From hoop earrings to statement necklaces, jewelry lets students express themselves even while wearing a uniform. Earrings from Etsy and Instagram and even handmade earrings are becoming very popular right now. Kate Gillikin, Simone Hunter and Kathleen Grip are three students who look forward to sprucing up the green-and-white by wearing different jewelry every day.

Traveler’s Trinkets

Sophomore Kate Gillikin enjoys wearing jewelry, particularly earrings. She said wearing fun jewelry is exciting because it is a way to express yourself, and you can be creative with the jewelry you choose to wear. Wearing wacky jewelry can express the creative and eccentric parts of a person’s personality.

Since Gillikin is a traveler, she buys her jewelry from small boutiques and local businesses to ensure they are one-of-a-kind. When she is in Dallas, her favorite spots are Favor the Kind at Knox/Henderson and Roam at Preston-Royal. She said earrings are currently in style because there is a huge range of styles to wear. Gillikin has earrings in all shapes, sizes, colors and textures. While her favorite pair of earrings are her simple wire hoops because they go with everything, she also loves large statement earrings. In addition, she said she enjoys wearing handmade jewelry from Etsy which makes her feel like she is wearing a piece of art.

Etsy Aficionado

Freshman Kathleen Grip said she absolutely loves wearing jewelry. She even enjoys changing up her outfits to coordinate with unique pieces of jewelry. She also loves being creative with the jewelry she chooses to wear, usually purchasing her earrings from online shops but occasionally buying them from Instagram. Because there are so many different varieties of earrings on Instagram, the social media app helps Grip find earrings easily.

She loves expressing herself through the earrings and different jewelry she accessorizes with. She said earrings are her favorite type of jewelry because, although they are small, they add some flair to any outfit she wears. She said earrings are trending right now because of the number of people getting double and triple piercings. Multiple piercings give people more opportunities to express themselves through the additional earrings they choose to wear.

Singular Sense of Style

Senior Simone Hunter also said she wears jewelry as a form of self-expression. She said the addition of jewelry elevates every outfit, no matter how dramatic it is. Hunter said she usually buys pieces from Urban Outfitters, H&M, Target and Walmart. She finds uniforms unoriginal because she hates the idea of looking like everyone else. Hunter said the most sentimental piece of jewelry she owns is a silver necklace with a charm in the shape of a colorful paint palette. She said she loves it because it showcases to the world that she is an artist.

Hunter said earrings are easily accessible, cool and edgy, but she doesn’t like the jewelry advertised on platforms like Etsy and Instagram because of their high prices and mainstream attention in the media. She tries to find loud or outrageous jewelry that no one else would think about wearing. Additionally, she stays away from trends to maintain her individuality.

By Campbell Harris

Photos by Jenney Gilikin, Kathleen Grip, and Niamh McKinney