Coordinating jewellery with clothes

While coordinating jewellery with an outfit, make sure the effort complements the overall look. A platinum piece would clash with a dress that has gold embroidery on it. On the contrary, an elegant dress can be beautifully enhanced by an unconventional piece of jewellery,
 says Anita Arora

One of the most important, yet little known, aspects of wearing jewellery is the way it ought to be used as a medium of self-expression. Ideally, it must glamorise a plain or simple look, while correlating four important aspects — the occasion, mood, personality and outfit — of the wearer.

You can always find an interesting ornament in any jewellery showroom, but if it does not look good on you when worn, the piece is of little use. It has to go well with your individual style. And remember, while fashion trends and predictions may change, jewellery remains timeless.

So what is "in" may not match the way you carry yourself. Moreover, just as a stout figure should not get into a tight-fitting dress, a thin or sleek dangler would look odd on a round face. Rather, an oval or a rectangular stud or a loop for the ears would look attractive on a round face.

Likewise, on festive occasions when the mood is vibrant and joyous, costume jewellery is appropriate. You can experiment with different pieces to create an unusual look. For a religious ceremony, you can sport even heavier pieces of traditional gold jewellery.

And if you want to go off-beat, there are other options. For instance, a white shell embedded in gold can add a special shine and make the piece look exotic. Colour can also be infused with the help of stones and enamels. Stones mounted (not studded) give a multi-dimensional effect to even the most ordinary ornaments.

There could be other value additions to a jewellery piece like dimensional height, carvings and loops, not to mention interesting features like the use of copper, leather, glass and even sponge. But whatever you choose, must never clash with your personality.

Similarly, while coordinating jewellery with an outfit, make sure the effort complements the overall look. A platinum piece would clash with a dress that has gold embroidery on it. On the other hand, a simple elegant dress can be beautifully enhanced by an unconventional piece of jewellery.

Another important aspect frequently overlooked is that jewellery worn during the day looks different at night. Daywear jewellery should include light pieces like thin rings with small diamonds, a leather or light gold strap watch and tiny tops.

If you prefer chains, rings must be dispensed with. Also, stone-studded ornaments may be avoided during the day if you don’t want to look too formal. Sleek designs in dull or white gold also go well with daywear ensembles.

For the night, you could get bolder and more formal. A chunky piece of jewellery can make a striking fashion statement, but make sure you balance the look with daintier pieces. For instance, a heavy neck-piece goes well with a light bracelet and small studs.

Stone-studded jewellery worn with an ornate outfit looks dazzling at night. Similarly, a studded gold bracelet worn with a high-necked outfit can work wonders for the look. Dangling stones on earrings, bracelets and neck-pieces attract attention and go very well with traditional Indian costumes.

Today, in gold itself, you can create two different looks — the bold and exotic with stones like lapis, jade, amethyst and corals, or the classic with simple lines and minimal use diamonds, emeralds and rubies.

White gold may be popular these days, but it should be worn keeping in mind the occasion and your personality. Softer shades of yellow gold are a safer choice as they go well with almost all colours — from pastels to heavier hues.

Dull gold jewellery can also be matched with platinum to create a white-yellow effect, which is very classy and looks perfect with western wear. Corres-pondingly, bright yellow gold is just right for ethnic Indian wear, particularly silk sarees and ghagra-cholis.

Then there is silver jewellery, which can be combined with many different looks and styles. With large pendants, flexible links and semi-precious stones, it goes very well with western wear. But more than that, it helps immensely in striking a balance between formal and casual wear.

Gold will continue to reign supreme even though there’s platinum and a variety of mixed metals trying to keep pace with it. — MF