I have this peculiar love-hate relationship with jewelry.

I mean, I love jewelry. I have tons of it. I have a whole rack of earrings which hang on my wall. I have an enormous tangle of necklaces, chains and pendants.

The reason why I have so much, is I can't stand to wear a piece of jewelry that doesn't exactly complement my outfit.

Not to say I don't sometimes do it...

But for example, things that get on my nerves:

Wearing silver with a warm-toned brown shirt.

Wearing a choker or similarly tighter necklace with a plunging V-neck (some exceptions).

Wearing a long vertical necklace with a wide boat-neck.

Wearing earrings and a necklace that don't compliment each other.

Wearing a necklace that overpowers the outfit (however, a necklace can be dramatic, and the outfit can compliment it, but the necklace should not look out of place).

Wearing an outfit that overpowers the jewelry (however, if you're going to wear a dramatic patterned dress, ideally you should wear simpler jewelry in complimenting colours to off-set it).

...and many more.

I have some very peculiar yet intense views about what is acceptable fashion (for myself; I tend not to care what other people wear).

For example, I have this dress.

This whole rant started because I was offered a job yesterday, and I went in to negotiate the contract today, and one of the things that came up was the fact the theatre had been nominated for a couple local theatre awards. Everyone from the theatre is going to the ceremony, and the production manager was going to try to get tickets for me (should I take the contract; it's pretty much a yes, I just haven't signed the paperwork yet).

But, I have this dress.

This dress has been sitting in my closet for a full year.

I love this dress. I found it on the discount rack (best place!), and it fit like a dream.

It's warm brown, empire waist, with the skirt in wide vertical stripes of velvet and satin. The bodice part is a peculiar twist of fabric right between the breasts, and the stripes sunburst out from it. It's a quite low V-neck, wide straps, a bit of back showing (I can wear a regular bra, though, and nothing shows). It's floor-length, with a touch of a train at the back.

Simply said, it's beautiful, and it looks fantastic on me.

I have no idea what accessories to wear with it.

Because of the vertical stripes, I'm hesitant to wear anything curly or very rounded.

Because of the warm brown, I want to wear something gold or bronze.

I wish I had the know-how to make jewelry (beyond the stringing beads and fiddly wirework I do).

I think I'd make a geometric pendant, layers of hammered/polished with layers of sand-blasted gold plates, set with emerald-cut peridot.

And small complimentary drop earrings, of course.

No bracelet, no ring. I always feel like that's overkill.

But see, I can't make jewelry like that, so I'll just have to settle with what I can find in the stores.

And even when that's done, I don't know what I'd wear for shoes (I was thinking plain ballet flats).

Jeebus.

I just don't know.

Before&After