Have you found yourself.... (jewelry-related)

[fleur-de-lis]

Have you found yourself wearing different jewelry pieces because of the current economic conditions?

After years of wearing nearly exclusively platinum (or silver-toned costume jewelry), I recently realized that I''ve been reaching for my gold (and gold-toned jewelry from Nordstrom and the like) in the last few months. For weddings and other formal events past, I would visit the vault to take out my (pretty darn blingy) diamond watch with the diamond band, but I''m just wearing a more simple gold watch this year. My diamond studs still get regular use, but the hoops haven''t come out of my safe other than for a trip to Vegas. Even my everyday RHR selections have been more subdued.

Has anyone else been noticing this phenomenon themselves? What types of pieces are you wearing more, and are there any pieces that you love that you find yourself (surprisingly) not wearing as often?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

I have been wearing different pieces but not so much due to the economy - due to my job. I work for a bankruptcy attorney and I don''t always feel comfortable flashing my bling when we have people coming in that have lost everything. In a recent project of mine I had my three stone ring taken apart - the side stones (.25 each) were put into stud earrings and the center (.50) was put into a classic 4-prong solitaire. I often wear that solitaire with my 2mm Lucida band to the office since it''s understated. Sometimes I skip the RHR all together for the office but that sort of depends on my mood when I''m getting ready in the morning

 

[AprilBaby]

I put my plain gold hoops back on instead of my diamond hoops and I am wearing fewer rings. I feel bad when so many of my patients are out of work wearing lots of bling.

 

[Madam Bijoux]

Not me, and I haven't noticed people in Philadelphia or NY toning their accessories down either.

 

[HollyS]

I guess I don''t understand ''toning down'' of the bling. Outside of Dallas and Houston, you won''t find women in Texas decked out head to toe in expensive jewelry. We wear a lot of silver and turquoise. We''re not opposed to wearing costume jewelry. My wedding day jewelry was sterling and Swarovski crystals; and that is typical for this area. Our diamonds are reserved for earrings, e-rings, w-bands, and the occasional RHR. We might sport an expensive watch or a simple diamond pendant.

I grew up in Illinois, and it was pretty much the same thing. Notice how Michelle Obama wears a classic low-key wedding set, stud earrings, and costume jewelry?

 

[diamondringlover]

No, lol, I dont have enough blingy jewerly to worry about toning it down

 

[Elmorton]

Date: 3/21/2009 12:05:24 PM
Author:
I grew up in Illinois, and it was pretty much the same thing. Notice how Michelle Obama wears a classic low-key wedding set, stud earrings, and costume jewelry?

Ditto - this is the norm where I live, and pretty much how I do jewelry - wedding set and studs are real, big funky beads, bracelets etc are not. So, because people mix and match anyway, you don''t see anyone paring down, or if they are, you can''t tell the difference. My local jeweler''s business seems to be booming - I haven''t been the only customer in the store once in the last six months when I''ve been working on my mom''s ring project - there are always people in there. Even with the economy down, I still think jewelry is something people purchase for milestones and celebrations.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

No. But I am not in the buying mode, so I am revisiting my collection with gusto. And layering. We are going out so I have my T & C diamond cross on and my south sea pearl. Looks cool. I can''t wear jewellery in my line of work--so I enjoy it when I am not.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Irishgrrrl]

Date: 3/18/2009 3:36:42 PM
Author: DivaDiamond007
I have been wearing different pieces but not so much due to the economy - due to my job. I work for a bankruptcy attorney and I don''t always feel comfortable flashing my bling when we have people coming in that have lost everything. In a recent project of mine I had my three stone ring taken apart - the side stones (.25 each) were put into stud earrings and the center (.50) was put into a classic 4-prong solitaire. I often wear that solitaire with my 2mm Lucida band to the office since it''s understated. Sometimes I skip the RHR all together for the office but that sort of depends on my mood when I''m getting ready in the morning

I''m a paralegal and I handle all of the bankruptcy cases at our office, so I meet with bankruptcy clients all the time. I too feel a little weird wearing a bunch of bling in those meetings. But, every single piece of jewelry I wear was a gift from DH and I love them all! I just can''t bear not to wear them. I guess I just hope my clients assume they''re CZs.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Well for me personally, not really, but that''s mostly because I don''t really have a ton of fancy or super-blingy pieces - I find I''m wearing what I''ve always worn.

I do notice lots of other things, like feeling horribly guilty if I go into a shop and don''t buy anything (silly, I know - like I, personally, could change the shop''s fate with my spending habits

), but I''ve not felt bad about my jewelry or noticed myself reaching for different pieces particularly.

 

[Bliss]

I have found myself turning my e-ring around a lot more than I used to. I don''t do it for safety reasons so much as it seems that in different situations, it might make other people feel badly. But I really love bling because it makes me feel beautiful, so I do always wear one of my DBTY necklaces, even if it''s hidden under my blouse. I''m working on a pair of simple studs as a staple. Those will probably replace other pieces... I know what you mean, though.

 

[Rhea]

Date: 3/21/2009 12:15:06 PM
Author: diamondrnglover
No, lol, I dont have enough blingy jewerly to worry about toning it down

Exactly!

 

[geckodani]

Date: 3/22/2009 6:44:09 AM
Author: Addy

Date: 3/21/2009 12:15:06 PM
Author: diamondrnglover
No, lol, I dont have enough blingy jewerly to worry about toning it down

Exactly!

Yup! LOL!