10 Simple Steps to Jewelry Wardrobe Happiness

by Caroline Stanley

Given all the thought we’ve put into jewelry wardrobes the last few years while penning Jewelry Savvy you’d think my own jewelry wardrobe was in sparkling, tip-top shape.

Not so.

Rarely do I haul it all out and look at it. Instead, I wear the same pieces every day or dig out a few special pieces for a night out or a weekend away. Probably like most of your customers do.

So, today, I’ve done what I’ve been needing to do for a while — and what you might want to do with your customers that are in a rut. A wardrobe cleanup. It’s simple and easy, really, like cleaning your closet but on a smaller scale.

10 Simple Steps to Jewelry Wardrobe Happiness:

1. Gather all the jewelry you own. Include the “good” stuff as well as the lesser expensive pieces. Consider taking a photo of all your jewelry or making a list of all the pieces, so you can keep track.

2. Take them out of their storage compartments
, boxes, envelopes, etc. and lay them out where you can see them.

3. Immediately remove anything you really do not like
, never wear and do not wish to keep into one area — let’s call this Group 3.

4. Divide the rest into two areas:
1) Group 1, the jewelry you love and wear and wouldn’t part with for the world and 2) Group 2, jewelry you own but do not wear. So now you have three areas of jewelry.

5. Ask yourself some questions
for the Group 2 jewelry you own and don’t wear:
        – Do you want to give any of it away to a friend/relative who might enjoy it?
        – Would you want to keep it if you had something to wear with it?
        – Do you like parts of it and might want to recycle it into another piece?
        – Could you turn a pair of earrings into one or two necklaces or otherwise remodel it?
        – Could you make charms for a bracelet out of any of the pieces that you want to keep?
        – Would you miss it if you never saw it again?

6. Re-evaluate and resort Group 2 jewelry
, based on the answers to the questions above. Move pieces either into Group 3 (jewelry you’re ready to say good-bye to) or Group 1, the jewelry that will become your working jewelry wardrobe. You should no longer have a Group 2. If there’s a piece you honestly can’t figure out where to place, by default it should go into Group 1.

7. Take a short break with coffee, wine or chocolate.
You’ve made great progress!

8. Work with Group 1 jewelry.

        – Pull together “outfits” inside your jewelry wardrobe. (More about that here). Outfits are groups of jewelry you would wear together. Some pieces may be used again and again. Others may only show up once in a while. You can have outfits of metals, gemstones, colors, textures, shapes, casual, dressy, or any theme that appeals to you. There is no right way to build the wardrobe — do what works for you.
        – Take photos of the various outfits for future reference.
        – Try some unusual combinations and see if they work for you.
        – Note the gaps in your outfits and wardrobe. Consider purchasing the items or passing gift ideas along.

9. Notice any Group 1 jewelry that doesn’t show up in your outfits
. Re-evaluate it. Do you really want to keep it? Yes, it’s fine to have some Group 1 jewelry that you don’t wear but can’t part with. However, it’s good to keep re-evaluating it over time so eventually it can go to a good home or be recycled or even worn again. (I admit to having a permanent jewelry stash. :)

10. Care for and enjoy your jewelry wardrobe.
        – Sell, give away or trade-in Group 3 jewelry. Free up space for new, fabulous jewelry!
        – Keep it clean and in good maintenance.
        – Store it safely.
        – Keep a list of the items you have and photos in case of burglary or loss.
        – Get appraisals and insurance as needed on your jewelry.

Tune in here on Monday to see how to best apply this concept in your store with your customers!

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