pearls schmerls...

I think I just dislike anything that is titled into the genre for which it was created. Especially if it's tied to any type of holiday or any other single-day occasions. "Wedding shoes" and worse yet, "wedding jewelry" totally make my eye start twitching. All too often, manufacturers (notice I say "manufacturers" and not "jewelers," "artisans," or "designers") know that these items are to be worn once and thereafter thought of as disposable...and they create these items with that in mind. And somehow the cheap-alloy sparkley chandelier earrings still get slapped with a $55 sticker. Often these are items for which one wouldn't pay $15 for everyday costume jewelry and don't even make it through the first dance.

This is why I encourage seeking your accessories from non-wedding sources. Not only will you find something more unique, you'll get better value out of something you can enjoy again (and remind you of such a happy day), AND it's less waste in the world.

I'm totally in love with ShySiren's earrings. The flower collection is full of gorgeous delicate pieces. These are my favorites for their subtlety:

These little tiny buds remind me of lily-of-the-valley. Only about an inch long, they're just enough embellishment and won't take any attention away from one's face.





These little bells take care of your "something blue" with the sky coloured bead above the frosted bell. Or you could go bolder with the blue bells.



Lots of pretties for your bridesmaids, too.


And the best part? All of these earrings are between $17 and $30. They do custom order, too. You can find ShySiren on Etsy.com. Tell them I say "hi!." (all of the images in this post © ShySiren)