The Glitterati Guru: How To Pack And Style Your Jewellery This Summer
Watch and jewellery expert Misha Daud is our sparkle-centric agony aunt answering all your questions about fun fashion jewellery for summer travel
Summer is coming, trips are booked, and in today’s world this is not the time to be precious about our jewellery – we could all use a carefree escape without sweating the small stuff. Faux bijoux is having its best moment yet, and I for one am completely here for it. I know, I know… I’m the girl adorned in the good stuff, the nice watches, the fine jewellery. But I also indulge in fashion pieces, vintage costume jewels and little trinkets that I can wear all summer long too. Genuinely. It’s fun, it’s fearless, and some of it is just too good not to indulge in once temperatures start to rise. Start packing up your diamonds (follow proper protocol to avoid any scratches, please) and let’s celebrate the affordable, wanderlust-worthy fashion jewels that you can fill your suitcase with this summer.
Misha, I’m going on holiday soon and I’m terrified of losing my ‘good’ jewellery. What do you actually pack?
Setting Standards, 36, Dubai
Leave the good stuff at home. Before I leave, all my jewellery gets put into my bank’s safety deposit box and I have a completely stress-free holiday. No holiday is worth the anxiety of checking your wrist, your hotel safe, or your beach bag every 10 minutes. Luxury should feel joyful, not stressful. Holidays are the perfect time to experiment a little, too – try bigger earrings, layered necklaces, and playful stacks. It’s about style, not jumbo bling at the beach. Glowing skin, a long pendant, some fun bracelets and plenty of confidence. It’s all you need.
I spotted a piece of vintage Chanel costume jewellery and I’m obsessed. Is it worth investing in?
Pearl Jam, 42, Abu Dhabi
Vintage Chanel jewellery has been my particular passion for as long as I can remember. It’s elegant, glamorous, and always says something. The older pieces have a richness that feels very hard to find today. As for “investing,” you know what I always say – buy anything because you love it first, not because you’re expecting it to behave like a stock portfolio. The best pieces are the ones that make your heart skip a beat when you put them on. A cuff or chain has a way of making even the simplest outfit feel impossibly chic.
I love layering costume jewellery on holiday. What do you think is the best way to wear fashion pieces without looking ‘cheap’?
Rock Solid, 29, Dubai
Do not overdo everything at once. Pick a hero piece. A bold earring, a chunky cuff, a fun necklace stack – but not all of them all at once. Also pay attention to finishes. That’s the most important detail. Warm golds, interesting textures, colourful enamel and semi-precious stones – these can all look elevated when styled properly. With fashion jewellery where it is now, it has become a joy to mix pieces with abandon. I think style becomes far more personal that way. Some days I want my Cartier diamonds. Other days I want oversized cuffs. I will wear a beautiful Elie Saab evening gown with vintage semi-precious earrings, for example. There are no rules here. Fashion is who I am, not what I should do.
Have a regalia-related conundrum? Confused about bijouterie etiquette? Send all your questions to @watch_fashionista
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From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia July / August 2026 issue