Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend - Here Are My Secrets to Nice Jewelry on a Budget
- Mar 7, 2017
- 7 min read
We have all seen Moulin Rouge with Ewan McGragor (serious heart eyes y'all) and Nicole Kidman. Nicole artfully, informs us that "a kiss on the hand may be quite continental, but diamonds are a girls best friend". Tell me about it Nicole! Ewan McGregor can be my best friend anytime too. Ewan if you're reading this, help me Obi Wan you're my only hope....
Anyway, today I am going to do something to help a sister out. I am sharing one of my closest held secrets: where I buy my jewelry. Those of you that know me, know I am always sporting some funky statement necklace, a cool cuff, and a handful of rings. However, it has always been one of my closest held secrets about where I have gotten my jewelry. I am always willing to share my fashion how to’s–how to wear boots in all seasons, how to where contrasting patterns, how to appropriately wear socks and boots, how to rock a hat. Asking about my jewelry...well, that was like asking be to sacrifice my first born child!
Today I am going to share my top five favorite places to shop for jewelry that won’t break the bank. You won't be able to use any of the jewelry found at my favorite places to help pay you're rent, like Nicole suggests, but at least you'll look good. We all know that finding good jewelry, that doesn’t leave you feeling tacky, and doesn’t leave your bank account in the single digits is a hard task to do. Now a days it is easy to find fashion inspiration, thanks to social media–Pinterest, Instagram, and Fashion Bloggers. However, copy the styles of people who have more money than the average student or recent college grad is easier said than done. Lucky for you, I have spent years doing all the pre-jewelry sleuthing you need. I am handing you the play book to head straight to the source and buy great jewelry at a great price. So let’s get started. Here are my top five favorite places to buy jewelry:
1. Old Navy
Okay, okay. I am sure some of you might be laughing at me right now. Shaking your head and giving me that whole when pigs fly look, but I swear that Old Navy is a secret treasure trove of wonderful jewelry just waiting to be discovered by you!
Most of my earrings I have come from Old Navy, and they are some of my ab
solute favorites–even over some of my more expensive pieces. The key with Old Navy, is you
must be willing to look. If you are willing to dedicate some time to looking over their jewelry racks, you are guaranteed to find something. Every time I go to Old Navy, I find something on their jewelry racks, and the best part is that they are always so reasonably priced!
I have bought cuffs, earrings, and rings from Old Navy. All of which I wear on a regular basis. The
key is mixing and matching–by this I mean wearing somewhat cheaper pieces of jewelry with
more expensive pieces.
My favorite Old Navy to shop locally is the one off of 21st South by the Barnes and Noble and the Noodles and Company. I would recommend shopping in store to online, I have better luck this way. I haven't ever bought any jewelry online from Old Navy, however, I always buy when I am in store.
Old Navy: 1168 E 2100 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Most of us probably haven’t hit up AE since the 2000’s and the days when spaghetti straps,
Hollister, and Laguna Beach stopped being cool. That’s totally okay, because AE totally had that
uncool stigma of writing their name over every single article of clothing. When
most of us reach late high school and college, many of us moved beyond the stores
and brands that got us through our pubescent years. I know I did. Anything that reminded me
of those awkward hormonal stages of my life HAD TO GO – yikes!
However, thanks to having a younger brother who is ten years younger than me,
I have had the opportunity to revisit American Eagle. Let me tell you. AE has changed its ways and has brought itself into a newer, cooler, hipper, and more boho decade. I see you American Eagle, and I like what you’re doing. Gone are the days where everyone will know I have been shopping at American Eagle and scorn me accordingly. Gone are the days where I will smell like a baby whore just because I entered your shop. Gone are the days where your jeans barley cover my vagina. American Eagle, dare I say it...has matured?
One of the best things about this new AE, minus the awesome bralettes, sweet socks, and boho feel, is the jewelry. Their jewelry is reasonably priced, and they have a little bit of everything. Furthermore, all those awesome sales that AE used to have when we were young are still going strong. Meaning, I was just in their a few weekend ago, and all their jewelry was half off. Not to mention their shirts were buy one get one half off, and same with their jeans!
