Jewelry makes a woman more attractive and feminine. A cute brooch, a bright necklace, or a stylish bracelet, tastefully selected, are the accents in her look that organically complete it. Fashion and style set the rules.
And it doesn’t really matter what exactly is chosen: jewelry or good costume jewelry. The main thing is that the jewelry correctly matches the woman’s overall style, her natural features (for example, eye color), and harmonizes with her clothing.
Fashion and Style: A Little History…
Archaeologists claim that wearing jewelry is characteristic not only of modern women but also of those women who lived in ancient times. Evidence of this are archaeological excavations from the Neolithic era.
In the images, ancient women, completely naked, were wearing necklaces and pendants. These were, of course, not modern jewelry but items made from stones, roots, feathers, and leaves.
As humanity and various crafts developed, these charming trinkets (which, by the way, were worn not only to attract attention and enhance beauty but also as amulets against evil spirits) gradually modernized and have now become real fashionable accessories in the image of a modern lady.
Types of Jewelry
Jewelry and costume jewelry are distinguished. Both have equal importance and value. Jewelry is made from precious metals with or without expensive stones. And costume jewelry, despite being made from non-precious base materials, can contain more precious stones. Handmade pieces of this type are also often encountered, which increases their value to that of jewelry.
According to historical data, costume jewelry appeared in the distant Middle Ages. At that time, this type of jewelry was called fake jewelry. Nevertheless, these items were already popular among women. After all, fashion and style have always existed.
As for jewelry, it has been known to humanity for about 6,000 years. It was then that people realized the special qualities of metals like silver and gold.
Costume Jewelry
Even noble ladies of the Middle Ages ordered exact copies of their jewelry from skilled craftsmen to hide their valuables from prying eyes, which they then wore to various evenings and parties.
But until the 18th century, costume jewelry was not as popular as it is today. It was during this time that jeweler Georges Frederick Strass attempted to process glass to create a stone resembling a diamond. And he succeeded! This is how the widely known rhinestones appeared in America and Europe.
The jewelry of Swarovski achieved great success, initially produced in small batches, then mass-produced by Daniel Swarovski at the end of the 18th century. He invented a unique electric glass processing machine that allowed the production of jewelry that no one had been able to create before.
Famous film personalities such as Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, and others became regular buyers of Swarovski jewelry. Many world designers used Swarovski stones in embellishing their fashion collections (Christian Dior, Chanel).
Widespread Use of Costume Jewelry
It is worth mentioning Mademoiselle Coco Chanel, who was the first to elevate costume jewelry to the level of real jewelry and brought it into high fashion.
The world-famous fashionista of the last century caught onto this trend in time: ordinary European women desperately wanted to look like TV stars of that era. While clothing issues were somewhat resolved, buying jewelry was almost impossible.
Therefore, making costume jewelry accessible to everyone, regardless of status, and thus fulfilling the dream of women, became a great idea! And the cost of items became affordable for every woman. It completely changed the perception of jewelry at that time: it was believed that only those with questionable taste and style wore it. And costume jewelry could only be chosen by harmonious women who truly understood the world of fashion.
Coco Chanel is also known for introducing pearl necklaces into fashion. This elegant jewelry perfectly complemented the image of any fashionista of the last century. Such types of costume jewelry were produced in various variations: a simple string of pearls, a chain with a pearl pendant, a bracelet.
Modern Times…
In the 21st century, accessories such as jewelry and costume jewelry help modern women stand out from the crowd. Fashion and style encourage women to draw attention to details and generally look attractive.
And most importantly, thanks to outstanding craftsmen mentioned above, it no longer matters what exactly is chosen as jewelry: gold with a real diamond or a delicate piece made from simple metal with a beautifully cut glass, an author’s work of a talented master. It is important that the chosen jewelry harmonizes with the woman’s image and she likes it herself.