Fake/Junk/Imitation Jewelry: do you own any? - YouLookFab Forum

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Fake/Junk/Imitation Jewelry: do you own any?

Irene

Veteran

It's been only two weeks of contact lens wearing and I have already purchased too many sets of earrings to admit without blushing with guilt. Thing is, with no glasses over my face, I feel a need to add something to my head, otherwise my face seems too boring!

I've been admiring for years now other female friends that got to wear big bling-bling earrings, but on me I though they competed with my glasses so I let them go. Now free to wear most styles, I'm out and crazy! BUT I've been a good girl and gone for what you guys call 'fake' jewelry (thanks wikipedia :P), which is waaay cheaper than the real thing. Don't get me wrong, I have various silver sets, in many styles from the time when I was alergic to other metals, and I went for classic yet modern styles that probably will never go out of style (I have an eye for 'different' things so they are really never in nor out), but I love the thrill of getting new sets to combine with my outfits (this I got from matchy-matchy mommy).

Do you guys fall for the cheaper version or just go for the real thing ALWAYS?

The thing is, with so many stores selling so many styles and at low prices, it's difficult to fight the temptation!

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33 replies

Latest reply was from tulle

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I have mainly 'real' jewelry, with a few exceptions...I think a lot depends on how well its done. I dont care for 'huge.over-the top-baubles' but some 'fake' items are really cute and worth wearing, as long as they're well-made....just my opinion

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, I guess it depends on how you define "fake". If you mean "not precious metal" then yes, I have a lot. Things like big statement necklaces are not in my budget if they are made of silver or gold! (most of my precious metals jewelry is on the smaller scale because of price considerations).

On the other hand, most of my non-precious jewelry is probably around mid-range. For example, I have several necklaces from Ann Taylor that are not real silver but are well-made. They probably run around $50-100 if you pay full price. I find that this range of non-precious jewelry is often well-made and looks nice.

As for really cheap jewelry (say, from F21 or H&M) I do have a few pieces but not many because to be honest they often look quite cheap or flimsy, and they fall apart easily. It is a fun way to try out a new trend though!

Victoria

(website)

Veteran

I have both-I can't wear earrings that are not real gold or silver so if I get costume stuff is usually a necklace or bracelets. Nothing wrong withfake stuff-good costume jewelry with right care can last for years and years which was illustrated to me recently. My mom sent me several fake items that I bought more than 20 years ago and left in her house. Because it was in plastic bags, it hasn't tarnished at all. So wear whatever you want and enjoy it

Jenniferblue

Yes, I own plenty of costume pieces!
There are too many pretty jewelry items in my path to resist buying costume jewelry.
Do I need them, no! I've been wearing less and less jewelry these days. I just feel over the top when I wear more then my rings watch and a couple of bangles. . Contacts give you a whole new view of the world ( did I say that ?) so enjoy
seeing your ears and dress them up!

Irene

Veteran

Biscuits, that's true as well.

I guess it depends as well on your fashion needs. My mom is not a millionaire yet NEEDS to have a matching watch, necklace and pair of earrings for each of her colorful blouses, otherwise she can't be happy. Plus, she's really picky when it comes to color (I bought a pink watch as a suprise for her last week and though she liked it, she didn't think it was the same exact pink of her scarf, so had to let it go). In the end, she either buys cheap jewellery or makes it herself -buys the pieces, then puts them together, and she is quite good at it, actually!! She has a fairly good watch ('the watch'), and then brandless colored watches that might last her one, two seasons or three seasons and that she mainly wears in the summer.

Personally, it has to do with the fact that I'm a student with a precarious job lol I think I can get away with it also because I'm young, I'm not sure I would wear them if I had a high position in a company and were a certain age.

I mainly get them at accessory shops where they sell costume jewellery and bags, wallets, maybe scarves... For some reason the items sold at fashion stores don't call my attention.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I wear less and less jewelry these days, but I do like earrings with some outfits for a night out. Most of my bigger earrings are costume jewelry. The small ones are silver or gold or precious or semi-precious stones, but I can't afford big blingy ones.

