Jewellery should be fun and exciting, not daunting or scary. Maybe you have sensitive skin and have had bad experiences wearing a "silver" necklace. That's why you'll need to be more prudent when it comes to researching what jewellery to invest in.
There are some mistakes that many people unknowingly make, and if you're venturing into the realm of bling, here are some mistakes that you should avoid.
1. Not Experimenting
Jewellery is a huge part of fashion and style. That's why it is always evolving. Like your personal style, the types of jewellery that you may like from time to time will be different.
Maybe it's because your life has now moved into a different phase and you no longer wear gold coloured pieces for the beach. Maybe you're now a mum and you need something that's more versatile and won't get snatched by your baby's active little fingers. Or maybe you've grown more into diamonds and high-end pieces.
For me, I used to wear OTT sparkly chandelier earrings that you see a lot on the girls in clubs. It was my way to stand out and yes, I hit the clubs a lot in my younger days. Then it moved onto something more minimalist but still with a bit of dangle. Today, I'm more about something simple but yet still steals the show in its own way.
Whatever the case is, never be afraid to experiment! You can give the latest jewellery trends a try (currently, it's chunky gold chains) and if you don't like them that much, you can always go back to your signature look. It never hurts to make things interesting every once in a while.
2. Overdoing It
Layering way too many pieces of jewellery can be very distracting, even if it's a classic boho look for some. Unless you're Iris Apfel (major inspo), chances are you might not be able to carry off this look well.
Know what your style is, or at least what you'd like it to be. That will help you to have an idea of what jewellery type to invest in.
3. Not Having/Wearing Any
My personal take is this: That everyone can do with some jewellery. Be it just a pair of studs, a signature bangle that you wear all the time or even a necklace that was a gift from someone close, at least have something on.
If you don't have the habit of wearing jewellery, give it a try! You will be surprised how much just one piece (such as an engagement ring or a charmless silver chain necklace) can elevate your entire outfit, even if you're just going glamping or to the supermarket.
I'm never without earrings (I have 5) and my wedding-related rings. When I look at my past photos, I'm able to tell when those pictures were taken just by identifying the jewellery or accessories I was wearing in them! It really makes for a fun walk down memory lane, sometimes.
4. Colour Clashing
Most colours go really well together, like turquoise with silver/gold, blush with rose gold and emerald with silver. But some colours also hate each other with a real vengeance.
Some colour pairs that shouldn't go together include magenta with green, red with blue. Of course, this is just my take and you should see this more as a guideline rather than a rule. If this is your style, then roll with it. Otherwise, I'd stay away!
Red and blue may be great for an art project, but certainly not together in your bracelet.
Looks familiar? There's a reason weather maps use conflicting magenta and green.
5. Not Polishing Regularly/Lack of Upkeep
Your jewellery is an investment, and you've spent good money on it! The next thing to do, apart from wearing it, is to keep it polished regularly. Avoid getting chemicals on it, such as tanning lotions, sunblock and fragrances. Sweat too, can cause tarnishing to occur much quicker.
If you do have to wear your pieces outdoors, you can polish them in your own bathroom. Thankfully, you can watch this quick video tutorial on how to easily polish your gemstone jewellery so that they sparkle like new.
6. Not Doing Research
This final point may be the most important, even if it doesn't directly impact you. When looking for jewellery, you should always look up things like the brand, the materials used, online/offline reviews and the ethics behind its manufacturing processes.
Stay away from jewellery brands that don't have any statement on labour malpractices, and definitely stay away from businesses that you suspect may involve blood diamonds. Jewellery is not a necessity in our lives, and there is no reason that someone else needs to lead a horrible life for us to look good.
At Trouvée.Co, we ensure that our pieces come from reliable sources and a portion of our proceeds go to charitable causes that change from time to time. You can read more about our story and ethics here.