Get the Tribal Look

Want to ignite your winter wear with wild and colourful jewellery but can't handle the gigantic folk numbers? Here's a cue chart to help you navigate into a subtle and not-necessarily-big American Navajo, Africa or India-inspired realm.

Shrink it baby, shrink
If folk-touched costume jewellery always conjures stocky images in your mind, think again. Viola!
When you think of costume jewellery you may only think of chunky stuff for instance, a long or big, ten-layered piece. But you can do with a shorter piece or a smaller design, where only one part of the necklace is humongous.Psst: Here’s the bottom line… let a wee bit of folklore do the chic talk.

Tell a solid story
Add strong bursts of colour to an otherwise monochromatic ensemble. You can mix and match low-key costume jewellery with any look and bright or dark colour.

A hit-on-the-nail tip: Throw in a multi-coloured beaded bit over any black upper (think a woolen Kimono tunic with or without leggings clubbed with patent gladiators or peep-toes).

Another to-die-for look is matching a canary yellow and ruby red stone-studded neck piece with midnight blue suit jacket, dark denims and boots (to slap the biting cold away).

Wear a delicate two-strand coral necklace, with a 3-inch decorative clasp, on a polo neck tee or an all-over sweater.” You can even team it with a dumpy sweater and cigarette-legged denims.

Do a jig with prints
Well, we know this style thumb rule: ‘Do not mix prints’. But why don’t you tweak this cliché once in a while to have a blast? Construct a layered look by wearing two or three prints from the same family colour or size.

Next you blend in the secret ingredient: A Navajo-inspired turquoise or a coral-studded gecko brooch! Yuck? But trust us; it will surely work as a pick-me-up making you a head-turner at a lounge party!

An onyx, smoky topaz, amethyst, moss agate and rose quartz lariyat necklace”. A lariyat is"long, rope-like jewellery without a clasp.” For an eclectic touch, you can “double, knot, loop or wrap” a single-coloured lariyat and wear it with a perky dress printed with colossal flowers and a boxy, military or bomber jacket. Sometimes with slight prudence, contrasts do work wonders!

Shop-hop across seas
Finally, when you travel to a new country or an Indian State, make this your motto-‘buy localised jewellery.’

Wicked tip: Bribe your friends and family who travel abroad into picking out-of-the-ordinary or ancient shapes-snake brooch, statement rings, shoulder-dusters, feather-trimmed neckpieces and what have you! A few must-owns are Indian tribal jewellery, Kenyan or Egyptian jewellery (read from far-farther-farthest corners of Africa), Syrian talismans, Yemeni or Afghani silver hoops, ethnic earrings from Morocco, Oriental yarn craft designs, and Masai women’s ear flaps or upper ear jewellery (that you can convert into stunners fit for the neck). Time you radically and simultaneously go all out with big and small add-ons!