Mama Susie

I have tons of "fake" jewelry. Mostly earrings because I tend to love my earrings big... as in the bigger the hoops the better. Also most of my fake jewelry does not look real and I don't care. I don't wear as much fake necklaces or bracelets and the only rings I wear are my wedding ones. But yes I am all about fake earrings. I love them! I guess there will always be a little bit of the ghetto fab in me.

Keix

Veteran

I have mostly real (sterling silver as I prefer silver to gold, and it's cheaper) jewelry because my skin can't handle anything else. Every once in a while I forget and buy a piece of costume jewelry, but it always comes back to bite me, literally. It's problematic because I CAN'T buy a big statement necklace even though I really want to--that much sterling silver or gold-plate over silver costs closer to $1000 than $100.

Irene

Veteran

KL, I understand you here. I still remember the redness I got from a Disney princesses necklace I had when I was like sis or seven. What a rash! Since then I had never owned any non-silver/gold jewelry for the obvious reason, but somehow I tried a pair of costume earrings some weeks ago and turns out nothing bad happen. I've been wearing different sets these days and it's all good. Who knows, it might go away!

Sylvie

Veteran

My skin can't handle anything except precious metal. I own a few pieces of costume earrings that I used to wear while going out and but I could never wear a big statement necklace against my skin.

I made myself a few necklaces out of big chunky beads to fill the statement necklace hole as I wouldn't feel safe wearing precious metal statement jewelry out in public.

Laurinda

Veteran

The only 'real' jewelry in my extensive collection is my wedding ring, LOL.
I'm nickel sensitive too, but stick with hypoallergenic earrings and non-metal bracelets and necklaces.

rae

(website)

Veteran

I have a few costume statement rings, but anything I want to wear multiple days in a row is either nickel-free, stainless steel, sterling, or 18K. If you don't have allergy issues, and the pieces pass your quality filter, then why not go faux?

Mo

(website)

Veteran

Many of my necklaces or bracelets are costume jewelry, but almost every pair of earrings is sterling silver, save for maybe 3 pair of trendy sets (feather look, striped wood circles,etc). I did have problems with my earlobes years back but it wasn't a metal allergy after all. Anyway, I just buy what I like, but the thing is I really, really like silver and always have. So 90% of my stuff is sterling.

Jjsloane

Veteran

I have an appreciation for all kinds of jewelry. I used to make and sell beaded jewelry so I can appreciate real stones and crystals as much as precious jewelry. I buy what I like and have a SIL who gifts me quite nice items. I used to collect vintage rhinestone jewelry (still have a lot of it) and have recently begun to appreciate a few classic "good jewelry" items (pearl studs, diamond studs, watches) I mix and match.

ElleH

Veteran

I have mainly "real" jewelry if it is metal because I am allergic to a lot of the other metals. I do have cubic zirconia earrings, bracelet & necklace but the metal is maybe rhodium plated which is what white gold is plated with & doesn't bother me.

The earrings are chandeliers & they all have lots of cubic zirconia's & there's no way they any of these pieces would be in my price range if they were real diamonds. They are high quality though & are still pricey at $160 a piece I think. The brand is Nadri. I only felt OK wearing fakes because of the quality.

I think it all depends on how it looks. I usually avoid fake anything & if I can't afford something I go without rather than getting a fake.

Costume jewelry is different to fakes though I think. It's not trying to be something real. I don't wear much jewelry of any kind though so my opinion probably doesn't mean much. I just wear wedding & engagement ring unless it's a very special occasion & then I put a little more thought into my appearance.

Anonymous

Costume jewelry is my middle name, honey!!!

Aziraphale

Veteran

Depends what you mean. I don't think I own anything that could be described as "junk", but I have "fake" diamond studs (i.e. cubic zirconia). I never wear them, but I still have some. I have some humongous dangly earrings that are made from beads woven together -- do those count as fake? They were an expensive gift. I don't think of them as "costume jewellery" because they're not intended to look like replicas of real jewels. They are "art", I guess.

Most of my jewellery is "real" -- i.e. made from precious metals, semi-precious (or in the case of my wedding rings, precious) stones, pearls, or even leather -- but I wear and own relatively little jewellery. I've got no objection at all to costume jewellery, and if my style called for it, I'd wear it all the time!

