Pearl Earrings with Mother of Pearl Accent

One of the best fashion tips that I’ve ever received is: "Don’t waste money on real pearls. They are easily destroyed by perfume and makeup and the average person can’t tell the difference between fakes and the real thing." That’s one of the reasons that I selected a pair of inexpensive, handmade pearl drop earrings crafted by Designs by K. I was yearning for a classic pearl look, and the price was right.

When you think of handmade, you may think, "Expensive!" Although the handmade pearl earrings looked great on the website, I cynically figured that I’d probably receive some cheesy looking pearl earrings that would make a Target special look like Saks Fifth Avenue. After all, what could I realistically expect from a pair of earrings that cost less than an average visit to the neighborhood Starbucks? Well, I was wrong! It really is possible to purchase adorable handmade jewelry without breaking the bank.

When I received my order, I was delighted to find a handsigned (!) thank you note from the designer along with the lovely (not cheap looking) pearls. Of course, the oversized white pearls aren’t real—but who is going to know? The $6.99 earrings are not too large or too small; they add a dash of stylish elegance to casual blouses and are an ideal accent for a basic black dress. They work as well with a funky blouse as they do with more mature fashions, and their classic design will never go out of style.

K—also known as Kristin—offers a gorgeous two-strand matching pearl bracelet for $19.99 as well, which means that if you buy the earrings and bracelet together you’ll get lots of stylish mileage for less than $30. Designs by K convinced me that it really is possible to buy affordable handmade and stylish jewelry that won’t fall apart after one wearing.

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