shapes and textures.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The “white pearls” necklace ($125), a cool riff on a more traditional pearl strand.
Don’t Let Disco: Handmade, antique, and recycled beads fashioned into one-of-a-kind pieces with a sentimental magnetism.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The “All Vibes on You” bracelet ($165) — unblinkingly charismatic.
My favorite brands for cool and refined fashion jewelry:
Completedworks: Artful, feminine pieces that manage to be equal parts glamorous and wearable.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: Second to the Tra-La-La earrings, which I already mentioned above, I love the Freedom to Imagine earrings ($301) and the optical illusion they cultivate.
Alighieri: Sculptural and often intriguingly asymmetrical pieces made from recycled silver and gold.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Mini Link of Wanderlust earrings ($140), understated but still eye-catching, plated in 24 karat hammered gold for a textured, molten effect.
Becca Jewellery: A strong case for dangly bones (trust).
My top shopping pick from their current selection: Coins Bones Pearls ($178), and that’s all you need to know!
Demisel: Lustrous 18 karat gold-plated jewelry cast from shells.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Volute Pendant ($250), which you could either wear on its gold chain or on a black ribbon in the manner I described earlier.
Daphine: Effortless pieces designed to be worn often if not daily.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Oli Ring ($82), a cult favorite (I like to wear two of them stacked on the same finger).
My favorite Etsy shops for fashion jewelry:
DelightGemsCreations: Mouth-watering beaded creations.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The multicolor opal beaded necklace ($35.39) or Natural Ethiopian beaded necklace ($91.19).
WenPearls: A great destination for pearl-and-leather jewelry. Wen, the owner, lives in Shanxiahu, which is home to nearly 75% of the world’s freshwater pearl production. Her father and my mother started pearl farming there 20 years ago, and she’s followed in their footsteps.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Flameball Pearl and Leather Necklace ($26.45), with customizable leather colors.
JewelryStoreByStar: Seed bead jewelry!
My top shopping pick from their current selection: The Daisy Flower Seed Bracelets ($6.99). Wear a stack of them with a gauzy linen shirt, hand them out like candy to your friends over the course of the summer, etc.
Lizystuff: An eclectic mix of high-end vintage jewelry and interesting antiques.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: This vintage omega snake chain ($157.72), which can be double wrapped as a choker or worn as a belt.
xDIVINEx: A panoply of vintage designer jewelry from brands like Christian Lacroix and Yves Saint Laurent.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: This vintage Christian Dior pendant ($134) knotted on a black rope, which if you ask me is begging to be worn with a crisp white button down and white Birkenstocks.
Land of Vast Desires: Vintage couture jewelry galore.
My top shopping pick from their current selection: These vintage rhinestone clip-on earrings ($139), ready and waiting for your next holiday party.
See you next week with a mighty fine follow-up! (Sorry, sometimes the puns really do insist on writing themselves).
xo Harling
Harling, I absolutely adore every piece you’ve put out! They’re always so inspiring and refreshing! I love the inclusion of the pattern images behind you photographs in this piece! Can’t wait to peruse all these websites when I have more time. I’ll throw in my own recommendation for fun; Yam NYC is where most of my jewelry is from these days and I love selecting a piece to buy for myself around the holiday time. They’re all beautifully made, unique, affordable and made by a Black woman run business. Thanks again for the great read, can’t wait for the next!
Great post! I always feel inspired by your taste and recommendations