How to Recycle Old Jewelry

Do you have costume jewelry you no longer wear? Here’s how to turn it into one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces and home decor. Do you have jewelry in your jewelry box that you no longer wear? Before discarding them, why not recycle them into new jewelry pieces or home décor items? Even your old costume jewelry can take on new life with a few creative strategies. 

Here are some ideas:

Recycle old jewelry: Remake it.

If you have necklaces with beads that are no longer stylish, consider restringing them and adding some updated beads or a unique pendant to add contemporary style. Head down to your local bead store with your old necklaces and choose some beads and metal accents that might work with the beads you already have. Look for handmade lamp work beads or dramatic pendants to serve as centerpieces for your necklaces. If you don’t have the skills to make your own necklace, you can always take a class or have the bead store do the work for you.

Recycle old jewelry: Use old jewelry in unique ways.

Do you have old clip-on earrings you no longer wear? Try clipping them on to a pair of plain pumps where they can serve double duty as shoe clips. They can add a touch of style to an ordinary pair of shoes for a special evening function. If you have a chain necklace that no longer feels good around your neck, wrap it around your wrist several times and wear it as a multistrand bracelet. You can also attach a clip-on earring to the band of a hat to give it a dressy look. Another way to recycle an old clip-on earring is to remove the clip from the back using metal cutters. Once you have a flat base, glue it to a metal cuff bracelet for an interesting, one-of-a-kind wrist enhancer. You can also glue an old clip-on earring with the clip removed to a ring blank to create a stylish cocktail ring. Try making artsy collage pins out of old earrings. Simply purchase around metal disc and a glue-on pin back finding. Glue the old earrings in an interesting arrangement on the metal disc and attach the pin back. You now have a unique brooch that’s you can wear with a dress or a jacket.

Recycle old jewelry: Shorten or lengthen a necklace 

You can give a long necklace a whole new look by turning it into an instant choker. To do this, buy a metal ring that snaps closed from your local office supply store. These are the same rings used in three ring binder notebooks. Put one both ends of the necklace into the ring, place it around your neck and snap it shut. Depending on the length of the original necklace, you’ve now shortened it and given it a whole new look. You can also restring a necklace and make it longer by adding bead or chain from your local bead or craft store. 

Recycle old jewelry: Use jewelry as home décor.

How to Choose the Most Flattering Earrings

Surprisingly, your choice of earring can have a major impact on the shape of your face and even subtly alter the perception of your body shape. Here’s how to choose the most flattering styles for your particular face and body. Earrings add an important element of style to your outfit and your overall look, but earrings can do so much more than that. A carefully chosen pair of earrings can subtly alter the shape of your face and accentuate your best features while

playing down your less than desirable ones. Unfortunately, many women don’t take the time to take choose earrings that play up their best attributes. Here’s how to choose earrings that will subtly enhance your overall appearance:

Choose earrings that flatter: Consider your hair color

If you have dark hair, you can wear almost any color of metal but sterling silver and platinum looks particularly dramatic on raven haired people. Blondes tend to shine in shades of polished or brushed gold while red heads are a natural for copper. Mixed metal earrings which combine gold and silver or gold, copper, and silver look stunning with almost any hair color. The next time you’re at your local department store, stop by the earring counter and try on earrings in the metal color that flatters your shade of hair. See if selecting the most flattering metal doesn’t make your eyes look brighter and your face a bit more youthful.

Choose earrings that flatter: Consider your face shape

Do you have a round or plump face? You’ll want to avoid repeating the round shape in your earrings. Large round button earrings tend to accentuate a plump face, while a long drop dangle or rectangle shape will draw the eye down and give the illusion of a longer, thinner face. Likewise if you have a long, thin face, you’ll want to avoid long dangles and rectangular shapes and go for short, wider shapes that rest directly on the earlobe. If you choose to wear dangle earrings, make sure they have volume at the base to add width. A good choice might be a pair of wide chandelier earrings. If your face is square in shape, it’s more flattering to draw the eye downward with thin dangles. Wide earrings that rest directly on the ear tend to add more facial width. To determine what earring shapes look best with your face, try cutting shapes out of colored cardboard and holding them up to your ear lobes. Which ones are the most flattering? These are the shapes you’ll want to look for when selecting earrings.

