Each year when Valentine’s Day rolls around, it’s not my single-ness that first pops into my mind, but rather, “Yay!! It’s time for another self-prezzie!” If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you know I’m a firm believer in what I call The Boyfriend Gift. In a nutshell, when important days come along (or heck, even a Tuesday, for that matter!) I use the opportunity to treat myself to a new piece of jewlery…because why should I have no boyfriend AND no jewelry? There’s nothing right about that! I may not be able to do anything about the boyfriend situation, but I can certainly do something about the jewelry situation. So any money I would have spent on the boyfriend, I spend on myself.
To give you some jewelry inspiration, I thought I’d take it back to my Jewelry Box Basics format, which is a series I began back in 2013. In this series, I describe 6 different personal styles, and then I suggest pieces of jewelry which would be harmonious with that style. Granted, no one fits in any one box, so please use these as general guidelines. To catch up to date, click on each of these styles to read more in depth: The Lady Who Lunches, The Bohemian, The Rock Star, The Minimalist, The Romantic, and The Trendy Gal.
Without further ado, here’s some ideas for each personal style…
The Lady Who Lunches: Chopard Happy Hearts Bracelet
During my 17+ years as a wardrobe stylist, I’ve learned that this woman likes high quality, and having something that’s a name brand doesn’t hurt. They don’t want to be ostentatious, but rather tastefully elegant. This Chopard rose gold bracelet with two hearts, one of coral and the other with a moving diamond, hits this desired note. Equally lovely worn alone or in a stack.
The Bohemian gal wouldn’t likely gravitate toward traditional heart jewelry. Instead, taking inspiration from Cupid’s arrow sounds much more up her alley. These bold arrow rings from Otto Jewels are very chic, from the finish on the metal to the sparkles. Yes, please!
I feel like I practically know Marla just from her fabulous Instagram feed. I’m obsessed with her line of locks, which come in a variety of sizes, metals, and even embellished with gems. Her heart locks are ideal for the rocker in you and would be killer layered up with some of your other fave necklaces.
The Romantic personal style is most certainly drawn to vintage and antique jewelry. When I came across this clever ring, I was instantly intrigued. It has two clasping hands, which swivel open to reveal the sweetest of hearts. Don’t you just love it? The sentimentality and the history would definitely resonate with a Romantic’s heart, as well as her personal style.
The true Minimalist has the smallest jewelry collection of all the styles. She usually has her “uniform” of jewelry she wears each day, which may be as simple as a watch and a pair of stud earrings that are never changed. This is not to say that this woman lacks fun in her life, so I think if this gal wanted to give herself a Valentine-themed treat, it would be in the form of the most delicate and simple heart ring. I found two I really like. The open heart is in 14K rose gold, from Ariel Gordon, and Jennifer Meyer has a precious 18K gold ring with a singular, solid heart.
This personal style likes to play, experiment and have some fun with fashion. What a better way to show a little sass than with this Alison Lou necklace? It’s surely a conversation starter with its ruby lips and fancy lashes. It makes me smile just looking at it.
