Into the woods: cool jewellery to spice up your office look
Let’s face it, dressing for work can get dull. It’s the same old story day after day: pencil skirt and blouse – maybe a pair of tailored trousers if we’re really pushing the boat out – and a classic trench while it’s still cold outside. How, then, are we so often running late to catch the train to work? Accessories, that’s how.
Accessories are where the creativity and imagination take over, they’re the paints with which to decorate your drab, daily blank canvas of an outfit. Go on, admit it, we all love getting swept up in the excitement of new unique jewellery, and we think we’ve just found you your new jewellery crush. (You might be missing a few more trains after this, sorry!)
As we move in to spring, we want to revel in nature’s wonders, work with earthy vibes and take ourselves to the woods with the creatures and colours of the forest floor. The Strong House, an online retail shop based in Nova Scotia, specialises in jewellery handcrafted by thoughtful and innovative designers and is most definitely going to be our first port of call as we look to spice up our office looks this spring!
Owner and curator Rebecca Taussig has noticed that women are returning to refined craftsmanship and quality goods over mass produced high street pieces: ‘they’re becoming selective, considerate and conscious consumers opting for less but of greater quality,’ she explains. She’s right: we’re ready to look to nature for style inspiration, but also to take crafts back to their natural form – being handmade by delicate designers.
In searching for new jewellery makers, Taussig discusses just how selective she is in considering and then beginning a new relationship with a designer: ‘word of mouth and my personal interactions with the artist and their work are key factors and weigh heavily for consideration’. Indeed, Taussig goes through a long process before fully committing to sharing a new designer’s products with her consumers, so we can rest assured we’re only being presented with the absolute best.
The site currently showcases two artists with very distinct visions. Donna Hiebert, sculptor and jewellery designer, connects her work to energies and tribes. With edamame earrings and coffee bean pendants starring in her collection, Hiebert’s pieces are just what we’re looking for in our back-to-nature inspired looks. Plus, we love the idea that we can show our unending gratitude to coffee for getting us through the working day by wearing a coffee bean to the office!
The second designer, Angela Grace, is known for her elegant yet edgy creations. Our favourite of her pieces have fox faces adorning earrings and rings. Subtle and adorable, quirky pieces like this will add a dash of spice to your otherwise personality-lacking blazer and pencil skirt combo!
If you’re still struggling with inspiration as to how incorporate earthy jewellery in to your current style, check out the +Meet Creatives section of The Strong House website. Rebecca describes it as ‘an interesting link to the communities that support and encouraging thoughtful design, quality materials and considerate approaches to producing exceptional goods for our everyday’. She recognises that style is extremely personal, and loves the unique ability of each individual to accessorise the same signature piece in a different way.
‘In styling their clothing with The Strong House jewellery, the wearers are able to see the jewellery in another light’, Rebecca tells us, and that’s exactly what we’re aiming for in accessorising our office looks: outfits that appear completely refreshing thanks to the new combination of rings and necklaces and earrings, so don’t be afraid to get creative!
