We’ve all been there: You reach into your bag for your wallet (or keys, or phone, or MetroCard) and it’s not there. Somehow, though, this never seems to happen when it comes to jewelry. Forget to put on the ring that your mother gave you, and your finger will immediately feel naked. Skip that necklace you bought after your first big raise, and your chest will feel oddly bare.
Personal jewelry — the kind that’s linked to a story — makes us feel complete, and completely ourselves. Because the Cut is interested in the relationship that women have with jewelry, we asked 13 people whose style and taste we admire to tell us about the pieces they wear every day. If you’re like us, the results may make you feel inspired to expand your own jewelry repertoire. Read on for their stories.
Harling Ross, Fashion Editor at Man Repeller
Instagram: @harlingross
How she wears her jewelry:
My mom gave me a vintage gold fish charm with an articulated spine when I graduated from college, which prompted me to start a charm necklace. I’ve collected about a dozen other charms and hooked them to the bottom of an antique Victorian guard chain (found on Etsy) that I now wear pretty much every day.
Apart from that, I wear seven gold rings on my fingers at all times. Four of them are from Catbird in Brooklyn and the other three are a stack with semi-precious stones that my mom designed (she’s played a large role in my daily jewelry repertoire!). I love collecting pieces that I don’t have to take off and can wear in the shower, etc. They feel like my version of tattoos.
Bianca Valle, Artist and Writer
Instagram: @vbiancav
How she wears her jewelry:
It is a big part of Mexican culture to give jewelry for a big milestone. For example, all of my rings were given to my mother by her mother on special occasions. Now, she’s slowly passing them on to me. My bracelets are mainly repurposed chains that were my brother’s or father’s.
Jennifer Paccione, Creative Manager at by Babba and Co-Owner of Mediterraneo Studio
Instagram: @jenniferpaccione
How she wears her jewelry:
I wear Mediterraneo Studio earrings literally every day. They’re my own designs, and I always feel a little sense of happiness wearing something that I created myself. I usually wear the peperoncino (representative of good luck in Italian culture) or the caracola, one of nature’s symbols of life and femininity.
Other than that, I am never without my wedding ring — a gold marquise diamond with a second gold band. I never understood why I was always so drawn to such an obscure shape until I learned that my late grandmother had the exact diamond shape herself. It makes me feel like I have an everyday connection to her.
Tasnim Ahmed, Writer and Founder of Journal NYC
Instagram: @tsnm_md
How she wears her jewelry:
The locket means “Allah” in Arabic. I wear it everyday to reclaim the multitudes of what it means to be a Muslim woman in a time when Islam and Islamic symbolism has been co-opted and otherized.
My first act of teenage rebellion was a second piercing in my left ear, which I got — funnily enough — with my begrudging mother by my side. I wear this tiny stud as a reminder of the humor of my life.
The ocean-blue ring is a keepsake I picked up on holiday in Formentera with my best friend; it was the first time we’d ever taken a trip together and, coincidentally, it was the ten-year anniversary of our friendship.
Maria Alia, Content Creator
Instagram: @mariaalia
How she wears her jewelry:
I used to be really simple when it came to my jewelry, but around two years ago, when I first moved to NYC, I started picking up special pieces here and there, and soon I had this lovely little collection. My current favorite is this vintage Tiffany silver link chain with a vintage Louis Vuitton luggage lock. A good friend of mine sourced the pieces and put them together for me. It’s such a unique and sick piece!
The little gold orchid is my newest addition — I picked it up in a tiny hole-in-the-wall jewelry shop in Madrid. Orchids are one of my favorite flowers and it’ll always remind me of my Spanish travels. Another gem is my Arabic nameplate — it reminds me of my Palestinian heritage and is a little twist on your typical nameplate jewelry.
Lastly, I have to mention the intricate gold ring that was a gift from my older sister. She originally purchased it in Lebanon years ago and just recently passed it down to me, as she knew how obsessed I’ve always been with it. We live thousands of miles away of each other but every time I glance at her ring it makes me feel closer.
