Sunbacks, sports dresses, slacks, accord better with tailored gold than with diamonds. Massive gold bracelets with charms may be attractive; but they should be balanced by simpler earclips of the same metal. Hoop earrings may be worn, if not too large. Large hoop earrings should dangle only from the ears of an exotic dancer.
On the beach precious stones will seem pretentious. Besides, jewels should not be subjected to the multiplex dangers of surf and sand. A bathing suit leaves the body largely to be its own ornament, but may be charmingly enhanced by such accessories as straw flowers, plastic ornaments, ivory seahorses and colored seashells.
On the Golf Course
On the golf course, whatever a woman’s score for the eighteen holes, she wants her jewelry to be at par. Diamonds, of course, are not even for duffers. A golfer may well be wearing a tailored sports ensemble, which means that gold jewelry is in good taste. It should preferably be small, however, especially in a mixed foursome, so as to keep the adornment secondary to the game. It should be smart while seemingly functional. There may be a neat gold monogram pin on the blouse, tailored gold earclips, even a fairly heavy gold pinkie ring. No bracelet, to interfere with or jingle during the swing. Crossed golf clubs might make a gold brooch. Gold pins may be designed to hold the tees. A gold pin usually sheds its glow upon the complexion; and it adds highlights to the sports costume.
A simple gold wrist watch on a leather strap is serviceable, unobtrusive, and in quiet good taste.
At the Races
A visit to the race track becomes a special event when it includes the Kentucky Derby, the French Grand Prix or Ascot. Hats and gowns are often bought especially for these events; they should be accompanied by accordant jewelry. Here a woman may display her most colorful jewels. Rubies and sapphires will be resplendent, but colored stones of all sorts will brighten the scene. A pearl necklace may be becomingly worn. Long earrings, however, and diamond necklaces should be reserved for the party that will follow the race. Particularly if the wearer’s horse has won.
If a horse of one’s own is entered in the race, this may be made a part of the design of the jewels. An imposing pin may be set with precious stones in the colors of the stable. Or the horse itself may be designed in diamonds; such a jewel can be worn proudly even away from the turf.
I once designed a beautiful set of jewelry for the Duchess of S——, whose stable colors were yellow, blue, and white. Whenever one of her horses ran, she wore this parure, brooch, bracelet and earclips of canary diamonds, white diamonds, and sapphires from Kashmir. She told me that invariably her horses won. “Once,” she said, “I forgot to put on the jewelry, and my horse finished out of the money.”
Whether she has a horse, or wins her bets, or not, every woman that wears beautiful and appropriate jewelry has good luck.