How many times have you received gifts that are just not that right for you?  No doubt we can re-gift it, but wouldn’t it be nice to always receive something that actually suits us?  The same goes when choosing gifts for others.  We want to get it right the first time, and the feeling we get when our recipient genuinely LOVES our gift is just priceless.  Jewellery, like fragrances, is such a personal thing.  Not only does it depend on a person’s taste, but also if it goes well with their personality. Often, we end up purchasing what WE fancy and totally forgetting that it wasn’t for us to begin with. To make things a little easier, here are some easy to follow tips to bear in mind when getting the right jewellery for others.

•  Be observant – Have a look at what the recipient always wears. Do they normally wear bracelets, bangles?  Do they prefer necklaces? What type of necklaces do they normally wear? Chunky, beaded necklaces? Simple silver chain with small pendant? Sometimes, people prefer one over the other. For instance I’m a huge bangle and bracelet girl and I often purchase those over necklaces.  My sister is a necklace person, and she loves simple, eclectic styles.  My Mum on the other hand loves bold statement jewellery and because she wears a head scarf, it’s just not worth it for me to get her earrings where it can’t be seen by others.
•  Be attentive – sometimes all it takes is to listen to what they’re telling you. Pay attention when they tell you what they loved whilst out shopping, or what they found online.  Better still, take them out shopping for jewellery and check out what they really like. Some people are into handmade jewellery, while others love the ease of store bought chain jewellery. 
• Fashion Jewellery vs Precious Jewellery – This all depends on your budget, how close you are to the person, and once again, what they normally wear.  If the person is a very close friend or family member and you have the budget to match, then I say go for precious stones rather than fashion jewellery. Precious jewellery is also more suited to those who are less likely to change their accessories often.  These tend to be key pieces that they often wear and so would be worth the while purchasing, knowing they would wear it more often. For those who love to accessorise, I say go for fashion jewellery. That way they can chop and change whenever they like. 
• Classic vs On-Trend pieces – Sometimes the classic pieces are the way to go when it comes to jewellery. That way you can be rest assured that the recipient can continually wear their jewellery even when fashion trends around them changes. On-trend pieces are a good idea if you know the recipient is a big fashion fan. Some might think that it’s a waste of money to buy on-trend pieces, but bear in mind, fashion goes round in a cycle so, there’s every chance that it will come back in fashion again. Take for example the big floral brooches that were huge in the 90s worn by Sarah Jessica Parker’s character in Sex and the City, that came back in full force last Spring/Summer, when they were ringing in the floral trend. If you’re looking to purchase on-trend jewellery or accessories then I would suggest not having to pay an arm and a leg for it.

These are just some basic tips you can go by when purchasing jewellery for someone else. Hopefully these will stop you from buying duds that get re-gifted….back to you!

Norlin Mustapha is the owner of Baubles, Bubbles & Bags, an online store which carries a collection of uniquely designed bags, jewellery and accessories that will suit all tastes and budgets. She also runs a blog – Baubles, Bubbles & Bags Style File, which covers, fashion, styling, beauty and lifestyle topics and reviews.