Rachel Schwartzmann, founder of the Style Line and CONNECT(ED)ITORIAL
Instagram: @rachelschwartzmann
How she wears her jewelry:
So much of my jewelry is of sentimental value. I wear many of my mom’s delicate, vintage rings complemented with bolder accent pieces — like these beautiful earrings from Rachel Comey, which my boyfriend generously gave me. I often find that wearing “louder” jewelry complements my quiet personality, and this pair in particular tends to be a wonderful conversation-starter.
Marjon Carlos, Journalist and Editor
Instagram: @marjon_carlos
How she wears her jewelry:
My Alexander McQueen skull knuckle-duster is my pièce de résistance — I bought it eight years ago, and it’s almost an extension of my hand at this point. It’s all blinged out and a little dark but cheerful at the same time. My college class ring is surprisingly subtle and unpretentious — just sleek black onyx — so I rep every day, and then I added a Vrai & Oro diamond pinky ring last year for a little twinkle.
I always admired how black and brown women flexed in layers of gold necklaces, so I followed suit. I layer my Vrai & Oro diamond necklace, a vintage gold link chain I stole from my mom, and this Poms matte-gold loop necklace together. My next chain will be one with an African pendant or my name in Farsi.
Lastly, I slip on my Vrai & Oro hoops — one is gold and the other white gold. I lost their pairs and just said, “Eff it! Let’s roll with it!”
Adeline Hocine, Freelance Fashion and Culture Writer
Instagram: @adelineania
How she wears her jewelry:
I was given this gold chain and charm by from my grandmother and great-grandmother, respectively. They are the two pieces in my collection that remain a constant — I can never wear one without the other. In this way, I am able to keep these women close to me.
Abby Adesanya, Founder of Novella
Instagram: @abbyadesanya
How she wears her jewelry:
I wear gold hoops almost every day. Growing up, there were a lot of negative energies and connotations attached to hoop earrings, especially when it came to black women. It took some time for me to unpack those false assumptions, but when I put them on now, whether for work or a night out, I feel proud and beautiful. Plus, they hold African ancestry. As a Nigerian woman who realized three years ago that gold is definitely her metal, I love them so.
Danielle Leguillou, Content Creator
Instagram: @danie.sierra
How she wears her jewelry:
My jewelry means so much to me that I never take it off. My first chain was a gift from my mother. She is my best friend, and I plan to pass it down to my first child one day and start a tradition. Along with my chain I wear my older brother’s baby ring. He passed away three years ago, but wearing his ring on my chain everyday, I know he is with me always.
Hannah Anderson, Musician and Artist
Instagram: @hannahandersonn
How she wears her jewelry:
I like to keep my jewelry very simple and will mostly wear the same earrings every day. I rotate between thick gold hoops, and smaller hoops with roses hanging on them. I occasionally switch out the simpler pieces for something more ornate or fun for special occasions. I never take off my gold nose-rings — they make me feel really feminine and beautiful.
Anum Bashir, Founder of the Digital Fashion Platform
Instagram: @desertmannequin
How she wears her jewelry:
Jewelry for me (and probably most people) is incredibly sentimental and personal. Most pieces I wear are tethered to a milestone or memory, or linked to a designer I adore and have a personal relationship with. My current daily edit involves a few of the following: a Repossi Berbere ring (because I love the brand) and a pinky ring by Prounis (because I adore Jean and all she’s doing).
Mecca Williams, Creative and Stylist
Instagram: @meccajw
How she wears her jewelry:
My everyday jewelry is very simple and personal. I only wear gold jewelry, so each piece typically complements the rest. I have a gold nameplate necklace that I got about two years ago, and wear daily. I like to layer it with my seashell necklace from my friend’s line EDAS, It reminds me of my desired island life. For earrings, I typically wear a simple gold hoop. Right now, I’m sporting these beautiful Opened Ovals from EDAS as well.
Janice Tran, Content Creator
Instagram: @janicethitran
How she wears her jewelry:
My most treasured possession, which I never take off, is my promise ring. It’s a simple, gold band from Top Jewelry in Chinatown that my boyfriend gave me as a symbol of the commitment that we made to each other. However, I also love statement earrings. My best friend, Michael, has a jewelry shop, and I love his statement earrings because they always complete my look.
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