The various aspects of fashion and costume jewelry

The Various Aspects of Fashion and Costume Jewelry by ​ Anika Pathak​ ​ jewelry designer & author

Overview The realm of fashion jewellery and costume jewelry is vast and varied. Costume jewelry and fashion jewelry are almost the same however, from slightly different time periods. These two types of jewelries share similarities in purpose and construction however are slightly varied in other categories. While there are some designers that see these categories as very different, there are a number of consumers who resort to using these terms interchangeably.

Similarities The benefit of an affordable accessory is offered to a customer by both fashion and costume jewellery. Both these categories of jewellery mimic the looks of fine jewellery pieces and utilize less expensive or in expensive material in their manufacturing. Fine jewellery is expensive because it utilizes expensive metals and expensive gemstone in its manufacturing. Costume jewelry and fashion jewellery however use artificial or laboratory created or semi­precious gemstones and semi­precious metals which makes it a more cost effective and affordable option.

Both costume jewellery and fashion jewellery are purchased by consumers in an attempt to appear more fashionable without burning a hole in their pocket. Purchasing fine jewelry can prove to be expensive but fashion jewelry and costume jewellery are relatively more economical and cost effective when compared with fine jewellery. These provide users with the freedom to add more and more to their jewelry collection without damaging their budget.

Differences The terms "costume" and "fashion" are used synonymously when talking about jewelry, but there are some subtle differences in time periods and perceived quality.

Costume Jewelry Costume jewelry became popular during the 1930s for very understandable and practical reasons. There were many women who possessed pieces of exquisite jewellery that were passed down to them through earlier generations as heirlooms. However, wearing these pieces every now and then was risky as there was always fear of potential theft, loss or damage. Therefore, these women resorted to having replicas made of these pieces of jewellery with the use of fairly inexpensive gems and metals.

During the early development of costume jewelry, women paid jewelers to craft pieces to be worn with only one outfit. This tradition differs from modern consumers who purchase jewelry to match a variety of outfits that they own. Costume jewelry made the practice of buying fashionable pieces for individual outfits more affordable. Consumers could buy fake jewelry for the purpose of fashion and purchase new pieces as trends shifted.

Fashion Jewelry The term "fashion jewelry" is more recent than "costume jewelry" and incorporates fun and playful styles.

Consumers wear this type to dress up outfits and follow current fashion trends. Fashion jewelry styles are constantly changing as new trends emerge whereas costume jewelry encompasses timeless pieces that are now considered vintage or antique. Some fashionable women prefer fashion jewelry over higher end pieces because they can spend less money on jewelry that will only be in style for a season or two. The following chart illustrates the changing trends in fashion jewelry over three decades.

As trends come and go, fashion jewelry is a term used to describe any piece that is in style and not constructed from valuable metals or stones. It is a versatile category that includes a variety of materials, such as rubber, metal, plastic, acrylic, and semi­precious stones.

Perceived Quality of Costume and Fashion Jewelry

Conclusion Fashion jewelry such as ​ fashion earrings​ , ​ fashion pendants​ are all widely popular in the market.

Costume jewellery manufacturers​ have also met the increasing demand for costume jewellery in the market. However, gaining a fundamental and working knowledge regarding these is always advisable before entering any transaction involving them.