When the COVID-19 pandemic finally runs its course, we’re going to be under a lot of pressure to look our best when we make our first foray into the outside world. That first night at the club, bar, or concert is going to make first impressions all over again, so you need to make sure you’re dressing the part. In fact, your attire is one of the most important factors in determining your first impression.

One of the most effective ways to prove that you care about your appearance is by dressing according to the latest street style trends. This is a universal look that’s tough to master but easy to notice. Look to celebs like Gigi Hadid, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian for inspiration, as well as retailers like Dior, Gucci, and Louis Vuitton. 

But your outfit is only half the battle because you need to know how to up your game with compatible jewelry in order to really emulate those fashion bloggers. Bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces are capable of taking your street style game to the next level with minimal effort.

If you’re new to these types of trends, or you just want a little refresher, here’s an easy guide to incorporating your best bling into your streetwear so you'll look like you walked right off the pages of Vogue.

What Is Street Style?

If you’ve ever taken a look at New York Fashion week’s catalog, you’ll notice that every piece of couture is handcrafted by a designer in their luxury studios. This is aptly considered designerwear, as the clothes and styles come from fashion tailors.

Street style does not come from studios but rather from grassroots streetwear. It’s associated with youth culture, as it’s a young, trendy, and vibrant style that is perfect for hitting up clubs or taking a trip to a local bar. Cities like Milan, NYC, and Tokyo are particularly well-known for having the coolest styles, and that's not even mentioning London fashion week.

Street style continually evolves and changes with fashion trends, so staying on top of what influencers are wearing is super important. But overall, street style is an organic way of expressing who you really are. While there are some popular mainstays, the most important rule of street fashion is wearing what you like the most.

Incorporating Jewelry Into Street Style

As you get yourself ready in the morning, it’s important to think about how your accessories are going to interact with your clothing. Let’s take a look at some basic tips for getting the most out of each of these elements.

The Bigger the Better

During the earlier days of urban fashion, smaller, nuanced gemstones and thinner chains were the way to go. The focus was meant to be on the outfit itself, and the accessories were just meant to give your look a little kick.

However, huge earrings and thick chains are now the way to go. The newest iterations of street fashion focus on boldness and personal expression. You want to combine bulky jewelry with eccentric styles to grab people’s attention and make a unique impression that shows off your personal style.

 

19mm Diamond Figaro

 

Baggy and large-fitting Nike and Adidas jackets with off-white t-shirts are showing up in some of the best street style looks, so pairing those with a 19mm Diamond Figaro, for example, would be a prestigious way to balance out your look while maintaining noticeable elements. Large chains are especially important if you go for a baggy fit because you don’t want your accessories to get lost in your clothes.

Layer Up

Layering your outfit is a necessity when it comes to street fashion. Wearing complimenting colors on top of one another is one of the easiest ways to make it look like you’ve been setting trends for years. Consider wearing an unzipped jacket in a neutral color and then letting your t-shirt really pull in focus with an alternative hue.

 

Diamond Cuban Chain

 

But layering isn’t just for clothes: this also applies to your jewelry. Consider wearing multiples of the same type of accessory at the same time. For example, throw on a Baguette Tennis Chain while simultaneously wearing a Diamond Cuban Chain. Again, this is representative of boldness and distinction, which is what modern streetwear is all about.

Make sure you’re also covering your fingers with as many rings as possible and draping your wrists with tons of ice too. You want to make up for all of the time you lost because of COVID, so wear everything that you haven’t been able to for months—the street style photographers are sure to take notice.

Mix and Match

From a young age, we’re usually taught to wear colors that match to look professional and classy. However, modern streetwear outfit inspiration throws that idea out of the window.

While your outfit as a whole should still utilize complimenting tones, your jewelry can, and should, be mismatched. You could consider wearing a golden chain around your neck but then opting for a white gold diamond bracelet. Or maybe wear multiple different color rings on both of your hands. The options are endless so long as you don’t ever stop experimenting with different options that work for you.

 

Silver Round Cut

 

A popular way to achieve a unique vibe is by wearing two different earrings. You could sport a Silver Round Cut stud in one ear and then wear a dangling earring in the other, like this Ankh Key in White Gold. Street style is an extremely fluid trend, so you can really have a lot of freedom in conjuring up your own signature appearance.

Choose a Focal Point

Despite the freedom that streetwear lets you enjoy, it’s important to keep some common tips and tricks in mind. An important factor to consider when dressing for the day is what exactly do you want people to notice first?

If you just got a brand new jacket that you really want people to be drawn to, then sure that your jewelry does not drown it out. Go for smaller pieces like a 2.5 mm Ruby Stone Diamond Tennis Chain to enhance your apparel without overdoing it. You might also want to consider avoiding jewelry on your hands and ears so that the focus is always in the same area as your jacket. That way, you'll still get a bit of sparkle in your street style photos without pulling focus.

On the other hand, if you want your jewelry to come into full view, make sure your clothing doesn't distract from the bling. You can do this by wearing neutral clothing colors underneath big, icy diamonds. People won’t notice your clothes first: they will notice the shining metals and gems instead.

Incorporating Jewelry With Other Styles

It’s important to have knowledge of street style for when the clubs and cafes reopen, but you can use jewelry in almost any other type of situation as long as you do it with finesse.

Business/ Work Attire

Even if we’re working from home, we need to make sure we’re looking professional for the zoom meetings and video conferences. But just because you need to look clean doesn’t mean you can’t keep using jewelry to your advantage.

The key to professional attire is that you don’t want your jewelry to be the focus of what you’re wearing. Opt for smaller chains or rings that show you know your way around a jewelry box without making you seem unprofessional.

Cooler-toned metals are a bit better in these circumstances when compared to gold as well. Sterling silver, stainless steel, or white gold give off a cleaner essence when compared to bronze-colored gold, so save those for your night out.

Casual Attire

When dressing casually, the world is pretty much at your fingertips. But the point of casual attire is that you also want to feel comfortable in the process.

 

Franco Chain 3mm White Gold

 

Because of this, those smaller, nuanced pieces are usually best to wear when dressing casually. Bust out those 3mm chains and bracelets, and try to keep it as simple as possible. That said, this category can overlap with street style because they both often use pieces like biker shorts, leggings, and more—it's all about the intention of the stylist (even if the stylist is you). 

Formal Attire

Formal attire is one of the few occasions when you really need to be cognizant of the amount of jewelry that you’re putting on your body. When dressing for a wedding or a black-tie event, less is usually more.

 

Iced Presidential Watch in White Gold

 

One of the most powerful tools at your disposal for formal wear is the watch, as these can be blinged out to even higher extents than chains or earrings yet fit perfectly with formal attire. Presidential watches have a very polished and clean appearance that would perfectly compliment your suit and tie.

Wrap Up

Street style is a constantly evolving subcategory of fashion, and it’s important to stay up to date so that you don’t look out of place once the best hangout spots reopen. Style icons like Katie Holmes and Hailey Bieber rule this category, but you can still put your own spin on it. 

One of the universal rules of thumb when it comes to streetwear is that bigger is usually better. Don’t be afraid to try huge rings, mixing and matching different types of metals, or layering up your entire arm with iced out bands. You can really be yourself, and you don’t have to worry too much about looking out of place. 

The only way to go wrong when it comes to integrating accessories into your daily fit is to not even try using any at all. Find high-quality jewelry, and you'll look like you're walking the streets around Paris fashion week.

Sources:

First impressions count | APA

How to Match Clothes Using the Color Wheel | MasterClass

Gold | Causes of Color