So... are you a gold girl or a silver girl?

From the Writer's Desk

I have a question.

Not because there's a right answer, but because I've realised people answer it almost instantly.

Are you a gold jewellery person or a silver jewellery person?

No hesitation. No thinking.

People know.

Which got me wondering... when did we decide? And why?

Because if you ask someone why they prefer one over the other, most people can't actually explain it.

"I don't know... gold just suits me."

"I've always worn silver."

"It's just my vibe."

And maybe that's exactly the point.

We spend so much time talking about clothes that jewellery almost becomes an afterthought.

But I don't think it is. Especially this season!

I've seen someone wear the simplest white tank top and jeans, then throw on a pair of chunky hoops and suddenly the entire outfit makes sense.

I've seen someone wear linen with nothing but a bold-coloured chain and somehow look incredibly put together.

Pieces from Aya Styler

The clothes might get your attention first.

The jewellery usually tells you who the person is.

Have You Ever Wondered Why You Only Wear Gold?

Maybe this is a Caribbean thing.

Pieces from Aya Styler

We grow up dressing for occasions: church on Sundays, family dinners, weddings, graduations. We also grow up gathering. We celebrate together, mourn together, lime together… it in itself is a cultural practice, and getting dressed (up) is part of that shared experience. 

And jewellery has been woven into that.

Some pieces became family heirlooms, passed down through generations. Others were the everyday staples you rarely took off.

Whether it was a simple chain, a pair of hoops or your grandmother's bangles, gold always seemed to have a place.

Maybe it's the way it catches the tropical sun. Maybe it's the way it sits against melanated skin, bringing out its warmth. Maybe it was practical too, pairing just as effortlessly with crisp white linen as it did with bold tropical prints. Or maybe, after generations of seeing our mothers, aunties and grandmothers wear it, it simply became part of how we imagined ourselves.

Whatever the reason, gold jewellery became part of our visual language. Part of getting dressed. Part of what Caribbean style has looked like for generations.

But Silver Is Having A Moment

At the same time, silver is everywhere again.

You can't scroll through Pinterest without seeing mixed metals, oversized silver bangles, sculptural earrings, hardware belts, chrome accessories.

Fashion is cyclical.

What's interesting isn't that silver is back…It's that people (like myself) who swore they'd never wear it are suddenly mixing metals without thinking twice.

It’s the message I’ve been trying to get across! Trends don't actually change our taste. They just give us permission to experiment.

So... Which One Are You?

Working at Locale has made me pay attention to what people reach for first.

Without fail, most women walk over to the gold.

Maybe it's familiarity.

Maybe it's confidence.

Maybe it's a habit.

Or maybe gold has simply always belonged in Caribbean wardrobes.

Pieces from Jam and Rico + Curator’s Club

That doesn't mean silver doesn't deserve its place.

If anything, its resurgence is encouraging more people to experiment. In a region as multicultural as ours, there isn't one version of Caribbean style, and there shouldn't be.

Silver brings a different energy. It's cooler, a little more understated, and for some people it simply feels more like them.

Sometimes you don't discover that until you try it. Fashion has always been about curiosity.

Trying something you wouldn't normally reach for and realising it fits into your wardrobe better than you expected.

Maybe it's memory.

Maybe it's personality.

Maybe it's identity.

More Than An Accessory

The older I get, the less I think jewellery is about finishing an outfit… well… let’s be for real… it is the best finishing touch… However! I think it's about recognising yourself. 

The pieces you wear every day usually aren't the biggest or the most expensive. They're the ones you reach for without thinking.

Pieces from Inzzpire365

The necklace you never take off.

The earrings that somehow work with everything.

The ring you've worn for years.

Maybe personal style isn't built around the clothes at all.

Maybe it's built around how you wear them.

A chain worn as a belt instead of around your neck. A signature ring stack. Mixing shells with fine jewellery. Layering pieces you've collected over the years until they tell a story that's entirely your own.

That's what you call styling. It’s in the little decisions you to make. In trying something different, even if you're not sure it'll work. Because you'll never know what suits you if you never step outside of what you've always reached for.

So… Gold or silver?

Me?

Both, baby.