The History of Fashion Jewelry

Jewelry has made significant impressions on society dating back to ancient times. In ancient civilizations, gold was considered a preferred luxury metal because did not tarnish and was shapeable. Jewelry personified natural forms such as shells, plant life, and animals. Significant advances in style became increasingly evident with the setting of pearls and gemstones in shiny metals. Jewelry was worn in the form of necklaces, bracelets, pendants, earrings, and wreathes.

During Medieval Times, jewelry was widely adorned and worn by various levels of society. Brooches, pendants and pins with religious motifs were very popular during this period. Jewelry became so popular, sumptuary laws were created to limit lower levels of society from wearing gold and silver jewelry.

15th - 17th Centuries

Fake pearls and enamels became increasingly acceptable and were mass produced. These items were typically worn during the daytime as substitute for finer jewelry. Fine jewelry was kept for evening wear. Diamonds increased in popularity as well. The invention of the prong setting enhanced the brilliance of the diamond; therefore, expanding its allure with the upper-classes.

Victorian Era

The Victorian Era was an important advancement for Jewelry as an art form. Artistic expression became more apparent in fashion and jewelry. The early Victorian years were referred to as the Romantic period. The Romantic period emphasized dreams and emotions as inspiration for artistic expression. Morning brooches were a staple of this period. The hair of a loved one was intertwined within a pin, pendant, or brooch to make a sentimental piece of jewelry.

Mass production of jewelry lowered its luster with Victorians as importation of jewelry began from North America to Europe; thus, the beginning of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Arts and Crafts guilds were smaller jeweler associations, but provided higher quality jewelry and intricate artwork in design.

Early 20th Century

The Art Nouveau Movement was derived from the Arts and Crafts movement. It started in Paris and spread to North America. Asymmetrical and flowing lines inspired natural designs. Among these natural designs, floral and female forms were very popular. This period has a continuous influence on Jewelry design.

1930 to 1940

The reinstatement of mass produced jewelry followed the Art Nouveau Movement. This type of jewelry was meant to be worn selectively as an accessory to specific outfits. Two designers, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli masterminded accessorizing fine and costume jewelry with day to day fashion. Vermeil jewelry was popular, but in short supply from war efforts. Rhinestones popularity increased.

1950's

Hollywood's flamboyance and glamour influence spread across continents. Engrained with it was costume jewelry on the silver screen. The styles and look of the stars quickly spread and was widely accepted across the world. The emergence of the middle class in America increased the demand for costume jewelry. This encouraged technical advances in mass production methods.

Today's era has brought a creative culmination of styles to fashion jewelry, both timeless and trendy. Many celebrities have caught the wave by designing their own lines. Tori Spelling and Suzanne Somers are among a few. The fashion Jewelry industry is now a multi-billion dollar industry.

Jewelry is much more eclectic in today's era. Pieces are made by many different stones, textures, colors, various lengths, or metals. Jewelry is sold in large department stores, restaurants, gift shops, jewelry parties, and boutiques.

Fashion jewelry adds a splash of pizazz to attire no matter the occasion. Most importantly, fashion jewelry is fun! It is fun to shop for jewelry, sell jewelry, collect jewelry, and of course, show it off.

Your Accessories - 7 Unique and Unconventional Ways to Wear Them

If you think your beaded necklace is just another beaded necklace, it's time to think again. Here are five ways to change up what you already own and wear them in fun, unique ways.

Link your bracelets together into one long piece. Wear it as a necklace or belt. The change of design every 7 inches or so, will give it texture.
Thread a bracelet on to your belt loop and wear it as a "beltlet" to highlight your jeans. Make sure that the bracelet has a secure clasp and avoid toggle clasps.
Got several chokers and shorter necklaces? Try combining them for that designer effect. Mix your chunky ones with finer chains and beads. Weave some of your longer pieces around a choker. Try some edgier pieces with your classic pearls.
Wear a dangly brooch at the hem of your shirt. One novel way to wear a pin or brooch is to wear layered shirts and pin the brooch right at the hem of the top shorter shirt. Let both shirts highlight your brooch.
Just as you can wear bracelets linked together as a necklace, you can wear a longer necklace as a wrap around bracelet. A 21 to 22 inch necklace can wrap around an average wrist three times.
Another unusual way is to loop a chain necklace around a front strap of your outfit. Just pull one end through a loop made by the other end. Let it hand down the front.
Dangling earrings that have lost its mate can turn into one--of--a--kind charms. Just add a jumpring or a bail and hang several on a chain.

