If you’re a proud owner of a vintage jewellery collection, you’ll want the world to know. So why not make the most of your accessories and show them off regularly? It’s tempting to reserve vintage pieces for special occasions as they are so unique. However, by incorporating them into your everyday look, you can enjoy their beauty more often while adding character and charm to your outfits.
But how can you style vintage jewellery with a 21st-century wardrobe? In this blog post, we’ve got the tips you need to wear vintage necklaces, rings, and more with your everyday get-up.
Plan the outfit around the accessory
Many of us plan our daily outfits by picking out clothes and adding accessories as the finishing touches. But vintage jewellery deserves to be the star of the show — so treat it as such and plan your look around your accessories. There are a number of ways you can do this, so try experimenting with different options. For example, if you have a vibrant vintage pendant, colour coordinate your outfit to make the accessory shine.
Another option is to base your outfit on the era your accessory was made. This is a great way to honour the heritage of the piece, while blending the style of older eras with modern-day aesthetics.
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Victorian: Characterised by intricate and ornate designs, with floral motifs common. You can style a look around a white blouse and floral midi skirt, or pair a floral blouse with straight cut jeans and leather ankle boots.
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Art Nouveau: Characterised by its free-flowing lines and curves, with nature-inspired motifs. Style around a nature-inspired flowy dress or maxi skirt, paired with simple trainers for a modern twist.
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Edwardian: Characterised by its refined and ethereal style, commonly accompanied by diamonds and pearls. Take a light and airy white blouse and tuck it into wide-leg trousers, or wear pearl earrings with a slip dress and blazer.
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Art Deco: Characterised by its bold and colourful look, with geometric patterns and platinum and silver being commonplace. Take inspiration from the geometric Art Deco style with a top with this pattern, paired with straight-leg jeans or wide-leg trousers.
Keep it simple
From elaborate bracelets to dazzling earrings, a lot of vintage jewellery is big, bold, and designed to make a statement. If you have a particularly luxurious vintage accessory you want to wear with your everyday look, go minimalist with the rest of your outfit to make your statement piece shine. This ensures your vintage jewellery gets the attention it deserves, while also preventing your look from becoming too formal for everyday.
Looking for inspiration? Here are some tips for styling your statement pieces.
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Necklaces: A basic neckline, like a high neck or scoop neck, will avoid taking attention away from a statement necklace. Consider adding a simple watch to balance the look, too.
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Earrings: If you have long hair, a basic updo will bring attention to a pair of statement earrings.
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Bracelet or bangles: Let your wristwear be the star by keeping sleeves simple: a plain short-sleeve or rolled-up shirt will work perfectly here. If you’re stacking multiple bangles, balance the look by keeping the rest of your jewellery minimal.
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Rings: Pair a bold statement ring with a simple white shirt or t-shirt and jeans to go for a more simple look — coloured gems like ruby, emerald, and sapphire look great against white. If you want to wear other rings alongside your statement piece, opt for something plain on the opposite hand, like a classic wedding band.
Mix old and new
You want your vintage jewellery to be the star of the show, but don’t be afraid to add more modern accessories to your look, too. Mixing old and new pieces doesn’t detract from the beauty of either. In fact, the two can complement each other beautifully. Take a contemporary pair of hoop earrings, for example. These can pair well with a variety of vintage pieces, from Art Deco necklaces to elegant Victorian rings.
There’s no need to avoid mixing metals either. Wearing mixed metals is becoming more and more common as we look beyond jewellery norms and traditions. Mixing metals can be a great way to balance a look while highlighting the beauty of each individual piece. So if you have a piece of gold Victorian jewellery, there is no reason you can’t pair this with a platinum Art Deco piece, or something more modern.
Wear with care
If you start wearing your vintage jewellery more often, it’s even more important to take care of it well. A lot of older pieces are designed to a higher quality and made to last, but this doesn’t mean they aren’t susceptible to damage. Take them off and store them safely in their original packaging (or a secure alternative if you no longer have this) when doing the washing up, cleaning, cooking, operating heavy machinery, or doing anything else which may make you knock the delicate jewellery.
On top of this, make sure to clean your jewellery regularly to keep it looking its best. Want to make sure you get it right? Check out our blog post and video on how to clean your jewellery at home.
Whether you want to revive your everyday look or simply get more use out of your vintage jewellery, there are so many ways to style these timeless pieces for daily wear. From embracing the old to mixing vintage and modern, you can find a way to make your accessories shine.
Ready to expand your pre-owned jewellery collection? Explore our full selection of women’s, men’s, and children’s jewellery and find vintage for the whole family. And don’t forget to check out the rest of our blog posts for more jewellery inspiration.
