Travel jewelry for the low-maintenance traveler

I am pretty low maintenance normally, but on a trip I take it to the next level. (I don’t necessarily see this as a good thing….just how it is.) At home, I have a nice selection of bracelets, earrings, and necklaces that I rotate out and wear depending on my outfit. On a trip though, I really like to just be able to put jewelry on when I leave my house and not take it off again until I have returned home. This post will talk about some travel jewelry that I have found that works for being as lazy as possible and still looking good. We’ve mentioned a few in a travel beauty hack post.

Earrings

Over the years, I have tried out various types of earrings for travel. My main requirement for a travel earring is that I am able to sleep with the earring in and not have it poke me in the head. Secondly, I don’t want to have to take the earrings out to take a shower. Here are three earrings that I’ve had over the years, with my comments.

Captive hoop and ball

These earrings are really cheap (under $10 for example) and can be bought on Amazon or ebay. You can get them in stainless steel and different colors. I like that these look edgy (as edgy as I’m ever gonna look). I do not like that they take me forever to get them in place. You have to perfectly balance a tiny ball with two grooves into the open hoop. The pressure of the hoop keeps the ball in place. I always get the very thinnest gauge possible, but even the thinnest type hurts my ears for a few hours after I put them in while my ear stretches out. 

Screw on back stud

These earrings can be found in lots of little girls’ ears. They are great because you can pick out the type of stud and then screw the back on so the pokey part of the earring doesn’t jab you in the head. I got small crystals on Amazon that look great and only cost around $25. I don’t recommend getting any too big or wearing real diamonds around on a trip, because why ask for trouble? The posts are made of steel so you don’t have to worry about turning your ear green if you shower with them in. 

Self closing hoops

These earrings are my favorites right now. I am really feeling yellow gold currently so I got some small closing hoops from Mejuri. The hoop pulls open and reveals the part you put through your ear. It then folds closed so all you see is the hoop. I love these earrings, but they are very small. If you want to make a statement, you should get a bigger hoop. Also, since they are real gold, they cost more than the other earrings I’ve mentioned, around $120. 

Necklaces

Like my earrings, I don’t want to worry about taking off necklaces for showering. Since I’m not going to wear anything too expensive, that rules out metal chains. I have found two kinds of corded necklaces that I like. One is a black cord with a small charm on it for when I’m feeling fancy. The other one looks almost like hemp with some beads, for when I’m feeling bohemian. I have been mainly wearing the charm one lately as it matches my hoop earrings.

Bracelets

A few years ago, I went slightly crazy for threaded bracelets. The company Pura Vida makes these adorable bracelets and their website states they also help the people who make them become more financially sound. So I don’t feel guilty at all that I bought a ridiculous amount. I really like the layered look with these bracelets. They have different styles with different charms and beads, but my favorites are the ones that just look like threads. (Pura Vida also makes anklets, if that’s your thing.)

Another option of fabric bracelet comes from our trusty sandal maker, Chaco. You know the adjustable straps on the Chaco sandals? Well, the company has branched out into travel jewelry with bracelets that are made of the same stuff. You can wrap them around your wrist a few times and get a layered look. 

Conclusion

Wearing jewelry on a trip makes me feel more put together. This is an important thing, especially given the clothes that I wear when I’m on vacation. By choosing travel jewelry that I put on once and don’t think about again, I free up time and space in my bag for other things. Like cute jewelry that I can bring home with me.