What is Style?

by Bryan Nealy, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and BeadsĀ®

What is style? Style is a relative term; it can be a manner of doing something, or it can be a way of designing something. Style is also defined as a distinctive appearance. Jewelry is vital in creating a distinctive style for a person.

Bone and Horn Beads and Components Using jewelry to create a unique look goes back thousands of years in humanity. 40,000 years ago, people wore beads made out of teeth and bone. About 6,000 years ago, ancient Thracians were the first people to use gold in jewelry-making.

The ancient Egyptians took style and jewelry to a new level by crafting a look that is still unmistakable today. Ornate copper and gold jewelry designs, along with a variety of gemstone beads, are the essence of ancient. And not only the living Egyptians wore the jewelry of the time, the dead also wore amazing amounts of jewelry and embellishments.

Style, along with most of the humanities, took a plunge during the Dark Ages. Luckily, style and the wearing of jewelry ascended during the Renaissance a little over 500 years ago. Precious gemstones were a common design element in the most stylish designs of the period.
Egyptian-Themed Beads and Components

In modern times, an era of distinct style was the Roaring Twenties. This exciting period gave us the Art Deco style, which influenced everything from jewelry to architecture. Geometric shapes, vibrant colors and abstract designs are all part of a style that is still popular to this day.

So how do you create your own style? One that might stand the test of time, like the ancient Egyptians. Any way you'd like. The great thing about style is it's completely subjective. There are no hard rules you have to follow. It's whatever you want it to be and whatever makes you feel good. Whatever direction you choose for your style, jewelry is a powerful tool that can take your style to the next level of uniqueness.
Art Deco-Themed Components
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