Strike a cord
An easy (and cheap!) summertime upgrade
I love jewelry because it’s season-less. Sure, trends come and go, but beloved and treasured jewelry never goes out of style. BUT, come summer I do find myself wanting to wear things in a bit of a different way. During winter I gravitate towards weightier styles on long chains that can easily clear even the chunkiest of turtlenecks. But when the weather warms I get an itch to play with color, texture, and (dare I say it…) cord. Yes, this nineties style is back (did it ever leave?) and I am looking forward to embracing it in all its Jordan Catalano glory.
Sigh. It’s hard to improve upon perfection, but I’ll try, first by stringing a pearl I bought in Sayulita circa 2006 onto some black silk cord a la Sophie Buhai.
After reading about a bohemian jewelry outpost in (what was once) a sleepy surf town north of Puerto Vallarta, I made the trek, ELLE magazine in hand, to find the store and purchase one of their pearls.
The story, in the March 2006 issue of ELLE.
While the pearl on a choker will be my easy summer staple, I also plan to string my puffy heart, favorite charms, and even my Carolina Bucci Forte Beads as inspired by Stacy Nolan, Mateo, Beck Jewels and the always chic, never out of style, Elsa Peretti.
Elsa Peretti’s large bean in lacquered Japanese Hardwood on silk cord.
Stacy Nolan puffy silver heart on leather cord.
Mateo Water Droplet Necklace and Beck Jewels blue topaz Scuba Necklace.
C’est moi, using a selection of sentimental charms (L: Anna Sheffield Gemini (hi Mo!), Joanna Dahdah Pomegranate, and vintage heart from my mom all strung with some forte beads for color, R: the same pomegranate with my beloved puffy heart also from my mom).
There is something effortless about using cord instead of chain. Gold charms feels more casual and bright, and diamonds and gems don’t compete for sparkle. And the best part? I scored the leather and silk cord at my local bead shop for under $10! A low stakes way to experiment and totally change the energy of your jewelry.
And as always, if you’re interested in finding a new charm or repurposing something you already have into a pendant, let me know!!