Dress for Success with Artisan Made Jewellery

Toss out your old dress for success notes. The power suit is out and comfortable clothes that work for women are in. Back in the bad old days, professional women had very few wardrobe choices if they wanted to be taken seriously. The rules called for black, gray, navy or brown man-suits with boxy jackets and tailored skirts. As far as jewelry, the rule was don’t. How things have changed! Today’s professional woman is free to express herself through her wardrobe, as long as she doesn’t overdo it. Bright colors, feminine touches and artisan made jewellery all offer ways for women to personalize their professional wardrobe.

Here are some ideas about wearing artisan made jewellery with your executive wardrobe in ways that feminize your wardrobe without neutralizing your power.

Avoid Cutesy Jewelry

Cutesy jewelry gives off a little-girl vibe and can make it hard for your co-workers and associates to take you seriously. There are some professions where you can get away with wearing skull-and-roses bracelets, of course. If you work in a creative industry, you’ve got a lot more leeway than if you have to stand and argue cases in front of a judge and jury. Remember, artisan made jewellery doesn’t always mean funky and out there, but it does always represent high quality craftsmanship.

Instead, choose striking, stylish pendants, gemstone rings and sophisticated earrings that work well with the colors and styles of the clothing you wear.

Always Choose Real Over Plastic

There’s been a trend toward plastic and resin jewelry that’s faddish and often cheap-looking. Instead of plastic, choose genuine gemstone and semiprecious stones that redefine elegance. Ropes of freshwater pearls, tiger-eye gems and turquoise beads can make an elegant statement that works beautifully with silk and linen.

Keep Jewelry Pieces in Scale

Tiny earrings may be cute, but if they’re matched up with chunky beads, it can be jarring. On the other hand, boxy jackets were made to wear with chunky beads and bold, oversize gemstone pendants. If you’re wearing a dainty peplum jacket, consider pairing it up with a delicate filigree pendant, slender bracelets and button pearl earrings. Consider your overall look when choosing artisan made jewellery and choose pieces that fit the scale of your outfit.

We’ve come a long way since the days when the only acceptable jewelry in the workplace was a discreet lapel pin, button earrings and a feminine wristwatch. Today’s professional woman can show off her flair and personal style. Choose distinctive and classy artisan made jewellery that makes a fashion statement

How to Care for Artisan Made Jewellery

Beautiful jewelry is more than a pretty possession. Finely crafted artisan made jewellery expresses your personality and has the potential to become a treasured family heirloom. Gemstone jewelry, especially rings, bracelets, pendants, earrings and other beautiful pieces made with semiprecious stones, often carry sentimental value, and may have special significance to those who believe in the power of natural elements. Of course, if you’re planning to hand down your artisan made jewellery, you’ll want to take special care of it. These tips can help you preserve your gemstone rings, gemstone pendants, silver chains and other delicate artisan made jewellery so you’ll get years of pleasure from it.

Wear your jewelry often, but take care not to expose it to damaging activities and substances. Avoid wearing precious and semiprecious stones when you swim, bathe or sunbathe – there are chemicals in the water that can damage the stones and tarnish the metals. If you’re planning to spend the day at the beach or the pool, leave your jewelry at home – or at least remove it and put it into a small pouch while you swim.

Watch out for vigorous physical activity. No one would suggest that you sit pretty as a picture when you’re wearing gemstone jewelry, but if you’re going to be engaging in vigorous physical activity – say rock-climbing or jogging – you’ll be exposing it to the risk of tangling, catching on objects or breaking. This is especially important for gemstone pendants on silver chains, which can easily break and get lost.

Avoid banging your jewelry against hard objects. Obviously, no one goes out with the intention of slamming their jewelry into things, but some activities make it more likely than others. If you’re moving furniture, for example, you might want to remove gemstone rings first to avoid the possibility of banging the stone against door jambs or getting it caught between walls and furniture.

Don’t leave gemstone jewelry in direct sunlight, which can fade many of the most popular stones.

Store your artisan made jewellery in the original box or pouch, if possible, keeping each item separate from the others to avoid tangling and nicking. While you’ll often seen pendants and necklaces displayed hanging, it’s not a good idea to store your necklaces that way. The weight of the gemstone pendants can put stress on the chain and the fasteners, making them more likely to break.

Always put your artisan made jewellery on last. Perfume, hair spray and cosmetics contain chemicals that can damage gemstones and metal. Put your barrettes on after you spray your hair and put earrings and necklaces on after you’ve finished putting on your makeup and perfume.

With proper care, your artisan made jewellery will look as lovely in 20 years as it did on the day you bought it.