Trend Highlight: Over-Accessorizing
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While growing up in LA, I became accustomed to noticing trends that were worn by the people around me. I have many memories of walking down Melrose Avenue with my friends and shifting my gaze from pedestrian to pedestrian so that I could soak in the outfits they were wearing. While doing this, I was taking mental notes of how they wore specific trends and what I liked about them.
Since moving to Northwestern, I still have this same habit. I notice numerous cool outfits, jackets, shoes, and accessories that students wear as they walk across campus – I continue to take my mental notes!
One trend I’ve especially noticed lately is over-accessorizing. This trend has not only been used by many celebrities, but also by regular people on a day-to-day basis.
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It’s even a trend I’ve started rocking myself. I love wearing multiple layered necklaces and decking out my hands with rings – I currently wear six rings, four necklaces, and two ear piercings. I’ve come to the conclusion that less is not more, and I have become obsessed with figuring out the best ways to sort my necklaces and what fingers my rings look best on.
Due to my obsession, I’ve noticed a good amount of students that love the trend as much as I do. Below, two Northwestern students who have over-accessorizing down.
Julietta Thron, a first-year Medill student wears three layered necklaces, six rings, two bracelets, and has 10 ear piercings. When I asked her why she overaccessorizes, she said “I’m not really sure. When I was younger, the first necklace I got was the one my mom gave me. I got it and I never took it off. Then, my dad gave me one when I left for college and I just couldn’t see myself not wearing it and I like how it looks.”
Image via Nia Harris
Thron started wearing this trend because she was given so many important pieces of jewelry that she couldn’t see herself taking off. As she started determining what looked best, wearing multiple accessories has become a part of who she is.
“I wear them mostly because it’s a habit, since I’ve been wearing them for so long,” Thron said. “It feels natural now and the weight is perfect. I feel uncomfortable when I don’t have them on and I don’t take them off for anything other than soccer.”
Image via Nia Harris
Along with Thron, McCormick sophomore Stephanie Waldenstein likes to over-accessorize. Her over-accessorizing includes wearing seven rings, three bracelets, six ear piercings, and a watch.
“I just liked the way it looked on other people. I always thought it looked really cool. And I thought if I can get it down right, the way that I like it, then I’ll think it looks cool,” Waldenstein said.
Waldenstein added that many of the pieces she wears are special to her because they have a specific meaning. Some of the rings she wears are from Israel and have sentimental value to her.
One of her favorite rings is the one that she wears on her left thumb, given to her by her sisters who also have the same ring. This piece of jewelry represents the Shema, which is “like the universal prayer of Judaism,” Waldenstein said.
Image via Nia Harris
Waldenstein adds that the main reason she wears all her jewelry is because she feels more put together when she has them on. Like Thron, Waldenstein wears her jewelry everyday and rarely takes the pieces off.
Along with Thron and Waldenstein, I love the way my jewelry looks on me. All of us have taken the time to figure out what looks the best and have stuck with it, which is imperative when over-accessorizing. Pick pieces of jewelry that you love and can imagine yourself wearing everyday – it’s super fun to mix ‘n match and try things out. With this trend, there’s no wrong way to do it. Although beware, once you’ve become comfortable and confident with an arrangement, you may never want to take the pieces off!
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