Necklace Overload

I'm not hugely into lots of different types of jewellery: I don't do rings. Bangles annoy me. I usually can't be bothered with earrings or when I do try, my ears get irritated. However, I do like a nice necklace and usually that means big, bold, statement. (Who came up with that name, by the way? Works very well but I'm sure it's a fairly recent term.)

Anyway, by pure coincidence I received two Stella & Dot orders last week - and couldn't wait to wear the items I received! The necklace in pic 1 and 2 is actually the same one: it's called Utopia Statement Necklace and it's so versatile as you can combine the different elements to achieve completely different looks. By the way: I would like to point out that I did buy all of these myself and am not being paid for this post. Free advertising for Stella & Dot - just because I love those necklaces so much!

Dress: Jesire

Top worn underneath: H&M

Boots: Something Italian

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Dress: Jesire

Boots: Something Italian

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Top: Zara

Skirt: All Saints

Jacket: H&M

Boots: Yes... something Italian...

Necklace: Stella & Dot

Wardrobe Spy

I don't have a huge amount of precious jewellery. Just a couple of little silver pieces and a gold & garnet necklace and ring passed down to me by my grandmother. I do wear these items usually at special or family occasions. Or when I have a day, where I need that extra bit of luck.

I do, however, have quite a big collection of costume jewellery. So much so, that I had to come up with a system: long-ish items get hung on nails, which I affixed to the inside of my wardrobe.*

*note: if you do this, make sure there is enough space between your clothes and the hooks and pick nails/hooks that won't snag delicate fabric!

Smaller items get stored in clear muji boxes.

But even though I do have all of those, I tend to go back to the same few pieces and I'd probably divide them into two groups.

Plastic Fantastic

• Black scroll necklace, blue & red bows, cream dog broach and the silver star all from Zarah Voigt.(I discovered her a few years ago when wandering through Copenhagen. She did some pieces, which could definitely be referred to as Tatty-Devine-esque, though I am not sure, who came first.)
• Turquoise rose ring and peach bauble necklace from Primark. 
• Bambi, see-through beads and chain necklace from Topshop.

Love Metallics

• The collier with the green velvet ribbon is from Ligia Dias.
• Bronze collier with pink leather band from a little stall in Covent Garden (sorry, little stall, I forgot...).
• Flower-borach from Zarah Voigt.
• The multi strand/multi colour necklace is from Accessorize. (see me wear it here)
• I think the semi-precious necklace was from Pandora.
• Mixed bauble necklace from Miss Selfridge.
• Chain necklace from Topshop.

I usually probably under- rather than over-accessorize (sometimes I am simply in such a rush that I, shock-horror!, forget in the morning) and I don't have a hard-and-fast rule for which piece I wear with what. I do like to contrast accessories with the clothes I wear though, so I might put on a girly dress and pair an industrial looking necklace with it. (Dad: "Are those washers in your necklace?!" Me: "That's Ligia Dias, Dad!") In that very same way I might combine a pretty, girly necklace with a laid-back outfit.

But then again I might wake up tomorrow and just grab something that completely contradicts the above...

Multi-Tonal Jewellery

I have always loved rose-gold and especially multi-tonal jewellery but right now my love has turned into some serious lust and even though I have a couple of pieces in my jewellery box, I might just have to indulge...

What - or indeed if - I am actually going to buy, will be largely dictated by budget and as with everything else, the sky is the limit. Here are my favourite options...

Right, first up a real budget find. These Mini Door Knocker Earrings from Topshop mix gold and silver-tones, are small enough to be worn tongue-in-cheek ladylike but also quirky enough to add a bit of edge to a casual outfit. At £6.50 a great little treat!

Another great bargain at £8 is this bracelet from Accessorize. Similarly as with the earrings above, the different textures add to the different tones. Great for a bit of last-minute topping up an outfit!

There is, of course, always the option of going with something delicate and genuine, such as this set of stackable set of rings from Nadina Giurgiu. So pretty, ultimately timeless, classic and probably something I'd cherish forever. At $90 (ca. £56) not dirt cheap but I think that's great value for money for a piece (or rather 12 in this case!) of handmade, real jewellery!

N a d i n a G i u r g i u

Source: Handmade stack rings & bangles (http://s.tt/139kA)Na

N a d i n a G i u r g i u

Source: Handmade stack rings & bangles (http://s.tt/139kA)

N a d i n a G i u r g i u

Source: Handmade stack rings & bangles (http://s.tt/139kA)

Another item in this price-range is this really pretty Disney Couture trio of bangles (sold at ASOS). They are silver, gold and rose-gold plated, feature sweet slogans engraved on each and a gold-plated chain with charms. With a pricetag of £75 possibly a nice gift for your best friend - or yourself? 

I don't know about you but for me jewellery doesn't come much better or more romantic, than in one of those little "robin egg blue" (apparently that's the official name!) boxes:

There are quite a few really lovely pieces in the current collection, mixing rose-gold, silver and sometimes yellow gold but I like this piece for it's unabashed reference to the jewellery house's heritage: two interlocking circles, hallmarked with the company's founding year. At £485 likely to be something to save up for or to ask as a gift for a special occasion!

Now, talking about special, this would definitely apply to the following item. The Expansion Joint Cuff by Eddie Borgo (pre-order on Moda Operandi) is just a spectular statement piece. At $1850 (ca. £1162) a far cry from anywhere near my budget but something so unusual and fantastically strange. Just imagine wearing it with a floaty evening gown or with a simple white tee. *Sigh*.

Do let me know if you like the trend and whether you have any multi-tonal jewellery in your jewellery box?