About the jewelry etiquette

“Elegance is being properly dressed for the place and the event“; this is a pretty well known quote, but it’s not useless to remind it. Who spoke these words was the popular GQ fashion editor Ildo Damiani together with Camila Raznovich at Coin Excelsior in Rome last Thursday. It was a typical rainy afternoon and we had the opportunity to spend one hour talking about jewelry, etiquette and occasions of use.

“Jewels are a girl’s best friend” and December is probably the right month to remember it. The days are shorter, parties and events increase together with our desire to shine bright ‘like stars in the dark’.

Not everybody knows properly what the Etiquette says about jewelry; we often prefer experimenting and daring. Some of use prefer ‘few but good‘ and worn in the right place; others many, quirky and original. The choice depends not only on our personality, but also on the occasion of use and our body shape.

The right piece of jewelry is able to do many things including to cover defects. Chandelier earrings can slim the figure, for example, on the contrary a statement necklace might have the opposite effect.

As a nice chat with friends in Coin’s ground floor living room we learn some simple, yet interesting rules.

Jewels for the day
You should go for something simple. Definitely don’t wear diamonds: neither the vintage one with a clear sentimental value because inherited from your grandmother; nor the big and too flashy.
Jewelry perfect for the day should give a minimum of light on décolléte or face and to be a point of attention for an outfit.

Jewels for travelling
“Who said you have to be comfortable and cozy when you are travelling?” – I could not agree more with Ildo about this point. The trip is an opportunity. No matter if we move for business or leisure, with a 24 case or a Lois Vuitton speedy bag. If we go in a hurry or we have time to enjoy the surrounding scenery. In each of these situations there is room for a jewel that could be cheerful and fun and maybe made of charms. Many and hung on a long chain that can emphasize the décolléte or a V-neck or coy and heart-shaped to declare to the world “that we love it“.

Jewels for events
Here you can indulge focusing on creating points of attention that enrich our outfits. Spots of light, special materials or elements that contrast, amaze and surprise.

Jewels for the nights out
This is the right moment to dare. Stones, diamonds and gold. Pink or red gold or even both. At night almost everything is possible and in this case even the most minimal “less is more” can be forgotten and upset.

Jewels have to do with dreams.

The simplest of dreams, like Audrey in front of Tiffany’s shopwindows in Breakfast at Tiffany’s;  like many of us thinking about falls of silver we wear on the beach; or wearing the ‘statement necklace‘ we copy from fashionistas around the globe; or simply admiring those minimal and abstract symbols that make a jewel look like a dream, a piece of design or a luxury we all can afford at least once in a lifetime.