Elegance is Refusal
It all started in the 1930s when Coco Chanel, the French designer of “all things glamorous” stated that “Elegance is Refusal”.
Coco
Her fine jewelry offered the first glimpse of haute couture for women, the vibrantly feminine woman who considered herself ‘powerful while ladylike’. Her fashion jewelry designs were the first ventures into “high-low” fashion whereby exquisite jewels were combined with other stones to add interest and to bring the price point for one or two pieces of fine jewelry out of the “royalty only” range. In many ways, she set a bar that continues to stand. Coco Chanel’s most famous fine jewelry included elegant pins and bracelets.
Audrey
In the 1950s, a time of great general prosperity with an undercurrent of the growing feminist movement, the fine jewelry most remembered were the earrings of exquisite diamonds and pearls worn by actresses such as Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. Whether it was an elegant formal gown or the new pants and sweater, a pearl necklace and beautiful earrings were among the fine jewelry that were increasingly part of the jewelry box of smart, powerful women.
Jackie
Jackie Kennedy considered accessorizing with the perfect balance of fine jewelry above all else in fashion. Her perfect balance of sophistication and flash made her an ageless and timeless icon throughout her extraordinary life and well beyond. Whether she was dripping in fine jewelry the night of President Kennedy’s inaugural, or shortly after the death of the president when she was photographed in a black pants and sweater with her only jewelry being her Tank watch, her choice of fine jewelry seemed almost calculated in its statement of “just glamorous enough.” Jackie will always be remembered for wearing pieces of the highest quality that held personal significance to her.
Posh
Today, in the world of online knockoffs, the great memorable pieces are still the fine jewelry pieces—the treasures of one’s collection. Current icons such as Victoria Beckham, Demi Moore and Sandra Bullock are strong women who use fine jewelry to project their signature dramatic minimalism. Where Victoria and Sandra accessorize their strong, independent styles with chunky snake bracelets, the ladylike is strong Demi Moore was recently seen wearing fine jewelry of platinum and diamonds.
And what conversation could be had on fine jewelry as a hallmark of elegant refusal without the right hand ring? Fine jewelry as a declaration of independence. Fine jewelry that lives for the moment. Fine jewelry that is elegant by refusing to settle for just good enough.
Elegance is avoiding the noise of the trendy jewelry. It is holding back to find that perfect timeless piece of fine jewelry just for you. And then getting it… just for you!
Tags: accessorizing, Audrey Hepburn, bracelets, chunky snake bracelets, Coco Chanel, Demi Moore, diamonds, earrings, elegant pins, Elizabeth Taylor, exquisite diamonds, fashion jewelry, fine jewelry, haute couture, Jacqueline Kennedy, jewelry box, jewels, linkedin, pearl necklace, pearls, platinum, President Kennedy, Sandra Bullock, stones, Tank watch, Victoria Beckham