Making the best of costume jewellery

Costume jewellery is a special kind of bling and has its own retinue of ardent fans. It is available in different sizes, shapes, colour and designs; readily available even in the best of shops, which is part of its appeal. Costume jewellery is very much a fashion trend (good or bad) that never seems to fade or dim. It has held its own since the 18th century when it gained popularity. That was the period when cheap metal and glass were being used as alternative to precious stones. Who would not want to wear a crystal brooch or a massive cocktail ring big enough to crack coconut? And who says you need to raid a vault before you walk down that red-carpet? The basic to it all is that you know the best way to maximize the effect of what you chose to wear by learning the art to wearing costume jewellery. Get it right and it is an excellent addition to an outfit. Get it wrong and you will not like your day. So whether you are a lifelong fashionista or just trying to expand your wardrobe creatively, it is best you know how to pull off costume jewellery, such that you come out looking both stylish and chic.

Blending colors: Big costume jewellery can be a bold statement or a simple addition to your outfit. If you want to patronize colourful, chunky pieces of jewellery, it is best matched against a plain background. Bottom line is to keep your outfit comfortable and simple. A monochrome outfit should do nicely as it will tone the colours and blend it beautifully.

Best outfit combo: Always wear the kind of outfit you would wear if you had on the original piece of jewellery; basically because most costumes are replicas of some original somewhere. It would look very out of place to combine extravagant jewellery with your everyday garb. Like a pair of costume diamond would look out of place on a pair of torn jeans and T-shirt.

The vintage look: Aiming for a throwback look from the 60’s or even much earlier is a good one. But know that sporting vintage costume jewellery is a whole different game when compared to vintage clothes. These are available in the open markets and most times you pick and match for yourself as they are not sold in sets. Vintage is not meant to be real; it is just playing dress up.

Keep perfumes at bay: Most costume jewellery react negatively when in contact with perfumes because of the materials they are made with. This causes itching and makes you uncomfortable, especially when within a hot environment. It also causes the costume to turn black.

One thing at a time: Never wear anything matchy matchy. You can decide to wear ten cocktail rings on all your fingers or even two necklaces. But the trick is to go for one jewellery piece at a time. Mix and match the jewellery and decide which to drop. Either you go with the bracelet and necklace but do not add on the earrings.

MABEL DIMMA