Gold wrapped ring (similar) / Lariat necklace (similar) / Drop studs (similar)
Ever since I was little, I’ve always had a thing for jewelry (I owe much of that to Pretty Pretty Princess – remember that game?). By elementary school, I had built up a little jewelry collection of my own outside of those plastic-beaded game pieces. Though they were equally colorful and ‘cutsey’, like my favorite teddy bear pendant necklace with a little pink gemstone in its tummy (which my mom and I had won at Kennywood – thanks mostly to her amazing skee-ball skills) and sets of heart-shaped rings that my dad always brought back for me after his business trips.
My next jewelry phase began in middle school when I discovered the wonderful world of Claire’s. There, I stocked up on chokers, mood rings, gold hoops, and gemstone bracelets – you know, all those 90’s styles that are almost all back in style now. There wasn’t a day in middle or high school that I went without wearing, at minimum, my favorite pair of earrings and a necklace. Somewhere along the way, I developed the notion that my outfits just weren’t complete without them. The chokers made me feel edgy and cool, and the earrings added that much needed pop of color to my closet full of black punk rock band tees and Pac Sun hoodies.
Fast-forward to college, and jewelry and fashion was becoming less of an interest of mine while I focused on school. After several years of putting off new purchases, I returned home one weekend to a jewelry collection I’d clearly grown out of. And so, one evening, I did a huge purge of my old favorites (keeping, of course, those more memorable pieces in storage) and left for my first job with no jewelry packed except for a black sports watch from Fossil.
So you could imagine my excitement when I discovered the little jewelry subscription box called Rocksbox (this was back when they were still in their infancy, and the subscription box craze was just starting to kick off). For about ~$20 a month, I got to try out 3-6 pieces of jewelry every 30 days – pieces that were higher quality than anything I’d purchased prior, but also affordable. So affordable that after 3+ years worth of monthly boxes, my collection finally started to grow. Along the way, I also discovered a ton of amazing brands that fit my love for more minimalist jewelry styles. Keep scrolling to see some of my current favorite pieces in rotation, from brands that I keep going back to…
Silver choker (similar)
Pave moon necklace (similar) / Pave crescent necklace (similar)
Necklaces
Necklaces are one of those pieces that can completely make an outfit. Toss on a big, chunky statement necklace with a plain tee and jeans, and you’re set. Or, layer up a few more delicate necklaces to dress up a basic top. The latter is my preferred way to wear them, only because I’m not a big fan of wearing heavy jewelry (as you’ll notice by the end of this post!). My go-to styles are very dainty pendant necklaces, which I’ll often times layer upp. I have thing for celestial-inspired details in particular – if it has stars or moons, I’m all over it! And occasionally when I’m feeling fancy (or wearing a long v-neck), I’ll top it off with a lariat style pendant necklace – Gorjana has some of my favorites.
Another style that I’ve been wearing non-stop? Chokers. Since their reemergence a few years back, I’ve been gradually re-building my collection, starting with a silver chain choker from Luv AJ shown further above (this one is similar) followed by a boho-inspired gold hammered disc chocker from Gorjana, shown further down. But of course, I’m always on the hunt for more as I especially love how they look all layered up. Not to mention, Adornmode has the most gorgeous celestial styles that keep catching my eye…
On the wishlist: Crystal star choker & Crescent Moon choker set from Adornmode, Layered gold chokers from Baublebar
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Deco studs (similar) / Disc choker
Gold zig zag earrings (similar)
Earrings
When it comes to earrings, I have a bit of thing for minimal ear crawlers – not the big heavy ear jackets, but the smaller versions that trail up the earlobe. To me, they feel as comfortable and barely-there as wearing studs, but they add that little bit of edge to a look. My favorites are a pair of gold zig zag crawlers (similar) – I love their modern, edgy design, plus the stones add some extra glitz.
For more classic-looking earrings, I’m all about chic, simple studs. A few of my favorites include the 1920’s deco-inspired ones shown above, as well as a few pairs of slightly longer drop studs, which I’ve always had luck finding at Gorjana. Another one of my favorite places to shop for minimal, slightly edgy (and also super affordable) studs is Stella & Dot. They have some of the cutest druzy stud earrings, and even more snazzy gem studs that easily transition from day to evening!
On the wishlist: Stella & Dot celestial ear climbers, Gorjana pink coral studs
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Gold wrapped ring (similar) / Gold stacked rings (similar sets available at Baublebar & Gorjana)
Rings
Despite my old high school habits, these days I don’t always wear necklaces or earrings, though I do love my rings. Every now and then I’ll pick up a set of minimal, plain or slightly textured rings to add to my collection, and I’ll wear them all stacked up. Some of my favorite purchases I snagged from Baublebar and Gorjana during their semi-annual sales. For some reason, I’ve been sticking with gold primarily, though I have been eyeing a few boho-inspired silver styles, especially now that festival season is right around the corner…
On the wishlist: Feather wrap ring from Alicia’s Wonders, moonstone ring from Stars From Earth
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Gold wrapped ring (similar) / Drop studs (similar)
Explore more of my favorite jewelry brands here!
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What are some of your favorite jewelry styles, brands, and shops?
