Cultivating Femininity | Jewelry as a Rite of Womanhood

For as long as I can remember, I've stayed away from wearing jewelry that brought too much attention to myself. I've always been drawn to more dainty jewelry - from a style preference and from a desire to be classy, demure and unassuming.

But as I get older, I find myself wanting to showcase my femininity through jewelry more and more. I notice myself stopping by the jewelry sections of stores more than I ever have before. Allowing the sparkles to catch my eye and draw me in.

There's something so beautiful about a woman who has carefully crafted her adornments to match her unique style and vibe. And you can learn so much about a person; their likes, dislikes, culture, adventures and more, through the jewelry that they wear.

In today's post in our Cultivating Femininity series, let's discuss jewelry, and how it can be used to enhance our natural feminine aura through beauty, tradition and culture.

Confidence Through Adornment

In the framework of femininity as a performative action that we take, adorning yourself can become a powerful ritual of self-affirmation and confidence. Wearing jewelry tends to bring more attention to yourself. People might comment on a necklace you're wearing or ask what part of the world your bracelets are from. And it takes a certain level of confidence to know that wearing jewelry means you might have to have conversations with people you don't know.

But beyond interactions with strangers, choosing and wearing pieces that resonate with your personal style and authenticity, acts as a daily reminder of who you are. When you wear pieces that carry sentimental value or that you inherited from family members, it creates a tangible connection to meaningful and formative experiences.

I remember when I visited my mom's home country of Panama in 2016. I stopped by a vendor on the street and purchased a beautiful, black half moon necklace which I wore constantly for the remainder of that year. When people would compliment it, it gave me a sense of pride to be able to explain a little bit about my culture and who I am.

More recently, my mom returned from another trip to Panama back in 2021, with a beautiful gold "F" pendant necklace for my birthday. I cherish that necklace so much, and almost never take it off. Not only because of its beauty, or because I'm a sucker for anything monogrammed. But because it reminds me of my mother's love for me and her thoughtfulness. Love that has been one of the biggest contributing factors to my confidence today.

On a more superficial level, wearing jewelry can also positively impact your self-perception. Which contributes to an overall feeling of attractiveness, sensuality, and style. The act of adorning yourself every day, becomes a very deliberate, daily affirmation that says, "I am worthy." The same way that engaging in a skincare routine signals that you're taking the extra time to care for yourself, wearing jewelry signals that you're taking the extra time to present yourself the way you want to be presented.

This combination of self expression, cultural significance, and personal aesthetic, weaves together to create an empowered and confident woman.

Jewelry as a Feminine Tradition

When I think about the fact that jewelry has been worn for centuries, the oldest pieces of jewelry dating back 82,000 years, I feel a sense of connection to all the women who came before me. Who utilized what they had to adorn and beautify themselves.

Something about picturing women in ancient Egypt wearing jewels as a part of their ensemble, and adding pieces of jewelry to complete an outfit during their morning routines, makes me feel so happy to be a woman.

There's something so special about the fact that we are still participating in many of the same traditions our ancestors participated in. However different those traditions might look now, the core purpose is the same.

Women of all races, ages, and from all sections of the globe had different ways of enhancing their beauty through wearing accessories, and I just find it so cool that we get to be a part of that tradition today.

Jewelry is so much more than an aesthetic. It's a way to tell stories, to share in humanity and womanhood with one another, to preserve traditions and pass down legacies from one generation of women to the next.

On my wedding day, I wore my grandmother's wedding band on one of my fingers and my husband's grandmother's pearl necklace around my neck. The wedding band didn't fit me well at all, so I wore it on my thumb. And the pearl necklace wasn't necessarily my style. But I wore both of them because of what they represented: family and tradition.

These pieces of jewelry that had been on my grandmother's ring finger for decades and around my husband's grandmother's neck, were now on my body. Years of stories, love, loss, heartache and tradition, in two small pieces of jewelry.

Enhancing Your Feminine Aura

The beauty of womanhood, is that we all express it so differently. We have different styles, aesthetics, and ideas about what womanhood and femininity means to us as individuals. It's one of my favorite parts about being a woman, seeing all the different shapes that womanhood takes.

From the goth girlies decked out in all black, to the coquette core pilates princesses who have only been purchasing pink for the last 6 months. It's all good. It's all beautiful. It's all so much fun.

Each piece of jewelry that we choose, can become a mirror that reflects our uniqueness and individuality. Our feminine aura.

If your style is more soft and dainty, aim for pieces that showcase quiet elegance. A tear drop pearl necklace, or diamond stud earrings. If you are a bold gal, go for bright colors and big earrings! Whatever makes you feel the most like yourself.

Delicate necklaces tracing the collarbones, the gentle shimmer of earrings framing the face, or the pizazz of various rings on various fingers- all contribute to a heightened sense of femininity.

When we choose pieces that accurately reflect our authentic selves, they have the potential to accentuate the natural features that subtly emphasize our unique versions of femininity. Which in turn make you glow with the confidence of a woman who knows exactly who she is.

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Don't be afraid to adorn yourself. To wear all the necklaces, bracelets and rings that your heart desires. Generations of women before you have done so and have not shied away from being looked at or admired.

Women all across the globe and for centuries before us have used jewelry as a way to embrace their culture, maintain traditions, and enhance their beauty. Adorning yourself is a beautiful part of womanhood that we are so fortunate to get to take part in. And I for one will only be adding to my jewelry collection from here on out.