Sources:
- Blazer: Anne Taylor Loft
- Shirt: Sandra Ingrish via Filene’s Basement
- Belt: Banana Republic Outlet
- Pants: J. Crew (thrifted)
- Shoes: Sam Edelman via Off 5th
- Cosmetic Bag (below): Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body c/o Nomi Network
- Necklace and Bracelet: gifts
- Watch: Tissot
- Ring: Far Fetched (gift) but Jeanine Payer also makes gorgeous jewelry etched with poetry and sayings
Endnotes:
I think it might be a bit of a misnomer to call big, bold pieces “statement” jewelry since there is a whole genre of jewelry (and clothing)* out there that literally makes a statement. E. spotted this witty necklace by Tickette on Etsy, and my favorite “statement” piece of jewelry is this ring that my Uncle gave me (sorry for the poor picture quality).
On the outside it says “well behaved women” and on the inside “rarely make history” which is a slightly altered version of the phrase coined in the 1970s by the writer/professor/feminist, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, who said that “well behaved women seldom make history.” Even though the writing is small and only I know what’s on the inside of the ring, it is still special to me and makes me feel powerful for some reason. Do you have any jewelry that has text on it? What kinds of explicit “statements” does your jewelry make? Do you feel different when you’re wearing it?
On another note, like S. I’ve been getting some good use out of my little cosmetic bag from the “Buy Her Bag, Not Her Body” line that was donated to us for review by the Nomi Network, a “non-profit organization working to eradicate sexual slavery and the trafficking of women.” I decided to use mine to collect all those little odds and ends that seem to float around in the bottom of my purse or school bag.
This bag is definitely generous and can carry a lot. It’s good for my purse or the inside of my laptop bag, but it doesn’t fit as nicely in the front pocket as say one of their wristlets might. However, the durable fabric, made of recycled rice bag material, and bright colors mean that it hasn’t been scuffed up or been lost in the bottom of my bag yet! If you’re looking for a socially conscious gift in the near future, please check out Nomi Network’s full array of accessories and help support their very worthy cause.
Thanks to you all for the great discussions during Jewelry Week! There are still so many topics we could get into both stylistically and aesthetically as well as the political, gender, social, cultural, and symbolic power of jewelry. I know I’ll be thinking more about what I put on as well as how I perceive the accessories of those around me. Being single and in my late 20s I often joke that I have “ring-dar” as the left ring finger of everyone is the first place that my eyes go, but now hearing about how many other cultures do things and how people are choosing to change things up I am reminded that I should be careful about drawing conclusions about anyone based on accessories or appearance, period. A good thing to remember!
Please don’t forget to register to win a Mirari Necklace by Orno Jewelry and stop back this weekend for two great Weekend Workshops!
~L.
*If you’d like to read more opinions from the chics about clothing with text please see S.’s post which started a productive debate last summer about “slogan T’s”. A.’s post also about her stance in favor of T-shirts that state things clearly. And E.’s post about her reservations surrounding wearing any clothing that states opinion or takes a side.
