You don't have to be a magpie to appreciate the shinier things in life such as silver, gold and sparkling jewels and if you have a penchant for 'bling' it is not in short supply here in Brittany. Accessories are not restricted to elaborate scarves or handbags; for Mesdames et Mesdemoiselles an elaborate arrangement of baubles around the neck with matching earrings are effortlessly worn to complete an ensemble.
Jewellery is used in French fashion like lettuce in French cuisine; it compliments cheese as well as tomatoes and cucumber. And so it is with diamonds in your ears, bangles on your arms and pearls around your throat whether you are wearing the little black dress or jeans and a simple blouse. Fashion does not require the gems to be authentic and a gold appearance of a metal is all that is necessary to fabricate a work of art which is exactly what French women manage to achieve; they craft their own. Very successfully too!!
The incorporation of jewellery has been integral in French fashion since the 17th century; a standard requirement set by the wealthier classes in defining their status in society in general. An extravagant display of the harmonisation of various pieces worn about ones person would compose of, necklace, comb, diadem, belt clasps, earrings, rings, bracelets, tiara.............and so on. Some may say it was gauche, others an artistic embellishment; either way an enduring image from French history and an influence that has stood the test of time.
The stamp of the French style, has long overtaken the traditional Celtic jewellery and yet the romance of the design still lives. The Celtic ring has surged in popularity as a wedding band; the mystery and myth surrounding the decoration of knots, spirals, scrolls, chevrons (which for centuries the more erudite have searched to find an accurate meaning for) evokes romanticism; and thus a symbolic gesture.
Within the last ten years the flamboyant extremism of the past centuries has manifested itself in the western world; Brittany too has seen the effects. Body piercing and facial piercings with gold ornamentation (I use the term loosely) is common practice. In days gone by a fashion conscious Parisian would colour her pet poodles fur pink to match her costume; today we pierce our children's ears to affix gold studs to compliment Mum's!
Market day in Summer is as crowed as it always has been, and the stalls selling jewellery have more than doubled. Amongst the obvious gold plate and thin slivers of silver items there are some unique hand crafted items to be found. The materials are varied, wooden carved necklaces, plastics imitating ivory or bone, not to mention the imaginative feather and mother of pearl constructions.
There is no lack of colour or artistic creation and if you add to that the certain French je ne sais quoi, I can guarantee you will find something to suit your taste; after all the crown jewels do not suit everyone!
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