NO Rules for Making and Wearing Jewelry
Remember those old rules of fashion? The ones that told you what you were "never" supposed to do with your clothes and accessories? Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief because they don't apply anymore.
These days, the only limits are the ones that suit each customer's personal style—whether they're wearing brightly colored gemstones with their wedding whites or loads of Crystal Passions® crystals at the office. And decisions regarding jewelry and other accessories are based more on what your customers are wearing instead of when they're wearing it.
Here's a collection of old-fashioned rules—and why you're free to smash them to bits:
1. Never Mix Gold with Silver and Other Metals
Sure, back in the old days, having a full set of gold jewelry and a full set of silver jewelry showed how oh-so-very rich you were. If you wanted to look like the 1% back in the Vanderbilt days, you followed the Vanderbilt rules. These days? Fuhgeddaboudit!
Metallics of all kinds are neutrals, whether your customer prefers shining gold, antiqued copper or gleaming gunmetal. Mixing metals is an immensely popular trend that shows no sign of slowing down. Your customers can wear jewelry combining multiple metals—as seen in design idea MK45—or wear individual pieces in different metallics (such as gold shoes and a silver cuff bracelet). Help your customers make the look intentional by using a 2:1 or 3:2 ratio of metallic finishes: two golds to a silver, three silvers to a bronze, etc.
Isn't it freeing to know you're not boxed into single-metal looks?
2. Summer Means no Leather or Metal Jewelry
Seriously? Leather's the all-season radial tires of the fashion industry. Just because it's summertime doesn't mean your stylish customer is stuck with a smaller selection of materials.
Sure, shells and fiber are popular materials for warm weather jewelry. The reason is that summer styles tend to be more casual, so the materials are different. But if your customers still need a business look, you can help them create a professional style while still showing that little bit of fun (design idea L92G). If they're shopping for more casual outfits like jeans and a shirt, then you've got an opportunity to offer macramé jewelry made with leather cord (design idea K50B). You can incorporate organic materials such as shell, wood, and horn into these styles, as well as tangled strands and nature motifs like birds or leaves.
How you use the materials is more important than what they are. For example, a bold and beautiful floral design in leather and metal can still look summery.
3. Daytime is Not the Time to Sparkle
If anybody tries to tell you that again, blind them with your Crystal Passions® jewelry!
Your customers are free to wear jewelry covered in sequins, fire polished glass or Crystal Passions® fancy stones at any time of day or night.
The guidelines you can use to help your customers choose appropriate jewelry for their personal style or business dress? It's more about the clothes they're wearing than the time of day. Plenty of business attire is monochromatic, with black being the most popular shade. That's the perfect background for a dramatic necklace or intense colors (as seen in design idea NA38). Make sure it doesn't plunge deeply into the décolletage and your customer is set to make a dramatic yet professional entrance.
4. When it Comes to Jewelry, Less is More
Who decided that one? Nudists? We know it was Coco Chanel. And that style really worked for her. However, it doesn't work for everyone--and it may not work for the jewelry you create!
The nice thing is you don't have to follow this rule. If you've created an incredible jewelry set that needs to be worn together and it looks great on your customers, let them know they're supposed to wear the whole shebang. If your customers love the look of mixed-media designs with multiple chains (design idea L943), then the jewelry you create should add to their overall look. Let the cut of their clothing help you guide them to the lengths and styles which suit them. For example, V-neck and deep scoop necklines beg for statement necklaces. If they're wearing a turtleneck or other high collar, then super-long designs are a great option. Is your customer shopping for a more formal event, where she'll wear her hair up? Then you have a great opportunity to offer her dazzling chandelier and drop earrings.
5. Style = Suffering
Why is this even a thing? Let's give this masochistic "rule" a decent burial and adopt a more logical mindset. Do chandelier earrings just feel too heavy to your customers? By all means, direct them to other earring styles.
Does copper make your best customer's skin turn green? Try using ''red bronze'', which includes a blend of de-oxidizers which prevent the green verdigris from forming, or rose gold to get the warm color tone they like without the reaction.
Most importantly, don't try to talk your customers into wearing jewelry they won't enjoy. After all, the most attractive qualities in the world are happiness and confidence. What better advertisement could your jewelry have than happy, confident customers who clearly love what they're wearing?
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