We get by with a little help from our friends
Our friends are often the best part about us, as they support us through ups and downs, good and bad, peace and strife, regular haircuts, and post-breakup bangs. Friendships mold who we are as people; they shape our taste in music, movies, and clothes, and influence our hobbies. Friendship is so important, in fact, that the actual literal United Nations—yes, the governing body— decided in 2011 to dedicate an entire day to celebrating friendship. On July 30th, the U.N. (no, seriously!) invites the entire world to celebrate the International Day of Friendship, inviting people to reconcile and come to more closely understand one another. It’s kind of perfect that this sort of celebration comes to us in the peak of the summertime, which, as we all know, is scientifically proven to be the best time for hanging out and having fun. If you want to show your bestie a token of your love and appreciation, look no further than our “best finds for best friends” gift guide. Featuring the summer’s hottest trends from y2k-inspired heart designs to celestial motifs, our summer gift-giving guide is here to save the day and help your bestie slay.
The best finds for your best friends
Starry Nights
“We are all in the gutter,” Oscar Wilde once wrote, “but some of us are looking at the stars.” Celestial motifs have always been a popular design choice in art, clothing, and jewelry. Even in ancient times, humans looked up to the sky, fascinated by the stars and moon, and thought “yeah…I’d like that.” If your bestie is someone who sees the world with stars in their eyes, consider gifting them moon and star jewelry. Grab a slice of the moon-pizza pie with moon and star earrings like the Star & Moon Petite Diamond Fashion Earrings by Ashi. These dainty stud earrings are part of Ashi’s Petite Jewelry Collection, which focuses on uncluttered, feminine designs and delicate settings, which makes these 10k yellow gold earrings perfect for a breezy minimalist look. Featuring one earring in the shape of the crescent moon and one earring in the shape of a star, the irregular design of these diamond earrings subverts the standard expectations of matching ear studs, adding a subtle touch of whimsy and playfulness to their appearance. The charm of Ashi’s celestial earrings is enhanced by the addition of .10 ctw round pavé-set diamonds, which add depth, dimension, and a soft sparkle to the bohemian earrings. Elegant but understated, these dreamy stud earrings are the perfect gift for someone with a playful spirit, a creative eye, and a heart full of romance.
Complete the astral look with a complementary celestial necklace like Meira T’s fanciful Meira T Moon and Star Diamond Necklace. Expressing the brand’s signature combo of a bohemian soul, breathless abandon, and beautiful asymmetry, this 14k yellow gold necklace features a center crescent moon charm studded with tiny pavé diamonds and distinctive Meira T off-centered bezel-set diamond charms set in 14k white gold. A delicate and utterly adorable tiny 14k white gold and pavé diamond star charm completes the constellation. Follow the footsteps of the stars in the sky and the stars on the red carpet by rocking this dainty diamond necklace.
Pink to make the girls wink
Italian runway moments and ad campaigns have all honed in on the reclamation of bright, colorful jewelry this year. Pops of color and contrasts from opposite ends of the color wheel characterize many of these high fashion looks, as beautiful boldness returns to its place as the star of the show. Of all these colors, one, in particular, has really captured designers’ imaginations: pink. Why? Pink is the color of passion! Wait, no. That’s an Aerosmith song. What we meant to say was: pink is the color of summer! Hot pink has taken over every fashion moment this year, with monochromatic pink styles being spotted on fashion icons like Zendaya, Sebastian Stan, Saweetie, and Billie Porter for events ranging from the Met Gala to the Grammys. Pink is so hot, in fact, that Valentino’s iconic Paris Fashion Week event featured almost exclusively bright pink designs. From leaked Barbie movie stills to the most exclusive catwalks, pink is EVERYWHERE. Bring your bestie up-to-date with the times with pink jewelry!
Look pretty in pink with a pair of pink earrings like Vincent Peach’s Heart-Shaped Sapphire Pearl Earrings. Multiple 2022 trends converge at once in these heart-shaped earrings, as the hot pink trend meets the heart-obsessed y2k look in a fusion that emulates iconic 2000s outfits like Megan Fox’s pink heart hoodie and pink heart earrings in Jennifer’s Body. Set in sterling silver and 14k yellow gold, the heart-shaped posts of these dangle earrings glitter with dozens of miniature pavé-set pink sapphires. From there a single pink sapphire charm eventually drops down to a gorgeous, perfectly-formed pink pearl. A clever combination of classy and cute, these y2k earrings are a great way to look flamingo fabulous.
Pair your rosy and romantic earrings with a classic pink tennis bracelet like Jewelry by Deutsch’s Deutsch Signature Diamond and Pink Sapphire Tennis Bracelet. Set in cool 14k white gold, this pink sapphire and diamond bracelet is an updated version of the most essential y2k accessory: the tennis bracelet. As nostalgia for the 90s and 2000s rushes back, elevated basics like the tennis bracelet have experienced a huge resurgence in popularity, not only for their simple but sophisticated design but also for their wearability. As the name suggests, tennis bracelets are designed to withstand even strenuous activities without falling off—a task accomplished by an extra-secure fastening on the bracelet. While 2000s tennis bracelets generally only featured single-colored stones, the combination of pink sapphire and white diamond introduces the pink summer trend to the piece and adds some visual dimension, too.
Photo by Sam Manns on Unsplash