I LOVE JEWELLERY. I particularly love expensive jewellery. However, I am a student with struggling finances so spending the odd £60+ on one item is not happening.
Therefore, I wanted to share the ways in which I’ve managed to add interest to a lot of my outfits, without breaking the bank.
Some I might add are quite obvious, however I think sometimes it takes that reminder that shopping cheaply doesn’t mean it won’t look great. Granted it might not last long but it will give you an idea on what you like and what you should invest in later.
So to start with it’s all about necklaces.
Necklaces are a great way to make something as simple as a white t-shirt look great. I have a mix of slightly higher end necklaces and then more highstreet ones.
Highstreet
The layering necklace (on the far right of the photo) is from New Look and I’ve had it for a fair few years. It’s great to add to graphic tees and also plain shirts. It has gone a bit rusty at the top but the overall affect of the necklace has not changed. A layering necklace is a great thing to add to your collection and because they tend to be more pricy starting off with a budget piece is great!
Tip: Especially when buying cheaper jewellery, the simpler the better. I love simplistic pieces anyway but when buying them on a budget the more there is to it the cheaper it will look.
The middle necklace (see on the photo above and the aside photo) actually sits in between a chocker and a normal lying necklace (available here). It is a perfect substitute to a layering necklace or if you simply want to add something small to an outfit. Accessorize is a great place to shop for jewellery because they mimic a lot of the higher end designs but on a budget. This one in particular has stayed in pretty good condition.
Upper End Highstreet
I must admit the two upper end pieces I own have been gifted to me by my fabulous friends. However, they are my most worn necklaces and if you can’t get them yourself asking for birthdays etc. is a great way to ask for things that may be a bit of a stretch on a normal day.
This particular one I believe is from Oliver Bonas (the shop in Edinburgh is beautiful!). The necklace is simple and goes with absolutely everything. Mixing and matching more expensive jewellery with your budget pieces (especially when they are such simple pieces) means the budget ones are elevated.
Tip: If you don’t necessarily have the budget for an expensive necklace, looking around the upper priced websites is still a great place to start. This way you can find what you like and look elsewhere for a cheaper option.
Tip: When shopping for more expensive pieces looking at the sales are a great way to afford them. I’ve noticed that Oliver Bonas tend to do great in store sales, particularly on Jewellery.
The next necklace was also kindly gifted by a friend and it is the well known pendant from Anthropologie, available here. They come inscribed with an initial on it so a great gifting piece!
However it has slightly disappointed me with its lasting quality. I am not sure if this is significant to the Edinburgh store (seeing there is a similar review based on there) but the piece has turned copper like and has scratching on the front. I tend to take great care of my jewellery ( I don’t sleep with them on, they get hung up and I don’t shower with it on either) so its a real shame that it has not lasted more than a year. It definitely doesn’t look gold anymore.
I do still wear it, just not the same amount as what I have done and it certainly doesn’t have the same affect.
Please let me know if you’ve had a similar experience.
If you have any recommendations on jewellery, feel free to leave them down below. When I am finally back in Edinburgh I am particularly looking forward to finding some options there!
Keep your eyes peeled for the next jewellery post, all about rings!
Much Love,
Sophie x
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