They say that your 30s is a time of self-discovery—a time when you really start to know and understand yourself. I’m not sure if I believe that in full, but I can say with some certainty that it feels more true than not.
One of the things you begin to understand as you “come into your own” is personal style. This is one element that I find to be accurate, at least for me. Ten years ago I’d wear anything and everything, telling myself I was “eclectic” and just “loved fashion.” In reality, I think I was just trying to figure out what worked for me, what I felt good in. At 32, I feel as if I have a good grip on that now. I may falter from time to time, straying from my “uniform” to try something out of my comfort zone (we must every once in a while!), but for the most part, I know what I like. The same can be said for jewelry.
There will always be jewelry trends. And for the young (and young at heart) and adventurous, there will always be affordable ways to explore those trends. And while I revel in those fads, always anticipating the Next New Thing, my participation these days is limited.
Cirque huggies in 14k rose gold with pearls, $990; Jane Taylor
Devotion bar earrings in yellow gold with enamel and 0.3 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,285; Kaura Jewels
Mini Marquise earrings in 18k rose gold with .005 ct. t.w. diamonds, $370; Dana Bronfman
Take earrings, for example. I’d die for a pair of ear climbers—the bigger and more intricate, the better! The same goes for dangling earrings. All colors of the rainbow, all styles. But I find that I am much less drawn to so much of a statement these days, my most prominent choice being a pair of (semi) large hoop earrings. I will say, though, that the earring category is the one in which I feel the most adventurous—I have a lot of piercings and therefore a lot of room for jewels, and that encourages me to explore a bit more.
Necklaces. I’d wear them all! Chokers, collars, bibs, lavaliers, sautoirs. But I find myself most comfortable in subtle, small pendants. I have one that never comes off at the moment (not really fair to all the other necklaces, is it?). And I don’t see that changing anytime soon.
Split ring in 14k yellow gold with 0.75 ct. t.w. rose-cut diamonds and 0.1 ct. t.w. diamonds, $5,390; Just Jules
Parade in Color band in 18k white gold with 0.65 ct. t.w. sapphires and 0.1 ct. t.w. diamonds, $1,325; Parade Design
Amalfi ring in 14k rose gold with morganite and white topaz, $825; Suzanne Kalan
From five fingers stacked with rings of all sizes to a much more pared-down, subtle collection, I’ve definitely streamlined my jewelry style.
It might sound strange for a jewelry writer to limit herself with jewelry, and perhaps, if money was no object, the story would be different. But a Kardashian (they’re the modern-day Rockefellers, right?), I am not. I love all jewelry, I just cannot own all jewelry—and so I must limit myself to what truly feels good, what truly feels like “me” (while coveting the rest).
To all the jewels I’ve loved before, thank you for coming with me on my fashion journey, which is never really over. But for now, the pieces above are a few choices for my daily uniform.
P.S. Why, yes, I was inspired by To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, which I watched on Netflix this weekend. It was adorable!
Top: Celestial necklace in 14k yellow gold with 0.23 cts. t.w. diamonds, $1,295; Majolie
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