Have some fun with your pieces and experiment to see what other ways you can use whatever is in your jewelry box to come up with some fresh new ideas!

Jewellery Origins

The word 'jewellery' can be traced back to the Latin word 'jocale' meaning 'plaything' but jewellery has been a part of our history long before the Romans.

Jewellery is arguably one of the oldest inventions of man. From the moment humans evolved into creative beings with a need to express themselves, all kinds of natural materials such as animal bone, stone and wood were gathered and formed into adornments. Some of the first known jewellery items include bangles made out of Woolly Mammoth tusks dating from the Stone Age and bead necklaces, made from shells, some 100,000 years old. As a result of jewellery's long history and the nature of the materials used, archaeologists have been able to use items of jewellery to build up a good knowledge of our forbears.

In its many guises, jewellery became an important part of all societies. Even before the use of precious metals and gems, the beauty of a piece or the skill with which it was created gave it value and gave the owner status. Tribesmen could show their affiliation by wearing the same style of jewellery and a person's role within the group could be identified by the type of necklace, bangle or brooch they wore.

Some pieces were created to ward off evil spirits or work as a good luck charm and, as well as the obvious use as artistic display, could have a functional purpose in holding clothing in place.

Examples of copper jewellery dating from 7,000 years ago show the introduction of metal as a jewellery component whilst the Egyptians were using gold in their adornments as long ago as 5,000 years ago when it was very rare and a symbol of ultimate luxury. The malleability of gold married with the fact that it did not tarnish made it a preferred material and its popularity grew.

The Greeks widely used precious gems to embellish all jewellery from rings and bracelets to diadems and necklaces and by the 13th Century, the abundance of jewellery made from precious materials was so widespread across the social classes, that laws were introduced across Europe to curb the ownership of it and reserve it again as a symbol of wealth and power. These were known as the Sumptuary Laws.

These laws led directly to the development of many processes used in the creation of fake gems such as pearls, the emergence of paste and an increased popularity in semi-precious stones. It also saw the rise in popularity of marcasite as a diamond substitute.

The opulent Napoleonic times saw the resurgence in precious materials being used. During this period, the 'parure' became popular. This was an entire suite of jewellery which could include coordinating necklace, comb, tiara, diadem, pairs of bracelets, brooches, rings, earrings and even belt clasp. All the pieces were cleverly designed so that they could be taken apart and worn in different ways for different outfits and looks. The individual components of a necklace may later be worn as a brooch, hair ornament or pendant.

Today, jewellery design embraces all materials, methods and traditions. Everything from reclaimed materials - glass and tin cans, through stone and wood to the more aspirational platinum and diamond are regularly seen in jewellery pieces and are seen as an important finishing touch to an outfit and an expression of one's individuality.

Jewelry - Back in the Beginning

Jewelry in western civilization may have begun as beads of mourning, according to research done by Char, at collectiblejewels. Queens of England, and sometimes even their court, had to stay in full or half morning for several years. Jet black stones at Whitby flourished throughout early centuries, producing brooches, necklaces, earrings and bracelets in vast numbers. (I have even seen an unusual black stone necklace, worn by Queen Victoria in mourning, when I was recently in England.)

The memory of the dearly departed was often preserved in a locket, perhaps with a lock of their hair inside. A brooch or ring was also designed and used as a memorial to the loss of a friend or family member, truly a keepsake for life.

Fashion in jewelry was and is dictated by whatever the current style demanded. For example, in the late 1830's the head and neck was the focus of attention, so the chignon was built up in fancy shapes and pierced by arrows and daggers. Small lockets and pretty necklets lay on the open necks of the dresses. Even flat, broad shoulders in style at this time allowed plenty of space for long earrings.

