Local Jewelry Store Reviews

I am not one to wear designer clothes often, I do not shop on the Plaza every week and I never spend my free time reading fashion magazines. But even so, that does not mean that I do not have an appreciation for fashion. Here is my critique of three Kansas City stores for every budget, style or occasion.

Tiffany:

The iconic little “Tiffany blue” bag sat in the middle of the table. My five friends’ faces lit up as they watched me receive their well-chosen gift. “My friends would never,” I thought to myself. I gently tore open the bag to find the suede blue pouch. This was real. Gently taking the content out, I was amazed. The beautiful silver bow pendant on the silver chain sparkled more than anything else I had ever seen. By receiving this sparking silver bow-tie pendant, I grew a giant obsession.

I held open the heavy glass doors of The Tiffany & Co. store and a petite woman walked out with the same iconic little bag that I’d gotten from my friends. Immediately, I was greeted by the formally dressed salesman. I could tell that this was not the kind of place that girls my age regularly shop at, but I disregarded this as soon as I saw the selection: I was in complete and utter heaven.

I began to look around through the glass display cases. I recognized some of the pendants and simpler pieces some high school girls wear. I asked about the prices and the clients that buy each piece. The salesman said that the signature initial necklaces and simple pendants are their more “cheap” items that teenage girls can wear (ranging from $100 to $250). High school girls may receive these for big occasions, such as a Bat Mitzvah or Sweet 16 party.

Their jewelry starts at $100 but has a low price-per-wear: you could wear it literally everyday for the next couple of years due to this traditional style. Seeing as the products are elegant, but still super pricey, this is a great place to find a present that a group of your friends can split the price for a birthday present.
Forever 21:
Upbeat and extremely loud mainstream pop music blares through the speakers and makes its way out the door, audible on the plaza streets. Contrary to its intended purpose, this obnoxious music makes me lose almost any desire to shop.
Forever 21 is divided into sections based off similarities: formal, tees, denim, workout, etc. As I walk through the array of colors and multi-toned sections, I notice how there are barely any salespeople in the store. The accessories section of the store located on the right hand side of the wall was huge, and every inch of the room was full with merchandise. I looked around and was shocked at the variety of the jewelry.

Despite my initial distaste, I had to acknowledge the fact that this store had items in every color of the rainbow, and in any possible style you could be looking for: girlie, punk, classy, hipster, you name it. Necklaces ranging from chokers to those you could layer and wear long, simple bracelets to intricate cuffs and earrings that dangle to just metal studs were all under $20––a steal compared to Tiffany’s. They have such a large variety that some of their pieces are very odd to say the least: the pieces with skulls and cross-bones made me fear the girls who would purchase them.

Some of their bestsellers are the longer necklaces with beads and repeated designs that can go with anything you throw on. Forever 21 carries silver, gold and kinds of chains so you can find some kind of jewelry to match your outfits. Some of my favorite pieces were the skinny group of bracelets, a.k.a. bangle bracelets, and long necklaces with beads. I wear my gold bangle bracelets at least once a week––they go with anything.

This store is a hit-or-miss kind of place. Sometimes they have adorable items, and sometimes they have pieces that not even worth the $10.

Charming Charlies

There is an overwhelming amount of jewelry at Charming Charlie’s to draw you in: they have everything you could possibly ask for when it comes to accessories. From headbands to scarves to clutches, you are bound to find something that is your style. As a plus, everything within the store is organized by color, which helps you easily find exactly what you are looking for.

Charming Charlie’s has even more of a selection than Forever 21––it has a variety that is similar to the variety of Forever 21’s clothes. Although the quality of the jewelry here is better than Forever 21’s selection, it is about the same price.This inexpensive jewelry looks as if you paid a high price for elegant looks. They have such a wide variety, making the store a bit overwhelming. This is not the place you can not just wander through: you should definitely have an idea what you are looking for, or else you will be completely overwhelmed. All of their non-expensive jewelry is very high quality, so you can wear it multiple times.

The way the store is set up by color sections, this gives you many options to pick from. You may have a certain style in mind to go with an outfit, and then you completely change your mind after looking at the selection. This jewelry can match a formal dress or dress up a simple V-neck. I found a pretty large necklace and many pearl beads, giving off a formal look that turned my dress shirt into a fashion-forward outfit.

Unfortunately, the high demand creates a huge downside to the store. On Saturdays, they receive such a large crowd that can leave you waiting through a 20-person line to check out. Luckily, the prices and the jewelry’s versatility make it worth the wait.