When I was a little girl I liked to play dress up and my favourite was to be dressed as a princess with what I called fun jewellery. That fun jewellery is known as costume jewellery, and although now being grown up, I have still found lots of ways that includes wearing
costume jewellery.

Costume jewellery is also called trinkets, fashion jewellery, junk jewellery, fake jewellery, or fallalery.

Costume jewellery came into being in the 1930s as a cheap, disposable accessory meant to be worn with a specific outfit. It was intended to be fashionable for a short period of time, outdate itself, and then be repurchased to fit with a new outfit or new fashion style. It is made of less valuable materials including base metals, glass, plastic, and synthetic stones; in place of more valuable materials such as precious metals and gems. Costume jewellery is meant to complement a particular fashionable garment or “costume”; hence the name,
“costume jewellery”.

It’s made to look expensive, when in fact it is not. As such, it can be used for a variety of different reasons, most often for costume purposes. For example, say that you are going to a party dressed as a princess, just as I used to do as a child. Your costume jewellery might consist of a tiara, and necklace and bracelet made out of faux diamonds or emeralds.

Costume jewellery can look quite inexpensive, too. If you are looking to attend a costume party in which you look quite outrageous, wear costume jewellery that looks as if it is going to break at any second. This would make for truly funny costume accessories.

Many of the seemingly expensive jewels that movie stars wore in the older movies were examples of costume jewellery. The reason for this was because movie studios were often more concerned with spending their money on sets. Nowadays, however, you can see real jewellery almost all the time in the movies, as some jewellery companies allow actresses to wear them as a way to promote the jewellery. At the end of the movie you will usually find their name in the credits.

Costume jewellery has been part of culture for almost 300 years. During the 18th century cheap jewellery made with glass started getting made. After almost a century, in the 19th century, costume jewellery made of semi precious material came into the market. The use of semi precious material made the jewellery available in the hands of the lower and middleclass. They also could look as good as the upper class including the titled ladies.

The golden era for the costume jewellery began in the middle of the 20th century. The middle class desired to own beautiful but affordable jewellery, and this desire was realised by its perfect timing: it came during the machine-age and the industrial revolution. All this made possible the production of carefully executed replicas of beautiful and admired heirloom pieces.

As the class structure in America changed, so did measures of real wealth. Women in all social stations, even the working-class woman, could own a small piece of costume jewellery. The average town and country woman could acquire and wear a considerable amount of this mass-produced jewellery that was both affordable
and stylish.

Because the prices are usually so inexpensive you don’t have to be too discerning about how the piece of costume jewellery looks. However, if you have your sights set on a piece of costume jewellery that has been crafted so that it truly looks real, you might end up paying more money.

This kind of jewellery is not always used for themed parties, however. Some people don’t have enough money to spend on real jewellery, so instead they purchase costume jewellery so that they can look as if they really can afford to buy real jewellery.

I love buying costume jewellery. Some of the most remembered names in costume jewellery include both the high and low priced brands: Crown Trifari, Dior, Chanel, Miriam Haskell, Monet, Napier, Corocraft and Coventry.