After makeup, the thing I love most in the world is jewelry.
As a kid, I'd spend hours sifting through my mum's jewelry box, organizing and reorganizing her necklaces and earrings, dreaming of the day I'd be grown enough to wear them.
As a moody teen, I embraced a "more is more" philosophy. Iwore piles of cheap jewelry from the flea market, jelly bracelets from wrists to elbow, and so many ten cent mood rings that my fingers were stained green.
As an adult, I'm a little more discerning — but I do still love to sparkle and shine with amazing jewelry. Here are the 15 pieces of jewelry that I love so much, I never take them off.
Earrings get their own mini-category, because I switch out my stack of silver babies almost every day.
I have my right ear pierced three times, and in 2018, my goal has been to change up my earrings and wear something new every single day. I've accumulated some really cute silver and white-gold pieces that have become my every day staples — here are the pieces I switch in and out.
Extra-long bar stud earring, $95
Mine is white-gold, but it's also available in yellow and rose gold ($95, Stone and Strand).
Black diamond thorn earring, $90
This sterling silver reverse-hoop features a reverse-set black diamond "thorn" ($90, Etsy) for the stone. Word to the wise: This earring's post is quite thick, so make sure you wear it in an older, fully-healed piercing.
Ileana Makri safety pin earring, $120
Ileana Makri is one of my favorite jewelry designers, and when this safety pin earring went on sale, I knew I needed it. Wearing an elegant white-gold pin in my ear makes me feel like the elevated version of my teenage dirtbag self, which is how I want to feel 100% of the time. People on Instagram get mad at me when I wear it, likely because they think I've stuck an IRL pin through my earlobe.
This pin is no longer available, sadly, but you can lurk eBay to catch them when they pop up.
Lucky number earring, $60
Seven is my lucky number, and I wear a white gold 7 earring ($60, Stone and Strand) to bring me extra luck.
Flat dot earrings, $18
When I want to keep it simple, it's this sterling silver flat dot ($18, Etsy) in my third piercing.
Geometric Shapes earrings, $25
Real talk: I don't wear statement earrings that often anymore. But when I do, I stick one of these beauties ($25, And Other Stories) in my right earlobe, and keep the asymmetry with something small on the left. PS: If you're looking for affordable, decent quality jewelry, And Other Stories is VERY good.
Pamela Love arrow earrings, $228
Set with pave crystals, these arrow earrings by actual queen Pamela Love ($228, Shopbop) are just fancy enough for every day, but no so fancy that you feel weird wearing them without a ballgown.
The earring I get the most questions about is the one I wear in my left ear — my big silver talon.
This earring is by Jack and G, who make incredible jewelry in gold and sterling silver. This big talon earring ($165, Jack And G) is worn through a normal single ear piercing, then "clips" to the side of the lobe so that it sits flush against your ear. I bought this earring several years ago when I was in a very difficult work situation — it made me feel powerful and armored, and every day I put it on and am reminded of how badass I am.
Silver chain necklace.
I was given this necklace when I graduated from 7th grade. I wore it until I was 16, then took it off, then put it on again last Christmas, and have not taken it off since. I like that this necklace is always with me. I like that I don't have to think much about it. Mostly I just like how it looks!
Rings!
Rings! I wear a lot of them, because if I hit someone, I want it to hurt.
OK that's not true. I wear rings because I like them! Why else do you have 10 fingers if not to stack jewelry on them?
Here are the rings that I wear every single day.
Black onyx "Eye of Sauron" ring, priceless
I bought this ring about 10 years ago while visiting my hometown of Perth, Western Australia. I was with my lifelong friend Jen, and I got it at the crystal shop at Hillary's Boat Harbor. If you ever lived in the northern suburbs of Perth, you know exactly where I mean; if you didn't, you're like ???
Anyway. Is this ring about a size too big? Yes. Have I scratched up the stone quite a lot? Yes. Do I feel naked if I don't wear it? Absolutely yes. This ring is a reminder of my friends, my life before New York, and where I come from. The fact that it looks like the Eye of Sauron is just a nerdy bonus.
My engagement ring!
This May, I got engaged — and two weeks ago, my engagement ring came to live on my finger. It's an antique stone with black diamonds on either side, and I love it so much. It was made for Lindsey and I by the beautiful geniuses at Fitzgerald Jewelry, and I couldn't be happier — or prouder — to wear it every day.
(This ring will soon be joined by my wedding band, but I'm not showing that off until August.)
Double thorn ring, $109
I get hyped when I find new brands that I love, and Jewelry Mirta is DEFINITELY one of those. This double ring ($109, Etsy) was so exactly what I was looking for, I was like "Who has been reading my diary?!"
This double ring — which is joined on the underside, so you only have to put ONE thing on — is amazing. Sculptural yet easy to wear, comfortable with a don't-mess-with-me vibe, it's all I've ever wanted.
Olivia Kane moonstone arch ring, $212
I'd admired Olivia Kane's jewelry for some time, but this moonstone ring ($212, Olivia Kane) is my favorite piece. Each stone is unique, and mine has a bright blue flash to it that makes me feel like an elegant witch casting spells from my Brooklyn apartment.
Double black diamond open ring, $169
Set in silver, this ring ($169, Etsy) is the perfect open diamond ring — delicate without being too cutesy. Another Jewelry Mirta piece (I think I'm a collector now), this ring has one normally set black diamond, and one set upside-down. Cute, unexpected, awesome.
