It was Marilyn Monroe in the iconic musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes who hit the nail on the head so perfectly. In one of her more famous musical numbers, her character struts out onto a stage and starts singing the immortal line, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend”.
Marylin, we applaud you, for it’s absolutely true. Then we swing around to the wonderful Dame Shirley Bassey, whose song Diamonds are Forever (from the same titled James Bond film) still has the power to send shivers down one’s spine, all these years later. So far, so iconic.
There is always an allure to diamonds, they are a wardrobe staple for women the world over. That feeling of buying your first diamond or being gifted one stays with you for the rest of your life. It’s a classic stone, that lifts you up and gifts you with a sense of confidence and power. It’s like the little black dress of the jewellery world. Cassandra, our diamond-loving expert at our Adelaide Arcade boutique agrees:
“Much like you build up your wardrobe staples, is how you should approach your jewellery wardrobe. You have a great pair of heels, a winter boot, a summer trench coat and a crisp white shirt. A great red lipstick. You build this up once you reach a certain age, and everyone has their own version of these staples.
The same concept should apply to your jewellery.
Every woman has a little black dress and you should think of diamonds as the little black dress of the jewellery world. A classic, uplifting, defining piece that makes you feel brilliant every time you put it on. Whether that’s earrings, a ring or a necklace. Just put that on and you feel 10 times more confident.”
The idea of the little black dress is relatively modern. It first sprang into being in the 1920s, as previous to this black was considered a mourning colour. It was designed with the intention of being versatile and neutral, able to be dressed up or down. The ubiquity of black dye and cloth at a time when people didn't have a lot of money didn’t hurt either. But it was the designer Coco Chanel and actress Audrey Hepburn who pioneered the concept of the iconic Little Black Dress.
Chanel was one of the first designers who transformed the drab severity of black dresses into something daring, sexy and iconic. Years later, Audrey Hepburn was to immortalise the relevance of this staple dress as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Those icons have stood the test of time, much like a diamond.
Just like the LBD, diamonds can be dressed up or down. From ball gowns to jeans, there is nothing that can't be accented by diamonds. You may work in a uniform but knowing you have diamonds twinkling in your ears is a way of claiming back a sense of self. Working in an office or having an important meeting? Seeing a diamond ring sparkling on your finger can fill you with a sense of purpose and self.
So do yourself a favour and invest in yourself and your future today. At Gerard McCabe jewellers we are Adelaide’s premier diamond specialists- it’s what we do best. Come in and see Cassandra at the Adelaide Arcade jewellery boutique and she can guide you on your diamond journey. Get your icon on, and find your LBD of the jewellery world.