I’ve been thinking a lot about what jewelry I put on these days and why. Here are the main reasons I came up with:
- it makes me feel happy
- it makes me feel put together and styled
- it just feels comfortable + will get me through my day
- it might turn heads or make someone wonder where did she get that?
There are plenty of other reasons you might wear something, too. To honor someone. To be symbolic at a special occasion. I’m sure there are still others, but those are the main ones that come to my mind.
As I have walked around the streets of London these past few months, getting used to my new neighborhood, I’m always checking out what other people are wearing. Street style is an inspiration, a fleeting but intimate look at what others' why might be. And I like to try to guess about it. I might not be right (ever) but it’s a fun game, and who doesn’t love to people watch?
My takeaway though is that there are no rules when it comes to jewelry. There might be trends, for sure (hello ubiquitous gold chunky teardrop earrings that are everywhere), but by and large, the people of London are wearing whatever they want when it comes to jewelry.
I've seen mixed metals, lots of layering, dainty jewelry, bold jewelry, luxury designers, knock-offs, vintage pieces, and everything in between. The key seems to be individuality. Just as the sartorial choices are all over the place, so are the accessories. Lots of men are incorporating jewelry into their daily wear here too. All these people, wearing all different things. To me, they are telling their personal story through their choices. They are inviting you to wonder, why do they wear it? What does it mean to them?
More so than an item of clothing, which may last only a season, jewelry can be more of a forever (or at least long term) choice. How often do you see jewelry box clean-outs online? Rarely as frequently as we see closet overhauls. What does one do with old jewelry? It's more unlikely that it goes to the donation bin. Instead, we hang onto the sentimentality of it. The value of it. The meaning behind why we bought it. It helps that it takes up less space than clothing, of course, but jewelry is about as personal as it gets and that makes it harder to part ways with our pieces.
For that reason, we should wear the jewelry. Allow it to tell our stories. Let the people who we come across in our daily lives have a little glimpse at what feels meaningful to us, what makes us happy, styled, comfortable.
My 3 current favorites that I rarely take off:
- My Whole Heart necklace (on a vintage chain). It's the first 14k gold piece that I ever made myself and it pairs nicely with other necklaces that I like to stack along with it. It reminds me of my son, my love of hearts, and it just feels good on my skin.
- A silver cuff bracelet, a gift from my husband on his first trip to London, with a special inscription inside.
- A Mel-style ring, a gift from a generous friend. It's a reminder to me to give without taking, and to pass it forward whenever possible.
I hope my words urge you think about what you wear and why. I hope it inspires you to get out the pieces that you love, the ones that bring joy and comfort and have an incredible story to them. Jewelry has the power to remind us of travel, a moment in time, a loved one, and a million other things that are a part of your story.
If you're wondering what this has to do with Love Lori Michelle Jewelry, and how it can help tell your story too: please know that each and every piece that you can shop here online has it's own meaning. In the product descriptions, you'll find detailed info about what inspired the creation of each unique design, as well as keywords words that accompany what the design highlights.
I invite you to search by keyword and see what pops up for you! Here are some examples: Are you going through changes right now? Search word: change. The Phases Earrings or Shift Bracelet are for you. Are you looking for a gift for a strong, force of nature type? Search word: strong. The Aegis Earrings are the perfect pick.
I hope this helps you find new pieces that carry meaning, intention, and a story - and jewelry that can become part of your forever rotation.