pearls

Surprise Basics for Women’s Workwear

by Kat on 03/08/2011 · 148 comments

in Accessories, Bags, Basics, Fashion, Jewelry, Layering Pieces, Shopping, Style, Wear to Work

Surprise, South Lambeth, SW8, originally uploaded to Flickr by Ewan-MReader S has a question about which wardrobe items become surprise basics for the working woman…

Would love to hear you and readers share which pieces have unexpectedly come into your regular wardrobe rotation. For example, I know that you’ve found purple pumps to be quite versatile. Now that many of us have found the classic basics, what are some pieces that you have found to be surprise basics?

Great question! Personally, I find that there is little way to predict what will be a favorite — it depends on how an item wears, what surprises it holds (how low does that neckline go if you lean forward?), and how it fits after you’ve laundered it at least once.  Still — there have been a few unexpected basics in my working wardrobe, including purple pumps, as reader S correctly points out.  (Pictured: Surprise, South Lambeth, SW8, originally uploaded to Flickr by Ewan-M.) Other things that might not be on every woman’s must-have list of items, but are items I’ve never regretted purchasing:

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Coffee Break: Tahitian Cultured Pearl and Diamond Pendant

by Kat on 06/24/2010 · 44 comments

in Accessories, Coffee Break, Fashion, Jewelry, Wear to Work

Tahitian Cultured Pearl and Diamond PendantFor today’s coffee break, we’re digging this Tahitian pearl pendant. Like diamond studs, pearls can be all over the map in terms of expense and quality, but they always convey that you’re striving for a classic look. We like the Tahitian pearl to mix it up a bit, and this one seems like a great size and price for someone just building their serious jewelry collection.  It’s $530 at Blue Nile.  Tahitian Cultured Pearl and Diamond Pendant
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Open Thread: What Jewelry Do You Wear at the Office?

by C on 05/28/2009 · 38 comments

in Accessories, Fashion, Jewelry, Wear to Work

picture-7Ah, office jewelry… too much and you run the risk of looking like Tess, pre-makeover (from Working Girl). Today’s reader mail:

I adore jewelry, and I can pull of a bit chunkier necklace, but I hate wearing earrings or bracelets at the office. Bracelets always end up hurting my arm when I’m writing, as my watch goes on my left wrist and I’m right handed, and earrings always poke into my head when I’m on the phone. I’ve gotten around it by wearing only necklaces, or taking my earrings off when on the phone much like the ladies on Designing Women, but I’d love a more modern suggestion, and to know what jewelry others are wearing!

picture-6We totally agree — it can be tricky. For our $.02, we’ve mentioned our dislike of bracelets before: bangles are too noisy and distracting, and even tennis bracelets dig into our wrists while typing. As for earrings, we haaate, hate, hate wearing post earrings for precisely that reason. Our solution has been to wear earrings with what we believe is called a “European” back — far more comfortable! — but it can be hard to find ones that are small enough to be acceptable for the office that are nice yet reasonably priced. We end up wearing a lot of “huggie” earrings (like the ones pictured at right), which hug the earlobe. (At right: Perfect Huggie Hoops in Yellow Gold by Jude Frances, available at Amazon.com for $480.) We would argue that earrings that dangle farther than half an inch from your earlobe are a bit too distracting for work, but maybe that’s us.

In terms of other jewelry, keep in mind that office jewelry should be about restraint — you want to garnish your outfit, not embellish. You might want to pick a few small pieces, like a ring, small earrings, and a watch or necklace. You might want to pick one big piece, like a very chunky necklace (or several necklaces for a layered effect) or a cocktail ring, to be worn with bare ears and wrist or very plain accessories.

picture-8Another piece that we often mention is the brooch — they’re not as “in” as they were a few years ago, when the trend was to layer several brooches on a sweater — but we do like the way one nice brooch looks on the lapel of a blazer or cardigan, or even as used to “close” a cardigan, a la Michelle Obama.

Readers, what do you think? What do you wear in terms of jewelry at the office?

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Reader Mail – Pearl Necklaces and Younger Women

by C on 01/06/2009 · 25 comments

in Fashion, Fashion Gaffes, Jewelry, Lifestyle

A while ago, we got this intriguing e-mail from a reader:

As a late graduation present, I was considering asking my folks for a classic strand of pearls.  This turned out to be more complicated than I had thought.  Is it (still) true that younger women shouldn’t aspire to larger pearls?  I don’t want to buy a strand that will look silly when I’m in my 30s and 40s — what’s the largest I can get away with in my 20s?

The article she linked to explained that larger pearls were for older women — the largest sizes being for women “45 and up,” with the smallest sizes being intended for “older teens, 16 to 24.”

For our $.02: We love our 7.5 MM x 8 MM pearls and wear them all the time — several times a week.   They stodge up a questionable outfit and make us feel like we belong when we’re at an event with much bigger wigs than us.  As for the size, we would say that if you’re wearing suits you’re old enough to get this size of pearls (which, according to the website, is the last size of pearls acceptable for women under 35).  Go to the store and try on different pairs — you’ll eventually find one that feels and looks at home on your neck — and THAT’S the size and length you should get.  (We went with 18″ and would never look back, but if you wear button-down shirts or crewnecks frequently you may prefer to go with the tighter 16″ length.)

We would recommend splurging and getting the best set of pearls you can afford — if you can, go for the top grades of Mikimoto brand pearls, sold at finer jewelry stores.  Even Zales sells a set of mid-level Mikimoto pearls.  If you do end up buying this mid size (6.5 through 7.5MM), don’t consider it money spent on something you can only use for 15-20 years — another look that’s hugely popular among older women is the double- and triple-stranded pearl necklace, and you can convert a single strand necklace INTO a double- and triple-strand necklace if you want to (either by resetting the pearls or getting a special clasp to link the first necklace with a second necklace).

As for larger white pearls — 8.5MM and up — we would actually recommend going fake.  You’re in good company –  Jackie Kennedy, Michelle Obama and Barbara Bush have all notoriously gone for large faux pearls.  (And if you want to wear them and you’re 25, go for it, we say.)   (Another option that would probably carry you from your 20s through your 70s would be to really go all out and get a rare colored pearl, a la Nancy Pelosi‘s Tahitian pearls.  (Hers reportedly cost $80K!))

We’re curious — what are other people’s thoughts on pearls?  What would your advice be for our reader?   Do you wear them frequently?  Did you inherit them or purchase them for a specific event, like your wedding?  Have you upgraded a set recently?

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