My Hair Could See Them
A tiny style note about turquoise hoops, jewelry surgery, and letting one thing be the one thing.
You’ll never guess what I found while randomly walking into a vendor market a few days ago.
I strolled into what looked like an old antique mall- really it was more like a whole building of tiny vendor booths. The kind of place where one stall has quilts and old bedding, and the next one has a creepy baby doll missing an eyeball.
So, naturally, I wandered.
Tucked way in the back was this tiny booth with a case full of random earrings. Some were vintage. Some were cheap little newer pieces. Some looked handmade. And then I saw them.
Turquoise hoops.
Not fancy hoops. Not polished boutique hoops. Thin wire hoops with the strangest little closure and turquoise beads tied right onto them.
And girl… they were cheap.
So obviously, I asked the lady at the front if I could see them.
The minute I got them home, I pulled out the craft drawer.
Which meant, of course, I had to perform minor jewelry surgery.
Out came the glue. Out came the pliers. Out came a little thimble, some FrogTape, and whatever else I could find to prop the earrings up without launching them across the room.
Here was the problem.
The beads went all the way around the hoop, but half of them were facing the wrong direction.
When the earrings were actually on your ears, the beads in the back were facing… well… your hair.
Your hair could see them.
No one else could.
And I’m sorry, but if we’re going to wear turquoise hoops, the turquoise needs to understand the assignment.
So I started at the bottom of each hoop and very carefully twisted every tiny bead toward the front. One by one. Tiny adjustment after tiny adjustment.
Then I dotted each connection with super glue so everything would stay put.
A little turquoise, exactly where it belonged.
And now?
Now they’re perfect.
Not perfect in a fancy jewelry-store way.
Perfect in an “I found these in a tiny antique booth and fixed them at my kitchen table” kind of way.
Which is honestly better.
This morning I was getting dressed to meet a new friend for lunch—someone crafty and creative I’d met through our neighborhood Facebook group.
So naturally…
The earrings came with me.
Sometimes the best outfit starts with a tiny fix no one else would ever notice.
I wore them with a chambray maxi dress and paired them with my favorite buttery-soft Nashville leather bag. I finished the look with black sandals comfortable enough for lunch, wandering little shops, or accidentally talking for two hours.
Nothing complicated.
Just enough turquoise to feel like myself.
These earrings teminded me that statement jewelry doesn’t need a committee.
No giant necklace.
No oversized turquoise ring.
No extra drama competing for attention.
When one thing is this good, I like to let it be the one thing.
So here’s my tiny style rule.
Put everything on.
Look in the mirror.
Take one step back.
Then take one big thing off.
Remove the necklace and see what happens.
Take off the statement ring and see what happens.
You might be surprised how often the outfit gets better when one piece gets to have the whole conversation.
STYLE TIP
Sometimes the best outfit starts with one small but mighty thing that makes you excited to leave the house.
This time, it was a pair of slightly crooked turquoise hoops that needed pliers, glue, and a little faith.
Songs That Followed Me to Lunch
I put together a whole vibe for this kind of afternoon—upbeat, easy, and just the right volume so it doesn’t drown out the Diet Coke. Think cute lunch, good conversation, and the kind of songs that make you feel like leaving the house was actually a very good idea.
