Jewelry Appropriate for Informal Events

Dressing up for a special occasion can be fun. You get to wear a special dress, accessorized with the perfect shoes and beautiful jewelry as well. However, what about dressing for informal events and everyday activities? Few people give close thought to the jewelry that they wear when going to an informal event or for a casual day at the office. While most women would know better than to wear a full drape of diamonds to the office, the rules about informal and casual jewelry are not set in stone. There are, however, some guidelines that can help you choose jewelry appropriate for informal events.

You don’t have to match informal jewelry.

Women often wear matched sets of necklaces, earrings and bracelets or brooches for formal events. Not only is matching unnecessary for informal wear, it can actually be to your advantage to mix and match as long as you follow a few rules.

–          In general, stick with one type of metal unless the metals are mixed in one piece as in a lovely 18k gold and silver weave ring, where a band of sterling silver surrounds a golden basket-weave band.

–          Wear jewelry from the same collection. Jewelry designers like Roz Kwan often create pieces with a coordinated “look” that don’t quite match, but look great together. A great example is a pair of red jade teardrop earrings made by Roz Kwan, worn with a red carved cinnabar bracelet, also from Kwan’s Far East Market collection.

–          Keep the pieces that you choose in balance. A gaudy, chunky necklace can look awkward when paired with delicate diamond earrings but hit just the right note when worn with a pair of 14k gold earrings with hoops carved of a matching stone.

You can get away with whimsy at informal events

Most women wouldn’t dream of wearing a ring in the shape of a parrot to a formal ball, but the parrot ring from the SoHo collection would be perfectly at home at a dance club or an evening out with friends. Luncheons and afternoon events like baby showers are the ideal event for showing off your love of tumbling dice or lucky horseshoes or even a frog created in green garnets, rubies and diamonds.

Don’t overdo it

If you choose a single flashy piece like a 14k gold pendant with a Morro Redondo Bi-Color tourmaline stone, accent it with subtle pieces that will not compete with it. In other words, try to balance things. Do not wear a whole slew of chunky bracelets plus a thick rope of pearls, plus a pair of shoulder-duster earrings. You will just end up with a whole palette of warring stones and colors. Instead, choose one piece that you want to shine and either wear it alone or wear coordinating pieces that do not outshine it.

Conversely, choose a matched set in a more subtle design or style. A triple strand of cultured black pearls worn with delicate black freshwater black pearl drop earrings and a ring set with a single lustrous black pear can make a subtle but definitive style statement – one of elegant, natural beauty.

Don’t forget the unusual jewelry accents

There is more to jewelry than just rings, necklaces and earrings. These days, we tend to forget other pieces that can add to your style and solidify your look. Hair pieces, for instance, are often overlooked when women choose jewelry for wear on an informal occasion, but a set of jeweled combs or a clip set with semi-precious stones can add a subtle finishing touch to an ensemble for a day at the office or an informal afternoon event.

Likewise, consider pins and brooches, which are often seen as far too fussy and old-fashioned for modern wear. Pendants, charms and pins are making a comeback in the jewelry and fashion world, worn on lapels or, more surprisingly, on the brim of a hat or pinned to the flap of a shoulder bag or clutch purse.

Don’t forget that watches are jewelry, too, and add to your overall look. Replace your everyday watch with one designed to accent your outfit or the other pieces of jewelry and watch the compliments roll in. Wear a bangle watch with a suit to the office, or a cuff bracelet watch with a sleeveless shell. A Dolce Gabbana leather and stainless steel watch can be a signature jewelry piece all on its own, while a simple watch with a full set of interchangeable colored leather straps can ensure that your watch always matches your favorite outfit for the day.

Whatever jewelry you choose for informal wear, be sure to keep the overall look coordinated and in balance. After you have finished dressing, take a look at yourself in a full-length mirror to be sure that your overall look is not cluttered, and that no one piece distracts from your entire look.