Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with gold jewelry which is kind of a big deal. Growing up, my mom always told me gold jewelry would look so good on me but I vowed to wear nothing but silver for the rest of my life.

Then everything changed. In fact, I remember the very day my love affair with silver came to an abrupt halt. It was November 2006 (yes, I’m serious)…I went to the mailbox and an issue of Elle Magazine was waiting for me. There on the cover was Jessica Alba wearing oversized thing gold hoop earrings. I was obsessed. I don’t know what it was about these earrings, but I knew I had to have them.

From that moment on, more and more gold jewelry began to creep into my life. A gold thumb ring here, a gold layering necklace there…before I even realized what had happened my entire jewelry box was gold! Even the wedding ring John designed for me is a simple yellow gold band with a solitaire diamond.

My Favorite Gold Jewelry ATM

The older I get, the more and more I appreciate gold jewelry. For starters it truly is timeless. One of my favorite pieces in my collection is a gold chain that was my grandmothers. My mom gave it to me as a gift last year and I started wearing my favorite Saint Christopher pendant on it and basically haven’t taken it off since.

Another thing I love about gold jewelry is it can take a beating. I am constantly working out, digging in the garden, swimming and sleeping in my favorite every day pieces and each one looks just as good as they day I first put them on! Did I mention that gold jewelry also looks really good with a tan? Cuz it’s true!

While I have accumulated quite the collection over the years, there are a few styles that I absolutely cannot live without and firmly believe every woman needs in her jewelry box – here are my top three:

1. Gold Earrings

I love dainty gold earrings so much that I literally keep punching holes in my ears to wear more of them! Some of my favorite earring designers are Maria Tash. She basically took something like ear piercing which has traditionally been really grungy and elevated it to this chic and sophisticated form of expression. I love her threader earrings and am currently wearing the Diamond Solitaire Star Threaded  Stud and never take it out. I also wear a TON of huggies (not the diapers – the earrings lol). This style of earring layers really easily with multiple piercings which can be a surprisingly difficult task. Aurate has a ton of really cool huggie earrings right now, and I love that they are sustainably sourced.

2. Layering Necklaces

Delicate gold layering necklaces are one of my all-time favorite accessories. They instantly elevate any look from a LBD to a basic jeans and t-shirt 0ff-duty look. I love to play with lengths and chain styles and pendant sizes. One tip I have is to invest in some quality gold chain necklaces – consider these your basics. From there you can swap out your charms, talismans and pendants to suit your mood that season. If you don’t have the funds to spring for a solid gold chain, opt for gold vermeil or a sterling silver chain that is gold-plated. You can’t shower with these options and they will show wear over time but they are far more wallet friendly.

3. Rings, Rings and More Rings

I’m a firm believer that you can never wear too many rings, I love mixing textures and shapes and different thicknesses to create unique looks every day. My current fave is to pair arc rings with my engagement ring because they give me the opportunity to change up the look and feel so I never get bored. Aside from my wedding ring, I pretty much wear a thumb ring every day. My current favorite is my Love me Knot ring by Aurate.