Well, hello there! Riding high off the positive feedback from my last fashion feature ("Black is the new Black") I thought I would continue my series in which I pretend to be very knowledgeable on fashion, style and achieving sprezzatura (word credit to Lisa at Privilege).I believe in paying attention to details and I adore when people pick up on them. "Oh, how lovely-- your nails are the exact shade of your dress!" Makes my day. I've noticed recently how much I depend on earrings to complete my look. I'm seldom without my pearl studs at the very least and I see them as the final brush stroke in a painting (the painting being your OOTD, natch).I also noticed lately what a varied collection of earrings I've collected over the years. This week I assembled my most often used pieces and are featuring them here so you may get ideas on how to work earrings into your complete look. Of course, because I am a sentimentalist, most have a story. Let's start at the nicer end. Everyone loves to dress up once in a while. These are some of my newest earrings. They were a gift from my parents when I became a Catholic. They are not Catholics and weren't sure what to get me, so they thought I might remember that day each time I wear these. They are right and I not only think of that day but their kindness each time I pull them out. Pearls go with everything and these always compete my evening look no matter what shade, fabric or style I decide on. You really cannot go wrong with pearls.
Along those lines, my most often worn pairs are these two sets of pearl studs. The smaller pair are my "go to" daily pair and the larger ones I wear when I want to make a big impact. Lately I've been wearing the bigger pair more and more often. We all want to make a big impact, don't we? These are the LBDs of my collection. No outfit is complete without them!
If I am nothing else, I am quirky. Downright odd, some might say. Did you think I would have ordinary bland offerings? No, of course. Enter these dachshund earrings (from Etsy seller AN Original Jewelry). Not only are they funny and charming, they are a great conversation starter wherever I wear them. When you take yourself too seriously, you miss out on the FUN! 
Aren't these diamond and peridot earrings STUNNING?! What if I told you they weren't diamonds or peridots but faux offerings purchased at Sears for under $5? It's true. I saw these while I was shopping for a freezer and simply adore them. They are classic and yet stylish and add pizzaz to my look everytime. I pair these with pink, green, black or grey.
I've never been afraid of COLOR! When you wear a lot of black or other neutrals, earrings are a great way to inject a POP of color into your look. As you can see, I'm fond of the quatrefoil style and always get compliments on these. KEP Designs sells my favorites.
Lastly: STUDS. Perhaps you are like my father and hate the look of pearls (can you even imagine? I mean, seriously!), or perhaps you just feel they are too conservative or "old lady" for younger people. Enter these options. My birthstone is the peridot and I don't have to tell you I wear a lot of pink and green and so these peridot studs fit perfectly into my wardrobe and always offer the perfect finishing touch.
My other studs are gold and silver offerings (Tiffany & Co) and blend seamlessly into the look I am trying to achieve no matter the color or style. I do insist on matching your tones so no silver watch with gold earrings ladies! I also pay attention to the hardware on my shoes and purses to make sure I don't mix metals. 
There you have it! What elements of style can you not live without?
