Fashion Tips - Buying Costume Jewellery

Costume jewellery has made a major comeback in recent years, with high street shops carrying their own ranges to complement their clothing and more and more fashion-conscious customers investing in unusual pieces as part of their style. So why should you join the bandwagon? First of all, costume jewellery can finish a look to perfection, meaning that you look great every day. It’s available in all colours, shapes and sizes; there’s no limit to the designs so whatever look you’re going for, there’s something to match. Secondly, it can transform an outfit; from kitsch plastic to glamorous diamante you can make the same clothes look completely different.

Thirdly, costume jewellery can be as expensive or inexpensive as you like. From a few pounds for high street jewellery to hundreds for something from a famous designer, your budget isn’t dictated by the worth of the materials. Modern technology means that costume jewellery can be produced that mimics the real thing, so you can even have diamond look-alikes for a tiny fraction of the cost.

When it comes to buying costume jewellery, there are as many places to look as there are designs available. High street shops of course all carry their own ranges, but if you’re looking for something a little different you’ll have to look further afield. Costume jewellery has been in production for decades, and styles reflect the fashion of the times. From art nouveau to 50’s kitsch, vintage pieces can be picked up in second hand shops everywhere. Some specialise in jewellery and will give you a lot of information about where the piece was made and the era it came from. These tend to carry more high-end pieces, focussing on famous designs or iconic styles.

Other second-hand shops will carry a smaller selection and these may be more reasonably-priced. Like a lot of thrift-shop goods, you might have to search through them to find a really special item, but if you do it’s worth it.

Another place to find costume jewellery is at car boot sales; people have all sorts of bits and pieces in their homes to sell, and they often don’t know much about them. It’s a great place to pick up bargains and well worth a look.

Finally, the internet can be a great resource. Take a look at eBay for vintage jewellery, or check out internet shops to buy modern costume jewellery online. Just like high street retailers, internet sellers have their own ranges that are updated often. They’ll source their jewellery from all over the world so you might find more unusual styles than you would elsewhere.

Vintage jewellery tended to imitate the real thing, providing a cheaper alternative to diamonds and gold. Although modern diamante jewellery serves the same purpose, in recent decades costume jewellery design has become more focussed on style and making a statement. Brightly-coloured plastic pieces for example are a modern invention, so antique shops won’t be the right place to look if that’s what you’re after. Costume jewellery however is always a bargain, and with enough searching you can find stunning examples to match your look.