I’ve been building up quite the collection of statement necklaces over the past year. I never pay more than $15 for each one (usually a lot less), but I’ve gotten in the habit of throwing one on with everything from t-shirts to dresses and usually find that I immediately feel more put together and—dare I say it?—fancy. (Or, at least, fancier).

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{Pardon the blurry cell phone pic}

My latest acquisition was a clearance buy from Dillard’s—originally $25, but I got it for $8. I wore it the same day I bought it with a white blouse (Old Navy, $5) and denim cutoffs (American Eagle, $25 with a gift card) and liked it so much that I threw it on with a new striped dress (also Old Navy, $20) for church the next day.

striped dress2 striped dress3

Lest you be fooled that all my pictures turns out more or less posed…here’s proof that just as many end up like this:

striped dress

I meant to take a pic of the back of the necklace since it “fastens” rather unusually (the beads are attached to a soft, stretchy band that makes the length easily adjustable) and looks kind of pretty since you tie it in a bow…but I forgot. Oops.

Would you believe, as much as I so obviously love to accessorize, that I didn’t even like jewelry as a teenager? I would wear the same sterling silver ring or necklace or earrings for weeks or months even. I didn’t like to decorate either. In fact, I wasn’t even sure I could or wanted to learn how.

I know. Who is this blogger and what has she done with the real accessories-and-home-decor-obsessed Abbie?

Which brings up an interesting question: is there anything you love now that never interested (or maybe even repelled) your younger self?

Also, statement necklaces or tried and true everyday pieces? What’s your jewelry M.O.?

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy

18 Comments

  1. When I was a teenager, I pretty much hated food…now I love everything! I was so skinny I was almost anorexic and in school the kids said I looked like my legs would break when I jumped on the trampoline! Well, I got married and learned to cook and learned that yeah, food is GOOD! Then came the realization that it can be too good, so off came 30 pounds and now loving workouts and keeping in shape. I never thought I would love homemaking either, but my heart is happiest taking care of home, hubby and family. My how we change!
    Vicki W.

  2. always been a jewelry girl!!! I have 2 brothers that are jewelers so when I got tired of something they just melted it down and started over. My favorite piece is a silver cuff lisa leonard bracelet I got for mothers day. It’s hand stamped with all the names of my boys (3 sons and hubby). I never leave home without it!

  3. I love statement necklaces! Like you said-instant fancy! I used to despise exercise; now I miss it if I skip a few days (like this week…).

  4. Oh I used to despise antiques of any kind. Now I’m into rescuing & rehabbing all that old crap 😉

    I can’t walk out the door without earrings or my wedding ring – it just feels naked. I can take or leave the necklaces (though I adore the statement necklace), but I’ve been doing the bracelet thing lately.

  5. Your statement necklaces always look so cute! When I try one, I always feel like it is too much. Just need to go for it! I was actually the opposite as you on jewlery when I was younger…..I wore almost a ring on every finger (embarassing now!) and always necklace, earrings, bracelet. Now, I try to be more purposeful & classy but I still love me some jewelry…..LOL!
    Another change was I used to hate sewing, just didn’t have the patience for it….but now, I LOVE it! So glad I changed my mind 🙂 I also used to hate cilantro, but now, the more the merrier….haha! Change is good, eh??
    The black dress in your pics is really cute on you….it’s a keeper!!

  6. I was that girl too… same sentimental necklace and rings, occasionally switched out for another necklace that looked way too similar to be worth the effort of switching. It wasn’t until I had babies that I started noticing how easily my bff accessorized and what a difference in made in the “mommy uniform”. Slowly but surely I built my collection, and now it’s super fun! Decorating too. I put something on the mantel, and it stayed till Christmas, when I put up holiday decor. Now, I change everything around every month (except I have been too busy to care about decorating for August.). 🙂

  7. Pretty much tried and true jewelry for me . I like fun pendants to switch out on my sterling silver chain and fun bracelets but earrings are always gold or silver hoops . Reason being -the clasp , if my babies pull on them they come out rather than rip my ears 🙂 before kids I wore all sorts of dangly earrings ! You totally pull off statement jewelry , it just fits your fun personality !
    – Hannah Hargis

  8. I just wrote about this for today’s post. I hated dresses and skirts, really, just about anything feminine, now I can’t get enough of them. I’m all over the thrift stores looking for new and unique looking skirts. The one thing I still need to work on is accessorizing. I own necklaces, rings, and bracelets but forget to put them on. *sigh*

    I love the way you accessorize with the statement necklaces. Instead of going matchy matchy like I tend to do (when I remember) yours are “go with” which look fab.

  9. Like you, I hated “big” jewelry as a teen… If I wore anything it would only be the smallest of lockets or a plain chain. And I didn’t even have my ears pierced till I’d been married for several years! 🙂 Now I can’t get enough of gorgeous statement necklaces or lovely, dangly earrings (still can’t stand giant hoops that look like bracelets, but that’s just me) 🙂

  10. Like you, I hated “big” jewelry as a teen… If I wore anything it would only be the smallest of lockets or a plain chain. And I didn’t even have my ears pierced till I’d been married for several years! 🙂 Now I can’t get enough of gorgeous statement necklaces or lovely, dangly earrings (still can’t stand giant hoops that look like bracelets, but that’s just me) 🙂

  11. SUPER cute! 🙂 I’m now inspired to make a necklace like that one. I love the idea of ribbons or elastic “bands” or whatever that you can tie into bows rather than the aggravating clasps.

    One thing I *hated* growing up was raw tomatoes. Couldn’t stand them. This summer, however, I suddenly started craving them. And no, I’m not married, and therefore not pregnant. Which may make the phenomenon even weirder. Anyway, fresh tomatoes from our garden are now oh-so-yummy, and it was like an overnight transformation!

    Weird how things like that happen.

  12. For me it was exercise of any form. After baby #4 I lost over a hundred pounds mainly with a lifestyle change that included running *gasp* and triathlon. Now I can’t imagine life without sweating it up five or six times a week.

  13. Those pictures are adorable! I would never have guessed you hadn’t always loved accessories and decorating. For me, it was history. I hated history as a kid and my parents, who homeschooled me, had many a discussion with me about my aversion. I even came up with a phrase and would repeat it to anyone who dared ask me about it – “I just can’t stand wars and plagues and presidents.” Imagine my surprise when I swallowed my pride and went on to major in history in college. 🙂

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