Trends may change with the seasons, but the jewelry students wear on campus can carry lasting meaning. From charm necklaces layered with memories to heirlooms passed down through generations, these pieces reflect personal stories and styles that go beyond what is popular.
Similar to fashion, jewelry is unique to each individual. Each piece tells a story or expresses something about the personal, even if it is not intentional. For some, it is about keeping loved ones close. For others, it is a creative outlet to explore different elements of their identities.
For Weinberg freshman Avery Cohen, a double major in art theory and practice and economics, jewelry exists somewhere between object and expression.
“I think of jewelry almost like a tattoo,” Cohen said. “Like something that you can look at every day and be reminded of something that’s important to you.”
One necklace Cohen wears features the number three on it, which her mother gifted her to represent her being the youngest of three siblings. Another piece, a matching bracelet shared with her sisters, helps her feel connected to them even when they are far apart, she said.
Beyond the emotional ties, Cohen said she draws on her artistic background to see jewelry as a creative medium.
“I think so much of fashion is itself an art,” Cohen said. “You have to have an eye for that in the same way you have an eye for what looks good on a canvas. It’s a different canvas, but it’s definitely still art.”
While Cohen views jewelry through a lens of emotion and artistry, other students connect to pieces that mix current trends with personal significance.
Charm necklaces and chunky jewelry are trending both on campus and online. However, for Communication freshman Libby Nook, the appeal goes beyond style.
A chunky charm necklace became the staple piece of Nook’s outfits after her mother gifted it to her. Nook said she loves it because she knows her mother spent a lot of time and thought choosing each charm — which are uniquely related to her.
“Each charm made her think of me, and when I wear it, I’m thinking of her too,” Nook said.
Nook said she believes what makes her charm jewelry timeless amid the larger trend is the personal connection. One charm shows a flying pig, a nod to the saying “when pigs fly,” which Nook sees as a reminder to chase what might seem impossible. Another reads “let it go,” which helps ground her when she feels anxious or overwhelmed.
Nook added that compliments on the necklace feel more personal because each charm holds meaning, and she enjoys explaining the stories behind them to people who ask.
“I now typically try to look for pieces that can connect to some part of my life, my interests or just me as a human because I think it makes it a lot more meaningful and memorable,” Nook said.
However, not all meaningful jewelry comes from family ties. Communication sophomore Lindsey Florsheim said collecting pieces during her travels turns accessories into souvenirs of her experiences. In a way, she said, her jewelry box is less about trends and more like a memory box.
Among her pieces is a silver ring she crafted during a workshop with local children in Ecuador, a daily reminder of her time in the country. Another standout of her collection is a mother-of-pearl necklace she bought from a surf shop in Cape Town, South Africa, which Florsheim ties to the stretch of days she spent by the ocean.
“It’s the coolest thing now at this point in my life, looking at my hands, it’s like when I look in the mirror,” Florsheim said. “I see every little piece from a different place. It’s like a mosaic of my past in my travels.”
Across campus, jewelry is doing more than complementing outfits. It helps students hold onto the people, values and memories that matter most. Accessorizing for students is a quiet form of self-expression that lasts far beyond the current trend cycle.
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