Nothing spells O-L-D L-A-D-Y faster than a ginormous set of jewels worn with a stiff dress, high heels, fully-coiffed head of hair and tons of makeup. The new way to wear major jewels is to dress down the entire sparkling affair and wear them with the easy, breezy attitude of the colored lanyards you used to weave together in summer camp.
The bigger and bolder your rocks, the more scruffy you can and should go with everything else: that means high wattage earrings look best with unbrushed hair, massive cuffs are better and brighter with T-shirts, and the more mammoth your door-knocker necklace is, the flatter your shoes should go.
For the most extreme set of contrasting conditions, we suggest you dig into your grammar school closet (call your mom!) and fish out your favorite concert T-shirt. Nothing signifies Slacker Status quicker than a vintage Rock T-shirt which means they are the perfect grungy foil for a set of high-end glamorous jewels.
Ugo Correani’s jazzy jewels look awesome draped over of a Velvet Underground banana. (Wait, you don’t know Ugo? read his story here!). Vintage Chanel and Versace were made for Gun N’ Roses. Anna Piaggi’s secret stash of vintage Chanel jewelry, meanwhile, is lofty enough to put in a museum but how much cooler do they look with your favorite Rolling Stones t-shirt?
Our summer rock star loot includes shockingly shiny pieces from Missoni, Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and many others, none of which will risk you looking like a Nonna.
Have fun with vintage, ladies! And remember: Despite what your mother and grandmother might have told you, serious jewels do not need to be taken so F’ing seriously!!
J.J. Martin