Moral of the story, if you haven’t checked out American Eagle since junior High, you might want
to give it another chance; particularly if you are looking for some decently priced jewelry. Take a
good look at their necklaces and earrings in particular–those are some of my favorite items
from them!
3. Unhinged
This is my super cool, super secret local find. Therefore it is unavailable if you aren’t a Utah or Salt Lake native, unfortunately. My hair dress, and good friend, turned me on to this place several years ago, and I absolutely love the funky, quirky vibe of it. You can find something for everyone there, and it is always fun to just stroll through and see what cool and different items they have available. There isn’t really another store quite like it. Recent;y, a friend and I purchased a do-it-yourself taxidermy Unicorn head for our friends birthday–where else would you find such an awesome gift (I promise it’s not as weird as that sounds...)!
Unhinged is my favorite place to find spoon/silver wear jewelry. It is all super reasonably priced
and there is always all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Now, I love silver wear jewelry for a
few reasons. First off, it is silver so it doesn’t tarnish like silver dipped jewelry does. They come
in all shapes and sizes; thick, skinny, with flora designs, beehives on them, wrap arounds, all
sorts of stuff. Me being me, I also love that they are unique and a little funky.
So, if you haven’t had the chance to check out unhinge go and do it. Even just to take a quick look around. They are located next to the Barnes and Noble in Sugarhouse on 11th East. Feel free to tell them I sent you!
Unhinged: 2165 S Highland Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84106
Okay, I just got turned onto Craft Lake City this year, but I have always been a proponent of
supporting local vendors and artist. Not to mention, I have gotten some of my BEST jewelry from
local jewelers. Local vendors (for the most part), tend to have just as awesome (often cooler) items for sale and it (for the most part) isn’t as expensive as it would be at a big Art’s Festival. What is cool about Craft Lake City, is that it’s a strictly local art’s festival with strictly local vendors and artists. Craft Lake City happens every year, and I believe last year it happened around August, so keep your eyes out for it, it is so awesome!
Those of you that know me, know I am obsessed with turquoise. I love, and I can never have enough of it! I have bought all my turquoise through Arts Festivals like the Salt Lake City Art’s Festival and Craft Lake City. Over the past several years I have really struck out at the Salt Lake City Arts Festival, however, I have had really good luck and Craft Lake City. I also have found the Craft Lake City artists and vendors to be more within my price range. Besides,who doesn’t want to help support their local artist and community?
So if you’re looking for a place to grab some great jewelry that is certainly one of a kind, go scope out your local Arts Festivals.
I through Framers Markets in here too, because I do know that many of the vendors and artists
who attend the Arts Festivals, particularly Craft Lake City, do frequent local farmers markets as
well. For us Utahans, park Silly is another option and place to scope out as well.
5. Etsy
Right, let’s talk about my favorite online shopping place ever (okay, minus Free People). I LOVE
Etsy. It is my favorite place to browse, shop, and gather ides and inspiration. Etsy has literally
anything you could ever wish for. Between Pinterest and Etsy, women can conquer the world!
In case you live in some underground hole–maybe you’re a hobbit, and in that case we need to
meet–Etsy is an online marketplace for creatives to sell various items of their design. You can
find anything from costumes and thrift store finds, to costumes, jewelry, and wedding
invitations.
Etsy is an awesome place to find cool and unique items from all around the world. You can find some seriously great jewelry for a really awesome price. The only downside, is sometimes stuff can take a while to get delivered depending upon how far away it is shipping from, or if it’s being custom made–but it’s always wroth the wait!
Bonus Places: Target (they have great stuff online and in store, I am sure you guys all know this), Free People ( I usually prefer to shop FP online if I am looking for clothes, however, I find that they jewelry they have in store tends to be more affordable-you can check out their City Creek location here), Anthropologie (Anthro is definitely on the hire end of how much I like to spend, and if I shop there I prefer to do it in store, however, I always know that I can find good quality items-my favorite place to shop Anthro is at their City Creek location here), Nordstrom Rack (who doesn't love Nordy's, especially the Rack? I mean come on! I do fine that their jewelry is very, very hit and miss, however, with a little bit of persistence your bound to dig up something good-my favorite place to shop the Rack is at their Sugarhouse location here)
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