Bead Jewelry Designs for the Fall

When it comes to wearing beads around your neck, there are rules for color and type just like for any fashion accessory. Just like you simply can't wear white after Labor Day, there are certain colors and types of jewelry to stay away from for the fall!

The brighter the color, the more spring and summer it is. So while you may want to wear something more flashy, like a quartz or many of the different faceted stone beads, you instead want to tone it down just a bit.

Amber is perhaps the most fall-like colored bead material there is for jewelry. Not only does its rich, warm orange perfectly match the fall foliage, but it gives off an air of sophistication and mystery. Being a completely natural occurring material you can be sure that there were very little environmental consequences to wearing amber beads.

Darker and deeper colors for stone beads is also a better idea for the fall. While bright and rich turquoise beads are great for spring and summer necklaces and bracelets, they generate images of the sunny Southwest and so are less fitting when the temperature gets frigid and chilly.

Instead of turquoise, go with the darker blue of lapis lazuli. Lapis is the color of the bluest ocean you've ever seen. A dark, mysterious blue that is more attuned to the darkened skies of a Northeast autumn. You can find lapis lazuli beads in just about any size or shape, from round to faceted.

Likewise, the rich green of malachite, with its alternating light and dark layers is well-suited for the shorter days marking the end of the year. You can however, find malachite beads in solidly lighter or darker greens. If you run across these go for the darker greens for fall and save the lighter green, and light green jade, for the long hot days of summer.

If you are looking at gemstone beads, you want to again go for the darker looks. Dark red ruby beads will cost more, as well a dark green emerald and dark blue sapphire, but their luster and depth will stun those around you at cocktail parties and autumn events.

If you choose to intermix gold or silver with any of the precious or semi-precious stone beads for your fall look, go for the darker, tarnished beads instead of the highly polished and bright beads. The shiny gold and silver will detract from the dark richness of the stone beads, which should be the focal point of your necklace, earrings or bracelet.

Beaded jewelry, from necklaces to bracelets, is an important accessory to complement any wardrobe. Whether you make them yourself or buy them off the shelf, it's important to get the right look.