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