Then came the opposite trend: necklines were buttoned up, ears were covered with either hair or bonnets, and earrings completely disappeared in the 1840's. To make up for the lack of jewelry, brooches were popular, and pendants. Rings showed of the hands, which were in fashion as a focus of attention. Large bracelets, with or without dangling pendants, also emphasized hands and wrists.

The1850's were prosperous and optimistic, featuring rich, elegant clothing. Sparkles and diadems adorned the swept up hair styles. Much jewelry came back in fashion, including earrings, though usually small ones. Evening brought forth elaborate necklaces, while daytime saw brooches at the throat.

In our time, we can see the appearance of anklets, as mini skirts came into fashion. Think about your own generation, and look at the jewelry of those times. Friendship bracelets, as fears began to diminish. I don't even want to comment on jewelry piercing! But it is most interesting to see how we highlight with jewelry that which is important to us today.

"Something Old" For the Bride

Every bride who wants to ensure the best possible start to her marriage is familiar with the old saying, "something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue". The new part is easy, but what about the old? Take a look at this list of suggestions that you can use.

The reason behind wearing something old for your wedding is to have a link to your heritage. It is even better if the old item has particular sentimental value to you or to the person from whom you get it. Brides will often start with their families when they are seeking out old items, but if nothing inherited presents itself, it is perfectly fine to seek out a vintage item to add to your wedding ensemble.

The most traditional something old is your mother's wedding gown. Sentimental value aside, many brides initially shudder at the thought of wearing their mom's old wedding dress (especially if she was married in the 1970s!), but do not be so quick to dismiss it out of hand. If your mother is willing, it is often possible to dramatically overhaul a vintage wedding gown to give it a more contemporary flair. Not only will you be fulfilling the "something old" requirement, but you will end up with a one-of-a-kind gown in the process.

If this simply is not your style, another nice idea is to steal a little piece of lace or fabric from your mother's wedding gown to incorporate into your bridal ensemble. A bit of lace could be stitched to the inside of your train, or you could use a larger piece of fabric from your mom's wedding dress to make a little drawstring purse to carry your essentials. Some brides might prefer not to wear their mom's gown, but might be able to work with her veil. Don't forget to ask your grandmother, as well. She may just have a gorgeous handmade Belgian lace veil tucked away in her attic just waiting for you to wear it.

Another popular and sentimental choice for the bride's something old is family jewelry. Many a bride has worn her mother's strand of pearls on her wedding day. When you are planning to wear an antique or vintage piece of jewelry, be sure to have a reputable jeweler inspect it before the big day. It is very common for older pieces to need a little maintenance, like re-stringing a pearl strand. Often brides will choose one heirloom piece of wedding jewelry to wear in combination with a new piece of handcrafted bridal jewelry. You can have a pair of earrings or a necklace handcrafted especially to coordinate with the vintage bridal jewelry to add your own style to your accessories.

Vintage jewelry doesn't always have to be worn on your body to qualify as your "something old". An antique brooch looks wonderful pinned to the ribbon wrapped around the stems of the flowers in your bouquet. If there is not a spectacular heirloom brooch in your family, it is easy enough to track one down in an antique store, flea market, or online. You might even find this detail to be so pretty that you want to find vintage brooches to adorn the bridesmaids' bouquets as well.

Almost anything can count as your "something old", though ideally it would have sentimental meaning or at least be very beautiful. It is wonderful to have this connection to your heritage or to brides from the past. Paying homage to the past is a great way to launch your new future.

Tiffany Inspired Jewelry - The Look of Tiffany on a Budget

Tiffany's jewelry is world famous company and if you cannot afford the actual jewelry there are a lot of Tiffany inspired jewelry to choose from. While Tiffany's has produced some more affordable pieces like key chains and money clips for those wanting the elegant pieces without the price tag there are other options. Tiffany produces bracelets, rings, earrings and necklaces.

Besides the traditional Tiffany's style, the jewelry comes in the traditional blue box and you can even find Tiffany inspired jewelry that reproduces the Tiffany style down to the box. Tiffany jewelry is traditionally sterling silver as the Tiffany Company has produced a special blend of silver that is very strong and will last.

