As a recent college graduate, I have quickly adapted to my new economic reality. I am finding ways to creatively wear the clothes that I had once been ready to give away and I have a new appreciation for the Sunday newspaper thanks to the coupon section. Still, you might asking yourself: what does Betty White have to do with this?
Well, not much, but it made for a pretty catchy blog title. You see, vintage jewelry is making a come back and it's not too late for you to jump on this bandwagon as I serendipitously realized yesterday.
Considering the economic constraints that coincide with being a recent grad, I had anticipated that the Ann Arbor Art Fair would be off limits to me this year. This was disappointing as I love the people watching, the great crafts, and especially Urban Outfitter's clearance event. I was determined not to purchase anything from the art fair and I walked home from work every day with blinders on to avoid temptation. However, fate intervened as I cut through Nickel's Arcade to avoid the slow-moving crowds. By the time I saw the sign in the distance, I knew I was in trouble. All it took was three simple words to lure both me in and my Amex out of my wallet: "Cheap Vintage Jewelry".
They had two enormous tables covered in little plastic baggies; each filled with a unique piece of vintage jewelry. To top it off, they were all reasonably priced from $2-$16. Each item seemed to have its own story and for many of the pieces, I had never seen anything that even resembled them in stores or magazines. I was completely overwhelmed. An hour later, I walked away with a half dozen necklaces, a few bracelets, pins, and 2 gorgeous watches. I have been incorporating each piece into my wardrobe ever since and I have been surprised by the compliments that I receive.
Vintage jewelry catches peoples' eyes and it makes a statement. It can add a completely different dimension to an otherwise normal outfit. I challenge you to try out a vintage accessory. The big problem is where to begin? eBay is great for a leisurely search, but you'll probably have better luck at an estate sale.
My best advice: pick a simple, skinny gold necklace and several pins. This gives you the flexibility to incorporate several new necklaces into your wardrobe and no one will ever know that the eye-catching "charms" are pins.
Even though I have had to alter my spending habits, it has been fun to discover economical ways to fulfill my accessory obsession. In fact, it was so fun that I completely ignored the tornado siren that had been going off while I searched through the jewelry bin. True story.
Here's to being fashionable and frugal.
