How (and Why) to Build a Jewelry Capsule
If you’ve stuck around my blog for a while, you may remember my capsule wardrobe days. Although I eventually felt comfortable drifting away from the rigidity of my season-to-season capsules, that phase of my life was crucial for determining my own style and, even more importantly, helping me simplify a chaotic season of life after becoming a young mom and soon after, a mom of two.
It sounds silly that the limits (or lack of limits) that you place on your closet can actually impact your day to day life and, dare I say, your mental health, but for me, that was absolutely the case. Capsule wardrobes brought structure to a season of life when I desperately needed it, and it helped me spread that structure into other areas of my life. It simplified getting dressed, taught me what pieces I loved and which ones I’d bought on an impulse, and so much more. (Head to my “Capsule Wardrobe” archives to get the full scoop). Essentially, capsule wardrobes were the conduit that sparked my love for ethical fashion, blogging, the conscious community, and simple living.
Though I no longer officially “capsule” my wardrobe, the tools I learned during that phase have stuck with me. In fact, our current season in an RV feels a lot like an “entire life capsule” in a lot of ways. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Jewelry, though, is one area of my closet that I feel like I haven’t quite honed in on enough yet. I’m drawn to lots of styles, from statement necklaces to delicate layering pieces, and oftentimes feel like I’ll wear something when I see it online, but then never reach for it in real life. Aside from the excess that this can create (I’ve gone through seasons of owning A LOT of jewelry), my personal style when it comes to accessories is yet another piece of the self-discovery pie that I’m on a mission to unveil.
Accessories aren’t nearly as broad a topic as clothing, but for most of us, they play a daily role in our getting ready routine and, if we aren’t aware of what we do and don’t love to wear, we’re bound to end up choosing the wrong pieces, accumulating too much, and not feeling like ourselves.
This, friends, is where I’m hoping a jewelry capsule can help.
I’m still in the beginning stages of the logistics of this little capsule — what you see in the photos is really all of the jewelry I own — so in this post, I’ll share my goals for my jewelry capsule and hopefully give some guidelines for starting your own, if it’s something you’d like to try along with me.
Decide what you gravitate towards naturally
I’m not a bracelet person. I never wear them, and even when I’ve owned beautiful cuffs or stacking bracelets, they sat on my shelf while I repeatedly reached for my Berg + Betts watch time and time again. This is ok, and it’s taught me to stop trying to force myself to wear bracelets. Maybe there’s a style of jewelry that just doesn’t feel natural to you, and that’s totally ok too.
Set a color palette
Much like a clothing capsule, a jewelry capsule can be made up of a predetermined color scheme that you feel most accurately reflects your style and wardrobe. For me, I’ve learned that pure metal tones are what I gravitate towards (silver and gold pieces without any other color), but I have a few warm tones like the mustard and wine earrings from Sela Designs pictured that I love to spice up my neutral outfits.
Once you have a color scheme you know you’ll wear over and over (ie. it goes with most of what’s in your wardrobe), you’re more likely to feel satisfied with the jewelry you own.
Test out the pieces you own before looking for new ones
Like a clothing capsule, you might have hidden gems (pun intended) in your jewelry collection that you forgot about and will once again love wearing. Before you shop for new pieces to fill any gaps in your jewelry repertoire, look to what you already own and make a list of what’s truly lacking.
For me, a few high quality stacking rings, some gold accent rings, and a few layering necklaces are pieces I’m on the hunt for.
Add slowly
Like most good things, you don’t need to rush finding the perfect jewelry pieces that fit your lifestyle and wardrobe. Take your time and add things as you notice a true gap (note: not the same thing as a fleeting moment of envy from an Instagram post).
Choose quality over quantity
Not surprisingly, cheaply made “fast fashion” jewelry will last just about as long as it took you to read this sentence. I’ll always advocate for choosing “less but better” when it comes to clothing and accessories, and this is no different. Check out the accessories section of my List if you need some references on where to responsibly shop for high quality jewelry. Here are a few favorites that I’ve added to my own capsule:
Jewelry is one of those areas that it’s easy to mindlessly consume more and more in without realizing it. If you own more jewelry than you wear regularly or just want to hone in on your personal style more, I’d love for you to join me in creating a jewelry capsule. You can be as rigid (set a limit on the number of pieces you own) or flexible (rely more on your “gut feeling” to tell you when it’s complete) in the creation of your capsule, but mindful consumption is the name of the game, even when it comes to something as seemingly insignificant as the way you accessorize your outfits.
*This post is part of a long term collaboration with Sela Designs. All content ideas, photos, and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make SL&Co. possible!*