Jyoti

(website)

Veteran

Most of mine is fake/costume. I have some real stuff but it was all reaaaally expensive, and I can't imagine having the jewelry collection I have if it were all real. Where the heck could I get a necklace with real GIANT opaque purple jewels rimmed with gold anyways? xD

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I'm nearly like Laurinda - the only precious metals pieces I wear regularly are my wedding and engagement rings. I have a few other 'real' jewelry pieces that were mostly gifts, most of which I don't wear much, and some sterling rings and stuff which I'm not sure how to classify. The rest is inexpensive stuff. I'm just not that big into jewelry, and I prefer silver-tone stuff to gold, so it's easier to buy a cheaper option that looks nearly like the real thing.

Echo

Veteran

I don't have any philospical objection to paste, I just don't normally wear it. I tend to go for simplicity in jewelry, and I've acquired the pieces that make up the staples of my jewelry wardrobe over the years. I tend to wear diamond studs 90% of the time, a gold bracelet, a RHR and a necklace (or two or three). Those pieces are "real" (14K or 18K gold, precious or semi-precious stones). I also have some pearls (a strand of Tahitians, a tin cup necklace, white Akoyas), but rarely wear them.

For statement pieces, though, it only makes sense to wear costume, IMO. Most people neither can nor even want to afford things like that in precious metals and stones, given their weight and the price of gold. And for a person who likes wearing new and different pieces often, again costume makes sense. But if there is something that I've liked for a long while and know I would love for the long-term, I will invest in the "real thing".

Lyn D.

Veteran

I have HEAPS of inexpensive earrings, and find that with the current style of larger pieces the 'fake' stuff is perfect- inexpensive and not too heavy on the ears.

Astrid

Veteran

I only wear real jewelry when it comes to earrings because I'm sensitive. And only small ones, because of the specs. Most of my rings are real jewelry too and I have small and dainty necklaces that are real silver or gold. But all of my bigger necklaces and bracelets are costume jewelry. I mostly wear the same few pieces over and over and I haven't changed into different earrings for a long time, so I think I may be investing into something in the future.

ButterflyLady

(website)

Veteran

I like quite bold jewellery, particularly necklaces, and they are all fashion jewellery, not fine (I prefer those words, rather than 'real' or 'fake' - my jewellery is real, it's not virtual LOL).

Personally, I don't care for the look of one small fine jewellery necklace (or earrings) worn with everything, but that's because it's not my style.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ditto to ButterflyLady -- I have a LOT of costume/fashion jewelry. Some of it is artisan work, some of it from Marshall's or Macy's. My engagement/wedding ring is the only "real" jewelry I wear every day.

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

I have many pieces of costume jewelry and enjoy wearing them.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

My jewels are all fake

I guess it would be feasible for me to own a pair of pearl studs, but at the rate I lose them, it's nicer to stick to fakes.

The only "imitation" jewelry I have is a pair of Kate Middleton wedding earrings. LOL. They go with EVERYTHING. I sort of bought them as a joke.

MsMary

Veteran

Yes, I wear everything from real to super cheap fake! And I wear a ginormous fake Princess Di/Kate Middleton "diamond and sapphire" ring every day and love it!

Anonymous

With the exception of cubic zirconia, all my jewelry is real. My super sensitive skin can't wear base metals, and I also hate how fake silver or gold turns black if you get it wet. When I was a teenager, my mom bought me some nice Monet jewelry that was silver or gold plated. That was as close to fake as I ever got, though I must say that jewelry lasted for years until I eventually got sick and tired of looking at it, lol.

Joana

I have and wear regularly jewelry that is not made from preciuos metals and stones. Most of it are minimal stud earrings in gold color. I do not come across modern real gold pieces that are modern and in my tastes and in reasonable price range. So I wear fake and replace as it gets worn. Plus I can wear it to beach and other activities, and I am not afraid of loosing it. I wore a "gold" bracelet with my swimwear to the water until it started showing real colors underneath gold, and then just tossed it.

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