no. 8

Jewellery: The best accessory

Jewellery has been ever-present throughout human history and is a universal form of expression and beauty. It has become something you give to someone you love, for something special and for something meaningful. The love I have for jewellery is unmatched. Anyone who knows me should know this. I think the only reason I keep getting ear piercings is to add more jewellery to myself. I don’t think anyone quite realises. I don’t think they realise the impact it has on an outfit. I don’t think they realise the chokehold it has on me. I can’t step foot in a jewellery shop without buying something.

Wearing an all-black outfit – add some jewellery. Wearing simple and basic jeans and a t-shirt – add some jewellery. Wearing the fanciest dress possible – add some jewellery. One of my favourite compliments is: “I love your jewellery!”. I feel such a sense of power. My ego goes through the roof. So much more than when someone just likes my outfit. Maybe it’s because of the thought that goes into it, and yes, an outfit does require thought and skill, but somehow jewellery and accessories feel so much more curated. More often than not, the outfit was probably something I just threw on or thought about while I was still in bed, but my stack is always the most important. It simply works. Even experimentation is important. The number of times I have contemplated pairing various pieces with each other and seeing what fits. Or the number of times my flatmates and I would see what goes best with a certain outfit (shoutout). It’s a bonding activity. It just works.

Of course, fashion is clothing, but is fashion not accessorising?

The famous words of Coco Chanel, “before you leave the house, look in the mirror and remove one accessory,” are something I just do not abide by. Minimalism is great, and don’t get me wrong, I do love a simple, streamlined look with minimal everything, but throw some jewellery onto it and it just adds another level of depth. A slight level of chaos. Sometimes I feel like I can experiment with accessories so much more than with outfits. I don’t think that I could pull off the mismatched patterns, but give me the weirdest necklace you’ve ever seen, and I’ll make it work.

Schiaparelli, under Daniel Roseberry’s creative direction, is a perfect example of chaotic but classy accessorising. Who would think to create a human hair tie or a face bangle? Not a lot of people, and even more importantly, most people wouldn’t be able to do it as tastefully.

It is a demonstration of the impact of jewellery and accessories can have on already such striking pieces. Another example of this masterclass in styling is Sabyasachi. Again, one of my favourite designers, he curates and creates such beautiful accessories that only enrich the beauty of the clothing. In a different style of more ethnic Indian jewellery, the items still embody everything the brand stands for and are a further extension of the clothes. With so many designers and their shows, yes, the clothes are absolutely the star of the show, but without the accessories, the hair and makeup, or the attitude, it doesn’t feel the same. What would Marc Jacobs’ SS24 be without the massive wigs? What would Alexander McQueen be without Shaun Leane’s insane collection of jewellery designs?

With such a variety of what you could wear, jewellery is so versatile. Earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, arm cuffs, belly button rings: you get the idea. You begin to think if there is anywhere where you can’t wear jewellery. It’s everywhere. Globally, it is actually everywhere. All the countries around the world have completely different types of jewellery. In India alone, you can find kundan, polki, meenakari, various types of tribal jewellery, and so many more! So imagine, all the cultures that we have today all have their native jewellery. Whether it’s Tunisia or Cambodia, there is something special that is a reflection of thousands of years of culture that has been passed down.

One thing that has been ever-present in my love for jewellery is maximalism. A big part of that comes from being South Asian. If you had a look at desi jewellery, it has some of the most opulent and breathtaking designs, which are filled with an abundance of gemstones and overflowing with craftsmanship. From hair pieces, earrings, various nose jewellery, hand chains, anklets, and so on, Asian jewellery is the definition of ornate and elaborate and adds to the desire to find beauty in everything.

It's odd to think about how you can explore so many things with just one thing. How can you create such a different feeling in your outfit by changing the jewellery and accessories? How can you express your culture so effectively just by wearing a pair of earrings? It’s inexplicable.

The love I have for jewellery is infinite, if you couldn’t tell.

(let’s count the number of times I say jewellery in this.)

By Natasha Joshi