Pandora-Style

I am extremely late to the Pandora-style bandwagon. I didn't think they would ever be for me, b/c #1 - I don't like silver on me. #2 - I don't wear lots of different jewelry; I wear things either obsessively or never. #3 - It's a rare bracelet that won't get caught in my Lady Godiva hair. #4 - I have my old school silver charm bracelet from growing up that I feel "too old to wear" :-P but so why do I need something else like it? And #5 - I am too stinkin' cheap to pay that much per bead or, heaven forbid, for gold charms! :-D

I *did* fall in love with the idea of them, though, this spring at Love Letters Monograms & Gifts, when I explored their Trollbeads (another brand just like Pandora, Chamilia, & Biagi) up close. I really liked the idea of having colors that compliment my wardrobe, being able to offset the silver with touches of gold, and that the smooth, round (read: won't snag my hair) beads could have special meanings - a prerequisite of all my jewelry.

The thought of a bracelet like this grew & grew on me. I kept researching & thinking, (b/c I can never *just buy* anything) and realized, if any place would give me what I wanted accessory-wise at a price I would actually be willing to pay, it would be the Charleston Market! Enter my & my mom's awesome girly day trip last month!!! I spent - I kid you not - an hour & a half at one of the stalls designing a bracelet for myself. :-D I absolutely LOVE it!!! It goes with everything I wear, it doesn't rip out my hair, and it's trendy but personally unique to me. I chose every bead with meaning: I esp. love my three beads made from real seashells, the purple pearl, and gold starfish for my love of the beach, (& they're from my beloved Charleston, which makes it even better!) I got my Southern hospitality pineapple, too. ;-)

Since they were so relatively inexpensive, I started one for Annelise, too! (She's been asking about "nice" jewelry ever since she got a beautiful engraved silver ballerina jewelry box for her birthday this year.) I'm giving her hers next week as her prize for finishing the Summer Reading Program at the library; I just started her out with six charms, so there would be room for lots of future gifts: a purple crystal dragonfly (she saved a dragonfly's life in our pool - a surprising summer highlight that keeps garnering mention), a green & pink flower bead (green was her 1st fave color), a horse-drawn Cinderella carriage (princess!), a pink purse (the girl loves bags!), ballet shoes (she says dance is her #1), and a silver giraffe (b/c she loves animals & zoos maybe more than I do! I swear, she may become a zookeeper! :-D) She has mostly charms, while I have mostly beads - seems perfect for a little girl! BTW - for her whole thing - her silver bracelet, six charms, and a silver stopper bead? $32. Mine has nine more beads, but wasn't exponentially so much more. Take THAT, $30-60 PER GLASS BEAD! :-P ;-)

Comments

  1. In love!! I haven't jumped on this bandwagon either. Mainly because I think it's very expensive costume jewelry Is this true? I heard the silver isn't real silver nor is the gold?

    Jackie

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  2. I thought the SAME THING: no WAY was I spending that much $$$ on costume jewelry!!! But I am so pleased with mine: I got mine at costume price in the Market, so if it does get embarrassingly outdated, it's no huge investment waste. My silver is real but obviously my gold is just plated; the name-brand Troll & Pandora stuff is real, though, and you pay for it! (Click on the "gold beads" link in my 1st paragraph.) I would never invest that much $$$ in the real deal for a trend, you know? But I am just pleased as punch with mine!!!

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  3. I have a Pandora bracelet as well... Just got it for my birthday a couple of weeks ago. Only 3 charms on it so far but hopefully Christmas and birthdays will help that along... LOL My mom assures me it's real silver because my sister had gotten me a bracelet for Christmas that tarnished fairly quickly and I was devastated. It had charms representing my niece and nephew and it was something I could "see" and make me think of them. I love it and hope I will always have it!

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  4. That is SO SWEET!!! Love it!

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