Tips For Cultivating Your Perfect Capsule Jewelry Collection

If you're someone who loves jewelry, then having a capsule collection is a must. A capsule is a collection of anything fashion-related that transcends trends and never goes out of style. For example, a capsule collection in a wardrobe would consist of a black dress, staple jeans, a white button-down, a T-shirt that can be worn with jeans or a skirt, and a trench coat — among other pieces. No matter what your personal style is, these are items that are always in fashion, so they're good to have on hand.

When creating the perfect jewelry collection, the same rules apply. "I think of a capsule as more of your go-to pieces," founder of the accessories brand Aureum Cass Dimicco told InStyle. "A bold statement piece can really become your 'signature' that you wear constantly. For me, the essentials for a jewelry capsule are a statement pair of earrings, a cuff, and a ring. Pieces that can be worn together or by themselves, depending on how bold I am feeling." 

What's great about cultivating a capsule jewelry collection is that you get to have a lot of fun with it. But in order to keep it capsule and not go overboard, there are some things to take into consideration before you sit down to get organized. 

Some people are more into necklaces, while others prefer rings or bracelets, so their necklace collection is either small or doesn't exist — which is fine! In creating your capsule collection, it's about what suits you and what you want. It doesn't mean you have to run out and purchase every type of jewelry there is in order for your collection to be complete. It's about identifying what you wear regularly and building out from there based on metal, what interests you, and which styles and types feel most comfortable on your skin. There's nothing worse than wearing something that doesn't fit your personality. 

"I design with an interest in finding essential, timeless forms so pieces will be simple and transitional, but always distinctive," jewelry designer Morgan Solomon told TZR. "It makes all the difference when you have a piece you can constantly [wear] every day." Staple jewelry is the stuff you don't just wear every day, but the pieces that can be worn in every setting among everyone and anyone, and easily transition between day and night. 

Even though some of us prefer certain metals because they appeal to our senses, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best color for our skin tone. According to Fortune & Frame, skin tones can be broken up into three categories: warm, cool, and neutral. Those with warm tones, meaning you have yellow and peachy undertones, are best complemented with gold, rose gold, brass, and copper. On the other hand, those who are cooler in their undertones, with shades of pink or blue, look best in equally cool metals like silver and platinum. People with skin that has all these undertones hit the jackpot when it comes to metals because all of them complement their skin.

However, if you're looking at your skin and you're not really sure, holding a piece of white paper against you will help you discern which undertones you have. From there, you can start to build or update your capsule collection. Of course, if you have a cool skin tone and you're simply mad for all things gold, then you'll want to lean into that. But just knowing what complements you best, on a visual level, is something to keep in mind.

When you know what types of jewelry you look best in and which metals are most complementary for you, it's time to think about investment pieces. Although the word "investment" may have some thinking they need to drop a pretty penny for something to qualify as being an investment, that's not necessarily the case. While you can spend a lot on a few pieces that you know are classic and never go out of style, it doesn't have to be that way. It's just that with these choices you're going to stay away from costume or middle-of-the-road jewelry, which means things will be more on the pricier side.

"I think people are over mediocre quality and generic-looking items," founder of jewelry brand Ming Yu Wang Jen Wang told InStyle. "They want to invest in a piece that they trust and love. It's also an emotional investment." Because it very much is an emotional investment, as Wang pointed out, you want to find something that's dear to you and something you know that you can't possibly live without now that you've seen it. You also want to weigh your love for it against the price. No one can tell you how much you shouldn't or shouldn't spend. That's up to what you can reasonably and comfortably afford. 

Once we take away staple jewelry — pieces that usually surpass personal style and have something for everyone — we're left with statement pieces. These are the pieces that, no matter how expensive or cheap, speak for us. It's the jewelry we wear that isn't just us, through and through, but will forever remain a part of who we are whether it be five weeks or five years from now. "Statement jewelry is like art — it's subjective, expressive, and highly personal," fashion stylist Shaye Strager told Flower. "It is also an investment, and not always a financial one. You are investing in yourself — and your own signature style — so make sure that you're projecting the 'real you.' Also, remember that you are the one wearing the jewelry so don't let it wear you!"

While your jewelry collection may go further to include things like anklets, toe rings, and/or body piercings, this is still a good jumping-off point. It's also important to keep in mind that capsule collections can forever evolve. So don't think you're pigeonholing yourself for the long run. You can always add and remove, depending on who and what you become in time.