HEY, I'm not cheap!! just SMART :)

I was walking along the mall, and I came across this beautiful leaf necklace...I have always wanted a leaf necklace, but one that looks classy and elegant a.k.a expensive looking.....without breaking the bank and I FINALLY found one but while I was finishing up this transaction it got me thinking...what makes a cheap necklace, pull off that expensive look?  to hunt that question down I first went to the fav. place in my room, my jewelry box!

now to start with my new leaf necklace ( it is fairly long)

and might I say, VERY VERY PRETTY !

what you should watch out for when buying cheap fashion jewelry!

CLASPS AND TAGS

however small it maybe big name brand jewelry designers make SURE they have stamped their logo on their piece of jewelry, usually with TAGS.... so we already have this image in our head that if a tag is dangling off of it, it must be some trendy brand, when it actually is from ALDO in my case.....

and as for CLASPS, there are some generic clasps out there but if the clasp is unique then your jewelry is unique too!

DELICATE or go GAUDY

when you have very delicate looking chains, with small delicate pendents on the end OR go crazy and get something chunky, extreme and gaudy pieces....

here are some delicate pieces:

*** also the uniqueness of the rice shaped beads or chains mimics expensive jewelry***

here's an outspoken, gaudy piece that make an outfit rockin:

METAL FINISHING

this one I think is the most important, because what ultimately distinguishes cheap jewelry from expensive is the material being used. If you are at F21 or H&M which one should you pick out? what should you watch out for? answer is to focus on the finishings of the metal!  the ones with brush strokes that makes it have an aged, vintage look 

also hammered metals that produces a wavy texture!  It is so hard to beat the shine of diamonds or real gold, so instead try to find muted, matte golds and silvers, they are JUST as elegant and pretty!

****all the jewelry pictures were a mixture of my tiffany's to, holt renfrew, to blue ruby to boutique brands and  F21****

but the question is, can you tell?? <3

"only great minds can afford a simple style" ~ Stendhal