There is something quite quintessentially chic and beautiful about costume jewellery. They have a slight excitement and joy about them, whether they have history with them or an heirloom, or just a beautiful piece of jewellery. I have a bit of a personal obsession with them and both my grandmothers enjoy very muchly going through their bags of old jewellery with me. I spend hours looking at them, and learning the stories behind some of them. And now that I'm older, and have a bit more appreciation for such things, I have been allowed certain items.
Costume jewelry came into being in the 1930s as a cheap, disposable accessory meant to be worn with a specific outfit. It was intended to be fashionable for a short period of time, outdate itself, and then be repurchased to fit with a new outfit or new fashion style. Its main use is in fashion, as opposed to "real" (fine) jewelry which may be regarded primarily as collectibles, keepsakes, or investments. Costume jewelry is made of less valuable materials including base metals, glass, plastic, and synthetic stones; in place of more valuable materials such as precious metals and gems.
I am a lover of vintage fashion, as are many others, and scouring the high street stores I never really find myself completely satisfied, and I don't end up buying anything unless from a charity shop or a vintage shop. For those who turn your noses up at the thought of second hand clothes - you are wrong. You will never know the joys of second hand shopping until you try it. I personally love it a great deal, and you can find the most amazing deals/bargains and sometimes you may find some sort of designer item which would've originally been out I your price range but is now only £2.50 it seems silly to miss out!
But back to costume jewellery, if you know where to go for it, you can get amazing deals. The local vintage shop near me has the most amazing beauties and treasures and I can literally spend hours in there. You can also find some in charity shops, however the best place to get authentic costume jewellery is from your family. They may have a story behind them, or they might just be more exciting to know that your grandmother once wore it.
Posts
