A Summer Jewelry Story

When I was four, my father returned from a business trip with a beautiful pair of tiny 24k gold heart stud earrings. It was at that moment that my parents decided it was time for me to bridge the gap between innocent tot and traumatized headcase: it was time to get my ears pierced.

In My Girl 2 (yes, I watched and loved it), Vada Sultenfuss refers to ear piercing as "a barbaric custom" -- at four years old, I wouldn't have disagreed. On two separate occasions, my mom sat me in the chair of death where a teen-aged ear-piercing-gun wielder stood poised over my virgin earlobes, and both times, I bolted like a frightened mouse into the surrounding mall.

Regardless of my sprinting prowess, I did eventually sit still, bite my lip and get my ears pierced. I won't lie -- it was awful. But the experience has forever shaped my jewelry collection, and I count myself lucky that I can wear beautiful earrings along with the rest of the world. No pain, no gain, right?

But I digress.

If you're a magpie like me, you covet all things glittery. Lucky for people with a sparkle problem, jewelry is the perfect obsession: it's low-impact in terms of space, so you don't have to feel too guilty about stocking up (unless of course your fetish is for Bvlgari, in which case I can't help you), and it's high-impact in terms of style and versatility. The sweetest summer ensemble is never complete without a little wink of gold. Even a colorful bikini worn with a sarong and sunhat can go from run-of-the-mill to high-fashion in a simple clip of a lobster clasp.

And we're happy to cater to the jewelryholics among you. As always, we're proud to offer pieces by Flint by Irenka Kudlicki, who is a local jewelry artist. Her pieces are always handmade, always fashionable, but still timeless. Our newest pieces are brightly colored and summery, from ropes of hand-knotted silk and shimmery orange Czech crystal, to delicate leather necklaces featuring clover charms.

Flint's Abby necklace (orange Czech crystal) $260, Flint's Gina necklace (rough disc) $130

Flint's Mia necklace (gold overlay discs, turquoise drop) $270

We also carry a great range of pieces from local favorite Viv & Ingrid ranging from itsy bitsy faux gemstone studs, to beautiful and delicate figural necklaces, featuring wishbones, elephants, and horseshoes. There are also coordinating studs to match in a variety of styles. Viv & Ingrid also offers higher-impact pieces: large gold pendant hoops and indulgent white jade drops. The range is impressive, fitting a variety of styles and just about every budget!

Viv & Ingrid's silver leaf post earrings $38

Viv & Ingrid's Belle necklace (citrine) $78

Viv & Ingrid's vermeil horseshoe post earrings $49

Viv & Ingrid's Dynasty earrings (white jade) $275

After seeing this summer's amazing jewelry pieces, I have to admit that I'm more grateful than ever to my frightened four year old self for taking one for the team. A life without post earrings would be an empty one indeed.