Thursday, September 24, 2009

The Necklace Dilemma

When reading the October Vogue, I was struck by something in the interview with Michelle Williams: she noted that she doesn’t like to wear jewelry; she feels that jewelry doesn’t suit her. (And of course she was featured on the cover with earrings.)

I immediately sensed a kindred spirit, for although I very much appreciate jewelry on others, and enjoy looking at it on others, I wear very, very little.

My engagement ring and my wedding ring are constants (but never together!), as is my Peretti bracelet that was temporarily lost among the seaweed.

Earrings are occasional, though, and necklaces are even rarer. But this morning, inspired by Sally’s necklace tutorial, I pulled out a gift from a Nepali friend: a multi, multi strand necklace of tiny beads.

I put it on with my blue linen wrap dress, looked at it, and said “OK.” Then I went about my pre-work activities and every time I passed a mirror, one of which seemed to be always in my path, my OK began to mutate into Nnn-OK. After ten minutes I was practically ripping the necklace off my throat and stuffing it back into its pretty box, with a firm “NO!”

I just feel too too with a necklace: too accessorized, too polished, too much. And while I will continue to enjoy them on other people, I’ll remain minimal . . . until I don’t, of course.

10 comments:

Red Lipstick said...
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Red Lipstick said...

I adore jewelery, but I too do not often wear much of it. This season I have purchases many fun pieces to play with for my fall wardrobe. I leave for the office at 5:30am, so I need to be certain to have the outfit accessorized the night before, otherwise I will only wear my engagement ring, a watch and earrings. Today I also have a cuff, for which I am very excited!

K.Line said...

I am more comfortable in a scarf than a necklace. Bonus is it keeps my neck warm!

Thumbelina Fashionista said...

I'm the opposite. I feel naked without earrings, several rings (I stack my engagement and weddings ring together and usually wear another one on the other hand), a watch, a bracelet and/or necklace! Sounds "too" I know, but now I'm used to it. I remember reading that very same article and being surprised that she doesn't like jewelry. To each her own!

~Tessa~Scoffs said...

I go through phases. I usually wear minimal earrings (i.e., small hoops or pearl studs) OR a necklace but rarely both together. A ring OR a bracelet but not both. I happen to be wearing a small turquoise pendant today and I feel SO overdone.

Belle de Ville said...

Jewelry is as personal as the bag you carry or the shoes you wear so each of us will have our own jewelry style.
I love pretty pendants, sexy chokers, gemstone statement necklaces, triple strand pearls and long chains...but I only wear them on bare skin, never over fabric.
My outfits dictate what jewelry I wear...usually.
Today, for example, I'm wearing a print dress with soft turquoise, chartreuse and brown with a deep v neck. So I'm wearing gold hoop earrings with this necklace
http://www.beladora.com/viewitem.asp?idProduct=1627

Elizabeth said...

Hmmm. Sometimes things go this way. What's nice is that you have the necklace, and you can look at it anytime you want to, and appreciate it that way.

Make Do Style said...

I'm easy about jewellery - sometimes I wear it other times not. Some people do have the knack of looking great in it but I'm really picky about what I think looks good!

Angie Muresan said...

I'm with Michelle Williams and you on this. My wedding band is on, of course (OK, only when I remember to put it on), and earrings occasionally, but necklaces, bracelets, and so on feel like I'm trying too hard.

Unknown said...

I also shun jewelry, not because I do not like but because it makes me self-conscious as I am aware of its every movement. The one exception to this is my small sparkling nose stud, which I see constantly in my field of vision, and my medic alert bracelet, whose musical jangle has become a familiar friend over the years.

Maybe it's a case of you wearing the jewelry and not letting the jewelry wear you.