I’m one of those people who prides themselves on packing light.
That means – no matter how long I’ll be gone – I pack everything in my trusty old Jansport backpack circa 2003. Necessarily, I have to pack with versatility in mind, which means that my clothes tend to be plain so that I can wear them in endless combinations.
To spruce things up, I like to pack the best of my earring “wardrobe,” both sustainable fine jewelry and older costume pieces from my favorite ethical retailers. I’ll be headed down to Florida for a quick beach vacation with Daniel, his mom, and his sister later this month – a kind of last hurrah to living in the south – so travel is on my mind. Since I’ll be packing swimwear, shorts, simple t-shirts, and a couple pairs of sandals, I want to make sure I have a few good accessories to make things feel more like me.
Why travel with earrings?
I find that earrings are the best accessory to pack for a few reasons.
They don’t tangle like necklaces tend to do, I can (sometimes) get away with keeping them on during airport security, and they work with every neckline and sleeve length. I’ll typically wear a dainty pair on travel days and bring a couple of statement sets for dinners and other times I want to make a bigger statement.
The pieces below are new and old, quirky and classic. Some are investments and some are everyday. But all make a regular appearance in my outfits, especially when I travel.
This post contains affiliate links and some products have been gifted over time, though none exclusively for this roundup.
My Ethical & Sustainable Earring Capsule
1 | Molly Virginia Made U Earrings – bought locally at Darling Boutique
Locally made
2 | Ten Thousand Villages Tassel Earrings
Fair trade, often made with recycled metal
3 | ABLE Marina Earrings
Made ethically in Nashville
4 | Thicket Blackberry Thorn Earrings – reviewed here
Made with ethically sourced metals and cast from organic materials
5-6 | AU | RATE Cuff & Eye Earring (single)
Made ethically with recycled fine metals.
7 | Sharon Z Silver Spear Earrings – reviewed here
Made with recycled and ethically sourced materials. Sharon also runs a very informative blog on jewelry making and sourcing here.
8 | Sela Designs Tagua Nut Earrings – see it worn here
Made with sustainable tagua nut with proceeds benefiting charity
9 | Siizu Earrings
Made with cellulose acetate, a renewable material
Leah Wise is the founder of StyleWise Blog. She has been writing, speaking, and consulting on sustainable fashion, the fair trade and secondhand supply chain, and digital marketing for over ten years. An Episcopal priest, Leah holds a B.A. in Religion from Florida State University and an M.Div. from Yale Divinity School. When not working, you can find her looking for treasures at the thrift store.