Just Ask Leslie: Jewelry Tips

Dear Leslie,
As winter slowly turns into spring, I would like to update my jewelry collection. When it’s finally time to take off all those sweaters and actually wear clothes for looks and not just for warmth, I would like to have some new pieces to brighten my mood and look. I was hoping you would have some suggestions – I want light colors and light jewelry.
Stella in Ithaca

I think it is always advisable to update jewelry once or twice a year. By this I don’t mean, throwing out your old collection and buying a whole new jewelry wardrobe. Jewelry is not clothing, and thus not as subject to the whims of fashion. You can even hand down a treasured piece of jewelry from generation to generation. If anything the jewelry will be considered vintage, not old. That said, it is nice to have one or two new pieces a year to match that new dress or enliven an old ensemble.

If light colors are what you are looking for, my suggestions for this spring are mostly in the pink family. Pink is a color that looks good on most women and matches many of the spring fashions. These lovely pink and plum dangling pearl earrings are perfect for showing off a new spring haircut or open-necked shirt.

This darling cultured pearl necklace on a silver snake chain will do the same, the soft pink color adding a floral aura to springtime dresses and blouses.

Though they are my current favorite, pink pearls are not the only way to update a jewelry wardrobe for spring. A key item for any springtime jewelry collection is the bracelet, as wrists are once again visible, no longer buried under layers of shirts and sweaters. This eye-catching tanzanite sterling silver flower bracelet is perfect for the warmer weather, its beauty undisputable and its delicate flowers a perfect match for the season where “April showers bring May flowers.”

If you prefer more color in your jewelry, the stunning multi-gemstone floral bracelet pictured above may be the piece for you.

Alternately, this green and yellow jade and pearl bracelet pictured to the right continues the floral theme and makes a lovely and original addition to any jewelry collection.