Choose earrings that flatter: Consider your overall build

It’s often said that if you’re small and petite you should keep your earrings small and subtle. This isn’t always the case. A larger, more dramatic pair of earrings can be flattering to a small person if other jewelry is kept to a minimum and they’re worn with.

How to Update an Old Beaded Necklace

There are so many ways to transform an old beaded necklace into a beautiful accessory you’ll love wearing. Here are some ideas. Do you have an old, beaded necklace that could use an update? Maybe it’s a necklace with beads that’s been passed down through the generations but doesn’t look quite right with any of your clothing or maybe you found it at an antique store and haven’t been able to find anything in your wardrobe to go with it. Don’t give up on that necklace yet! There are a variety of simple ways to give that old, beaded necklace a much needed face lift. Here’s how to add some style to your necklace:

Layer it.

Sometimes a vintage beaded necklace looks too plain when worn as a single strand. Try wearing it with other necklaces of different lengths to give a multi-strand look. Team it up with other beaded necklaces or try it with some interesting chain necklaces of different lengths. You can completely change the look of a necklace by wearing it in the context of other jewelry. 

Change the length.

This is another effective way to give an old, beaded necklace a fresh appearance. Try removing some beads and creating a stylish choker out of a traditional vintage necklace. If you want to make it longer, add chain in the back to give the necklace additional length. If you don’t feel comfortable shortening or lengthening the necklace, have it done at your local jewelry store or bead store.

Add a unique pendant.

An otherwise boring necklace can be instantly transformed with the addition of a unique pendant. To find the right pendant, visit local bead stores, antique malls, and jewelry stores to see what’s available. Bring along your necklace so you can get an idea of how the pendant will look when attached. You may need to restring the necklace to attach the pendant or you can have it done at your local jewelry store.

Turn it into a bracelet. 

One of the simplest solutions for an old, beaded necklace that’s a bit uninspiring is to wrap it several times around your wrist and then clasp it. Voila! You have an instant vintage looking bracelet. A boring old necklace can look pretty hip when worn on your wrist.

Completely remake the necklace.

This isn’t as difficult as you might think. To do this, take your necklace down to your local bead store. Place it on a bead board and select interesting beads to place between. 

How to Choose Earrings for Short Hair

If you have short hair, earrings take on great importance. Here’s how to choose earrings for short hair that’ll really flatter your hair and face. There’s nothing that gives your face a quicker lift than a great pair of earrings. Wearing a fashionable pair of earrings takes on even greater importance if you happen to have short hair. Unlike gals with long hair, you can really show off your ears with style and panache. There’s no hiding those earlobes behind a mop of stringing hair or getting your earrings caught in the hairbrush as you style your long hair. You have the advantage of being able to show the world what a great earring collection you have. Confused about what you can wear and can’t wear? Here’s how to choose earrings for short hair:

Choose earrings for short hair: Always wear earrings if your hair is short.

If you have a short hair, earrings are every bit as important as the clothing you put on your body. Your earlobes are exposed for all the world to see and you want them to be appropriately dressed. When you choose an outfit to put on in the morning, take as much care selecting your earrings as you do your top or shoes. Short haired people can appear a bit “naked” without a little ear adornment.

Choose earrings for short hair: Let go of old fashion dictates.

Dismiss the idea that you need to wear small earrings if you have shorter hair. You can wear all types of earrings with short hair from subtle gemstone post earrings to long, sparkly dangles. It really all depends on your mood, the occasion, and your outfit. You’re lucky. A long dangle style can look quite dramatic when worn with an elegant dress to a party. By keeping the rest of your jewelry and outfit simple, even dramatic earrings won’t look overdone. 

Choose earrings for short hair: Consider your face shape and hair color.

With short hair, earrings can have a much greater impact on your face shape than if you had long hair. For this reason, choose earrings that will flatter your natural bone structure. If your face is naturally round, stay away from round shapes such as hoops and large button earrings since they’ll only enhance the roundness of your face. Dangles and chandelier earrings will give the illusion of a slimmer face. Likewise, if your face is long and slim, choose rounder earring shapes such as hoops to add width to your thin face.

You may also want to take hair color into account when you choose your “signature metal”. Although there are no hard and fast rules, blondes look stunning in gold metals and copper shades while brunettes shine in silver and platinum. Copper metal was just made for the rare redheads of the world. Can’t decide? Wear multi metal earrings with copper, silver, and gold shades. 

Choose earrings for short hair: Add some art and humor to your ears.