The Jewelry We Wear Essay -- Culture Fashion Papers

The Jewelry We Wear Our tastes in jewelry are often fostered by our heritage, cultural background and ethnicity. Many of the unique pieces we see people wearing today steam from old cultural and ethnic roots. African and Asian influences are two prominent styles that often float in and out of popular culture and fashion as trends and style change. Usually found in silver jewelry, Celtic design is beautiful for its simple elegance. Basic lines come together to form elaborate designs. Celtic designs are also found in a lot of modern jewelry. While much of the Celtic jewelry today is often found in catalogues and stores catering to fortune tellers, witches and fans of the fantasy and medieval lifestyles, many people of Irish decent are drawn to Celtic jewelry as a sign of their heritage and background. Personal expression, mood and fashion are not the only factors involved when choosing what jewelry we wear. Our geographic location also impacts our preferences. Spending most my life in South Florida I noticed a huge difference in peoples' lifestyles when I moved to Tallahassee. People dressed differently, wore their hair differently and even talked differently. Their jewelry was also different. South Florida style I very flamboyant and excessive. Many women wear extravagant diamond, platinum, gold and pearl jewelry. Tiffany & Co. is a very popular jewelry store among South Floridians and many people spend thousands of dollars buying jewelry from there. Because Miami is one of the great fashion meccas of the world South Florida sets many fashion trends and tends to be one step ahead of fashion elsewhere in the state and much of the country. Tallahassee, on the other hand, is much more conservative and relaxed in its approac... ...beautiful, spectacular, unusual or exquisitely made, and signed by a famous maker, it will have significant added value. While everyone's style and tastes might be different, as well as the outcome of the decision of which piece of jewelry to buy or wear, the same elements go into making that decision. Though our backgrounds, our family heritage, our life history, we chose the best way to represent ourselves through our appearance. Like our clothing, hair styles and other personal preferences, the jewelry we wear is an individual expression of our personality and character. Whether we choose to wear commercial designs or original pieces, our taste in jewelry tells others a little bit about ourselves. From the most beautiful diamonds at Tiffany & Co. to the macaroni necklaces we made in elementary school, our existence is often accessorized by the jewelry we wear.