Jewelry Styling: On Mixing High and Low

 

Growing up, my father would gasp in horror if ever I wore costume jewelry.  Having a jewelry designer for a father made for some interesting scenarios.  It was commonplace for me to run home in anticipation of this months W or Vogue and find it in tatters and holed away in his study already.  Was I destined to never hear the crackle of a fresh magazine binding?  Similarly, rather than being reprimanded for the usual offenses of an adolescent (not doing dishes etc.), I would get sighs of exasperation when I wore costume jewelry.  Keep in mind, the costume jewelry back then was nowhere near as fun as it is now.  Nevertheless, I would get lectured thusly, “Meimei, why do you wear that garbage when you have real jewelry?”  My poor mumsy would get in trouble for her jewelry styling choices, “Dolly, that’s not how you’re supposed to wear it!”  Head shaking.  I know, there are worse problems to be had.  Thanks jewelry tyrant daddy for training my eye but now I’m a grown ass adult and I can do whatever I want.  Mature delivery right?  I know.  Let’s turn jewelry styling on its head.  Lets go one step further than wearing costume jewelry–lets mix costume jewelry and fine jewelry together!  Gasp!  The horror!  Oh rebellious me!

Somebody please tell me what is the point of owning fabulous jewelry if it’s tucked away in a safe all the time waiting for special occasions to see the light of day?  I first stumbled upon the idea of mixing real and faux together when I felt that wearing all real diamonds in broad daylight seemed a bit too formal.  My solution was to mix the real jewelry with some costume pieces to give everything a more of a playful quality.  Jewelry tyrant daddy would say something along the lines of, “But then everyone is going to think all your jewelry is fake!”  To which I respond: 1) costume jewelry is not “fake” jewelry, it’s real jewelry too; 2) great, no stranger will mug me because they will assume it’s all fake; 3) people who do know me get to play a super fun game of “find the real diamonds” and 4) if this is a way to get more wear out of my fine jewelry, it’s a win-win in my book.  Which pieces in the photo above are fine and which are costume?  Wouldn’t you like to know. . .

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Big Kiss and Bigger Diamonds,

JZP