#Rewearthat: Jewelry Edition

Hand-me-downs used to be associated with shame or poverty, but we can instead see those pieces from your family members as something to be cherish.

In this edition of #ReWearThat, we have thoughts from our team and friends of Sustainable Baddie, who each share their pieces that we passed down to them by loved ones. We hope as you read through, that you’re able reminded of beautiful memories from the pieces that were passed down to you.

Kerane, 23, Brooklyn, NY 

I have quite a few things passed down to me from my mom. I have a necklace, a matching bracelet, and earrings that my mom let me have from her jewelry collection. I think the relationship between a mother and daughter can be complicated and layered but that love that you have for each other never goes away. In my most important outings and moments, I’ve always reached for that bracelet and those pair of earrings. At my college graduation, I made sure that my mom saw them dangling from my ears, she came to America pregnant with me so I wanted to pay homage to her in some way. I wanted to let her know that I see her and that I’m grateful to her and always will be. 

Sophia, 22, Los Angeles, CA

I have this ring that is an Italian coin that my grandma gave me not too long ago that I always wear on my left thumb. I always think of her when I look at it and am complimented on it. I also have a ring of my mom’s that I always thought was a mood ring when I would go through her jewelry box as a kid, though I was a bit bummed that it didn’t change colors from blue (lol). I am always reminded of the sweet nostalgic moments as a kid with my mom when I wear it!

Nat, 23, Orlando, FL 

I have a gold bracelet from my dad and gold earrings from my mom. They’re pieces I wear literally every day and they’ve become part of my personal style and a part of my identity as well honestly. I feel incomplete without them now because they give me a constant piece of my parents to carry with me and show off as part of my style too.

Dylan, 23, Bahamas 

My dad is currently resizing his ring to give it to me for my graduation present. I haven’t told them this but both times I graduated (undergrad in 2020 and Master's last December) I was too busy and missed deadlines to apply for graduation rings. It’s pure irony that this is the gift they chose.

As I’ve grown up I’ve attached a lot of significance to my rings. I have a matching one with Gina, my girlfriend that we got at Pride last summer that I don’t go out without. Hand jewelry/adornments are an immediate and personal way I express myself because I consider myself a hardworking and well-connected person, just like my dad. 

I can’t explain how but those elements of my personality feel embedded in my hands and fingers. Once I start wearing my dad’s ring, it won’t just symbolize two degrees but a connection between the things I’m working on now and the things my father had to work on to give me the life I have now.