There may be social taboos and weird superstitions attached to buying gifts secondhand, but I’m such a huge proponent of it. In addition to leaving behind a smaller carbon footprint, you also often find niche, one-of-a-kind treasures. If you know someone who’s open to receiving thrifted gifts, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the secondhand wonders you can dig up at your local charity shops and on online reselling platforms.
My mom is one of my favorite people to shop for since she’s so receptive to secondhand gifts. Other than the occasional makeup palette from Ulta, I’ve been thrifting gifts for her for literal years, and I’ve fallen into the habit of buying vintage costume jewelry for her every Mother’s Day.
Unless you’re hitting up a fancy estate sale or antique store, I feel like it is somewhat rare to come across fine jewelry secondhand in person. And in this economy, not everyone can necessarily afford to give fine jewelry. To me, at least, costume jewelry isn’t always poor-quality jewelry, and it’s easy to clean up verdigris and polish up dull pieces. Even amidst the sea of Claire’s and Paparazzi, I genuinely believe there are beautiful and giftable pieces —both branded and unbranded—to be found in the secondhand market.
If you are on the lookout for vintage Mother’s Day costume jewelry, here are failproof styles to keep an eye on. Obviously, you should take into account what your mom likes. But the following styles can be easily found at thrift stores, and they’re versatile enough to wear no matter what your mom’s wardrobe looks like! (I will also link out to my shop, so if you would like to support me, you can check some pieces out—but in no way are you obligated to buy from me!)
Flower and nature brooches
Brooches with spring motifs are standard Mother’s Day gifts since they’re inoffensively pretty and easy to pair with purses, jackets, and hats. You can typically find them in department stores, but they’re usually very easy to track down at thrift stores. I actually used to buy Monet flower brooches every Mother’s Day from JCPenney, but you can now find gorgeous vintage styles online instantly, and they’re common enough to pop up at thrift stores.
Classic rhinestone, simple gold tone, and enamel pins are some of the most popular floral and nature brooch designs. You can’t go wrong with figural animal and leaf brooches, either!
Gold or silver tone earrings
Classic gold and silver tone earrings go with everything, especially if they’re in simple silhouettes like squares, hoops, knots, crescents, and circles. You can pick up any of these styles in clip or pierced iterations. I sell (and honestly wear) clip ons every week, but I do think that most of the older women that I talk to prefer posted earrings, since they don’t pinch at the ears.
My one caveat is that it’s worth keeping in mind if your mom has any skin sensitivities—then, it may be worth hunting down sterling or deadstock pieces marked hypoallergenic.
Dainty necklaces
While I’m personally partial to a chunky beaded necklace, I think that daintier chains are much more giftable, and your giftee can layer them into their necklace stacks if they prefer a maximalist, ornate style. I often come across dainty necklaces with semi-precious stone, pearl, cross, animal, and heart pendants when I’m out and about at the thrift store.
If you are eyeing beaded necklaces, skip the acrylic Mardi Gras chains. Something like a glass faux pearl or gold tone metal beaded necklace will feel much more elevated and giftable!
Dainty paneled bracelets
Traditionally, tennis bracelets feature fine metals and gemstones, but costume replicas by brands like Avon and 1928 can be just as beautiful. Plus, they’ll feel less high-stakes for everyday wear. Like dainty necklaces, these bejeweled bracelets are also stackable, so your mom can layer them with her favorite pieces. Strictly speaking, I’m not sure if you can consider the above a tennis bracelet, but you get the gist!
Charm bracelets
If you think your mom would like a piece with more pizzazz beyond a classic tennis bracelet, a charm bracelet can be a logical step up. In lieu of a simple dainty bangle that you can pick up at any old TJ Maxx, you can find a vintage charm bracelet (like these ones likely from Goldette) with ornate fleur de lis, heart, and faceted bead charms for a statement-making piece.
When you shop secondhand jewelry for Mother’s Day, you’ll come across a wide range of pieces with vintage charm and character. All you need to do is evaluate pieces for condition and style! Right now, I’m stocking up my vintage Etsy shop for Mother’s Day and graduation gifts—take a look around to find the perfect gift or some inspiration.
Thanks for getting to the end of this post. If you’re so inclined, you can also support my work by buying me a coffee!
