A girl can never have too much jewelry; but there’s jewelry and then there’s JEWELRY..
THE STORY
…by JEWELRY, I don’t necessarily mean the big ticket items, although it most certainly might be. I mean the jewelry that we all own, that actually really and truly means something. It’s not just to fancy up a white tee and jeans. It represents something to us on a deeper level. For those of us who are married, of course there are your wedding/engagement rings. And oftentimes someone we love gifts us with something beautiful and sparkly, or maybe something made of dry pasta noodles (you moms out there feel me on that one) just because. And yes, somewhere around here I still have a pasta noodle necklace that my sweet little Bubber made for me when he was just a wee one.
What I’m talking about today though is the jewelry we come by through the loss of people we love. My rings aren’t always visible in photos, but I always wear the same ones. Without exception. Every. Day. My wedding rings of course are on my left hand. On my right hand is my mother’s ruby and diamond ring as well as an amethyst heart and diamond ring that is a very close replica of a birthstone ring she had her entire life which I chose to have buried with her when she passed away when I was seventeen. I never in a million years would have expected it, but that heart ring has been replaced and is now put away for my daughter.
It was replaced by a ring that could not mean more to me. My aunt (my mom’s sister), whom I lived with for several years after my mom passed away, was recently diagnosed with ALS. It is unfortunately pretty far along in it’s progression. We also recently have made our peace with one another after many rocky years. She had mentioned that she wanted to give me some of her jewelry now. I was super uncomfortable with that because, well, it didn’t seem right. Last week during a visit, she asked me if I would like to have my grandmother’s ring. I lost my grandma when I was in college and really have nothing that belonged to her so of course I said absolutely. I didn’t want it that day, but she insisted. You guys…this ring is unbelievably stunning. An absolutely beautiful piece of vintage craftsmanship. I would have wanted it if it were nothing more than a ring from a bubblegum machine because it was my grandma’s. I was afraid that with my elfin-sized fingers it wouldn’t fit. It fit perfectly on the middle finger of my right hand. Hence, the reason the amethyst is now tucked safely away. It’s double special because not only did it belong to grandma, but it’s also a reminder that regardless of what issues there may have been, the love between my aunt and I has always been, and will always be there. Every day when I happen to randomly glance down at my right hand I’m reminded of the three women who mean so much to me.
THE OUTFIT
What goes better with a post about super blingtastic jewelry than an outfit so casual, it almost feels like I’m wearing pajamas. By now you all know these are my most favorite boyfriend jeans because they are utterly and completely distressed. So distressed in fact they’re hitting their Life Alert button calling for an ambulance to swing by and pick them up. But that’s what I love about them; that and the fact half the world probably thinks I’m too old to be wearing them. That half of the world can bite me.
The crown jewel of this outfit (see how I’m keeping with the jewelry theme) is this yummy super soft insanely drapey sweater. It’s so lightweight, the word “sweater” feels like an overstatement. Technically I guess it’s a thermal and not a sweater per se. Normally I wouldn’t go this loose fitting on the top with slouchy jeans, but in this case I think the lightness of the top makes it work. I could’ve gone all fashion blogger on you and thrown on a pair of nude pumps to jazz this all up, but seriously, who wears nude pumps to Walmart?
THE TIP
Typically, if you’re going loose on the bottom you should pair it with a more fitted top and vice versa. But sometimes loose on loose works if the the fabrics fall just right, like in the case of this sweater. Also, instead of just letting it hang, I did a half side tuck to give it some shape and the belt added definition. With the bonus of also holding up my jeans.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Sweater: Her Boutique; Jeans: GAP via Poshmark (Similar); Converse: Nordstrom
