buying jewelry: a practical guide for men

At our little shop, the telltale sign that the holidays are coming is the increasing number of panicked males wandering into our shop looking for last minute gifts for their wives/daughters/aunt’s sister’s gardener {or you know, whatever}. And while every now and then we get the calm, cool and collected type, by far and large the prospect of procuring some baubles for a lady in their life is enough to drive even the smoothest of operators into a bit of tizzy. With that in mind, we decided to put together an easy guide to help these frazzled fellows get from our shop to the good graces of their beloved – minimal stress required.

TIP ONE: Viv&Ingrid offers jewelry in three types of metal – sterling silver, 14k vermeil or gold-filled {yellow gold} and 14k rose gold vermeil {pink, basically}. Now without getting too technical {though we’ll gladly talk your ear off about metal plates if you’d like}, different women prefer different types of metal for different reasons. Mostly it just comes down to style. Some women like silver better, some gold and some rose gold. A good way to figure this out is to look for an accessory she wears daily {e.g. a watch, a necklace or an engagement ring}. Picking a new piece of jewelry in that tone is sure to be a safe bet!

TIP TWO: Forgive us if we’ve over simplified this, but we once encountered a friend’s boyfriend who wasn’t sure if a skirt went on the top end or the bottom. So, just to clarify: earrings go on the ears, necklaces go on the neck, bracelets on the wrist and rings {everyone now} go on the finger. Now that we’ve cleared that up, when you decide to pick up a piece of jewelry, you’ll need to decide what part of your loved one you’d like to adorn. A few notes!

1. If you’re going to pick out a pair of earrings, make sure the recipient’s ears are pierced. If you’re buying for a younger customer, it is best to err on the safe side and select another type of jewelry if you’re not absolutely, positively sure that she can wear earrings. {Extra note: we usually recommend bracelets, and especially our cotton bracelets, for our youngest customers. They’re durable and sizable so they can fit – and stay on! – even the smallest of wrists.}

2. If you’re going for a ring, it is helpful to know the recipient’s size. Generally speaking, a size seven will fit most women on one finger or another. However, the majority of customers prefer to wear rings on their ring fingers {shocking, we know}, so knowing whether she is a five or an eight when you head into our shop will give you a real leg up.

3. If you’re buying a gift of some significance, selecting a few pieces that compliment one another to be given as a set is always a nice option. For instance, a pair of “everyday” earrings and a matching necklace {by “everyday” we mean something simple that can be worn easily to work, out shopping, on a lunch date, etc.} is a great option to create an extra special gift.

TIP THREE: If you’re going to go with an earring, you’ll have to pick a style. There are three main options to choose from:

1. Post Earring: In layman’s terms, a post is an earring that sits right on your ear. There is no “dangly” part or portion that hangs below your ear. They’re great for younger customers, for women who work in a conservative office, and for moms of young children {who are susceptible to having larger earrings pulled or yanked on by said offspring}.

2. Drop Earrings: Drop earrings do just that – “drop” off your ear. They usually sit in your ear on a french hook {it looks just like a fishing hook, but, you know, for your ear} and have stones or pendants that dangle just below your lobe. Drops earrings can range from the demure to the dramatic and are great for everything from the office to a special event, depending on how elaborate the design.

3. Hoop Earrings: Hoop earrings are generally characterized by their larger size and their circular shape. While we stock a wide range of sizes of hoops {.5″ to 2.5″}, even the smallest of hoops will be slightly larger than any post earring and most {but not all} drop earrings. Hoops are also generally circular in shape, though this is not a hard and fast rule – we stock a few styles that are teardrop and even square-shaped. Also like drop earrings, hoops are versatile and can work just as well in the workplace as they do for a night out. For either option, if you tell us a little bit more about the recipient, we would be more than happy to guide you in the direction of an appropriate size and style.

EXTRA CREDIT: Just a few more, miscellaneous notes that will win you serious brownie points here at Viv&Ingrid!

1. Favorite color: When you are in doubt and you’re buying jewelry, always stick to metallics. They are classic and match everything. BUT, if you’ve done you’re homework and know the recipient’s favorite color, finding a piece that has a pop of aforementioned color is a great way to let her know that you’ve been paying attention and will make that present even more special.

2. Non-creepy stalking: A little Facebook stalking can go a long way. If you’re truly stumped about what to buy, try scrolling through the recipient’s profile photos and tagged photos to see what kind of jewelry she is wearing. If you see one specific piece or style a few times, it is probably a safe bet to buy a new piece that is similar in style to that one. And yes, if you’re curious we have aided and abetted more than one customer in said stalking before. No judging.

3. Shopping early: We know, we know. You’re busy. We’re busy. We get it. But the benefits of shopping early {and by early we mean two to three days before you intend to give the gift} are many. For one, you’ll be less stressed if you’re coming in to select a piece if you know you don’t have to be at your dinner reservation in fifteen minutes. Additionally, if we don’t have exactly what you’re looking for {color, size, etc.} coming in a few days before will give us the time to make the perfect piece especially for you. Last, if you’re not in a rush to get out the door and off to your sweetheart, we’ll use those extra minutes to wrap the gift. And trust us, a prettily wrapped gift goes a long way with us ladies – it is the present equivalent of a walk in closet. Full of Louboutins. And puppies {the non-Louboutin chewing type}.

And there you have it! No one ever said we were short winded, but if you took the time to read this consider yourself well-prepared for the final exam come Christmas time. And as always, we here at Viv&Ingrid are here to help you through all of your gift giving endeavors, online and in store.

Happy shopping!

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