Beyond Macaroni Necklaces: The Ideal Little Girl First Jewelry
Little girls love playing dress up in macaroni necklaces, plastic bangles and sticker earrings. Not only is it fun, it’s good practice for showcasing their personal style. Pretty soon all that practice will pay off and your little girl will be ready for her first real jewelry. A young lady’s first piece of quality jewelry is a rite of passage and giving it to her can be a special memory.
When is the right time?
There’s no perfect age to give a young lady her first piece of jewelry. Instead, it’s more important that she is ready to take care of the gift. But, a first piece of jewelry isn’t something to give on a random Tuesday. A significant gift is the perfect way to mark a milestone moment. Consider timing a major jewelry gift with her first communion, Quinceanera, Sweet 16, bat mitzvah or debutante ball. Big accomplishments, such as acing the SAT, graduating from junior high or getting accepted to the honor society are made even more special when they are celebrated with a gift of jewelry.
Choose a classic piece
She’ll have plenty of time for come-and-go trendy jewelry, but her first real jewelry should be a classic piece that is an heirloom in the making. This is a piece that she will, hopefully, wear for decades. The key is to find something that will appeal to both the fun, fashionable and active your lady she is and the smart, professional adult she will become.
Look for clean, classic lines combined with high-fashion details. A pair of simple diamond or pearl studs will become her go-to favorites for day-to-day wear as she transitions from school to career. A gemstone necklace or earrings featuring citrines, opals, quartz or topaz will provide a fun pop of color and will look right on girls of all ages. Plus, if you give her one piece of a gemstone set now you can add additional pieces to it for future milestones. For younger ladies, a charm bracelet is an adorable option that will serve as a pretty reminder of all her special moments, interests and passions.
To really make her first piece of jewelry something to remember, work with a jewelry designer to create a custom piece just for her. A one-of-a-kind piece is the perfect way to capture her unique style and personality.
Teach her to care for the gift
A beautiful piece of jewelry may be fun to wear, but it also brings a bit of responsibility. Teaching her to take care of her first real jewelry will set her up for a lifetime of successfully caring for her investment pieces. Along with her new piece, wrap up a soft jewelry storage bag or a jewelry box and a bottle of jewelry cleaner. Then, invite her to a little mother daughter jewelry cleaning party and demonstrate the best way to care for your favorite pieces. This is also an excellent time to reminisce about when you received your best pieces. It will be a fun way to get her excited about her new treasure and her blossoming relationship with jewelry.