It is not a direct replica but it is inspired from the Tiffany style so many of the pieces are very similar to Tiffany. Some companies may even produce direct replicas. The main difference between real Tiffany's jewelry and the inspired version jewelry is the price tag. They are just as beautiful and classic as the real ones but at much more affordable prices. If you aspire for a piece of Tiffany's then you should investigate Tiffany inspired jewelry.

This jewelry can be found in many places, in stores and online. You can search the internet to discover the companies in your area that provide this type of jewelry. Their heart pendants are particularly popular. These floating heart pendants come in silver, gold and with crystals. They also have the traditional Tiffany's circle of life pendant that resembles a circle of crystals on a chain.

There are many different types of Tiffany inspired earrings and many of them match the Tiffany pendants. There are open heart earrings as well as circle of life earrings. There are a variety of different bracelets and many still use the open heart charm design. There are multi chain bracelets, heart charm bracelets, puff heart toggle bracelets, link bracelets, cubic zirconium tennis bracelets, mesh buckle bracelets, silver heart tag ID bracelets, double row cable bracelets and much more.

Tiffany also offers men's jewelry and you can find Tiffany's inspired jewelry from their men's line. There is a huge array of cufflinks available with two tone cufflinks, woven cufflinks and love knot cufflinks to name but a few. Other men's jewelry include pendants, chains, heavy mesh rings, eternal cross pendants, dice key chains, golf club money clip, sterling silver dollar sign money clips and dog tag pendants.

Many of the beautiful Tiffany's brooches and pins are also available as inspired pieces of jewelry. These pins and brooches include dragonfly pins, sunburst pins, voile circle pins, lily pins, circle of life in gold leaf, eternity pins and daisy brooches.

Inexpensive Accessories to Make - To Wear, to Gift or to Sell on Etsy

Making accessories from fabric scraps and found items can be fun and inexpensive. You do not need high cost tools or materials. All you need to do is look through your treasure box of odds and ends you thought were just too pretty to throw away but had no idea what to do with.

What treasures do you have stashed away?

If you're like most crafters, your treasure box would hold; scraps of beautiful fabric, gorgeous silky ribbon ends, snips of lace and buttons and beads. And, if you're like me, the earring that lost its mate, a pendant that lost its chain and the quirky charm that came from who-knows-where.

Now that you've got your supplies, just add needle and thread!

A favorite accessory is the flower brooch made from these scraps of fraying fabric. Add lace and ribbons and some sparkle in the form of beads and charms, secure to a pin back and you've got yourself a style statement. Give this as a gift and the recipient will remember you. Sell them in your Etsy store and your shop will sure to be a favorite.

Just follow these simple steps:

Cut strips of fabric. The width and length will determine the size of the finished product. I usually make my strips about 1/2 inch wide by 4 inches long.
Experiment with different sizes to get the right dimensions.
Lay out the strips, one strip next to the other, in a pleasing pattern, alternating colors and textures.
Determine where the center of the strip is along the length.
Using matching thread, make a running stitch down the center. Gather the stitch, pulling the strips into a pom pom. You may need to make more than one pom pom depending on how big and dense you want your flower to be.
Attach to a pin back. I recommend sewing in on for better security, but if your pin back has no holes, use a good epoxy to secure it in place.

Make your creation stand out

Just because you're using left over craft supplies, it doesn't mean that your brooch can not look elegant. One way I've found to be effective is to use monochromatic schemes when choosing the materials. Look for several shades of one color. One hot look are the naturals. Ecru, sage, tan and off-white are gorgeous together.

Add some embellishments like vintage buttons and charms. Lace and ribbons will give your piece great texture as will using several different types of fabric.

They do not have to be brooches

The finished piece can be attached to virtually anything. Sew it on to an elastic band and you've got a cute ponytail holder. Attach it to headbands. Clip it on to tote bags. Tie one on a wrapped present in place of a bow.

Just use your imagination and see if you can come up with other creative ideas.