Writing Product Descriptions for Your Jewelry: Part 3 - "Elegant"

by Chelsea Clarey
(TangoPig Jewelry Creations)

An elegant pearl bracelet? I like to think so.
But I call it a classically feminine piece with a delicate
peach palette and scintillating crystals.
(Bracelet by Chelsea Clarey.)

A lot of art historians will be quick to tell you about the value in originality. The first person to flip over a toilet and call it a fountain was creating quirky, original art; the next three hundred or so who stuck five-hundred-dollar price tags on used LA-Z-Boy recliners and called it art are just. . . not.

The same holds true for writing site copy for a jewelry business. The first person to say "my authentic designs are inspired by nature" was making an informative statement. But when I caught myself writing that phrase a couple months ago, I winced to realize that I was mostly filling space.

In this installment, we're going to dissect the word "elegant," which is my worst personal weakness.

It seems to be used
for the following concepts:

• to suggest that the product is suitable for weddings or formal events


• to characterize a restrained color palette or delicate shape


• to imply that the materials used are of fine quality


• to describe traditional or traditionally feminine motifs


• to urge buyers not to react to things as "cute".

And there are probably hundreds of usages I can't characterize.

In fact, the only evocative usage I'm seeing is for contrast, like "industrial elegance" or "elegant punk." Even these are in excessive supply. "Casual elegance" and "elegantly simple" have become clichés and should be used stingily.

Why do we use this word at all?

Well, for the same reason we use "beautiful." It's subjective, but definitely pleasant. Also, it's fun to say. Try it aloud.

And it can be used for everything, which is exactly why we should stop trying to make it descriptive. Only in mathematics and programming is the definition of this word singular and precise.

A word that can be equally applied to something ornate and sumptuous or something clean and simple is probably meaningless and overused.

Related words with the same problem include "chic," which a reader has asked me to note for the record is pronounced "sheek"; "perfect," "lovely," and "great."

Don't abandon it as a tag when appropriate, because it'll still be searched by people who aren't quite sure what they want. But don't expect it to catch a reader's eye, heart or imagination.


Elegant? Sure. Simple, naturalistic or graceful
with wintery woodland imagery?
Now we're talking! (Earrings by Chelsea Clarey.)

Here are a few examples of
the overuse of this word:

• "All eyes will be on you in my elegant gowns."
  
  Anything, from a traditional tulle princess ballgown to an edgy, startling couture kaftan, can be described as an "elegant gown." It could also describe fine stitchwork, or rare, high-end fabrics. Anything. There's no information here.


• "Paint your room in elegant shades."
  
  Again, are we talking about shabby-chic pastels? Modern dark plum? The word "elegant" serves no function except to convey general pleasantness.


• "These elegant beaded curtains make any window beautiful."
  
  What's elegant here? The beading pattern? The beads themselves? The shape of the curtains, or the cloth? Were they washed in elegant detergent? Sewn by someone with long, elegant fingers?

Happily, as with all frustratingly imprecise concepts, a bit of ingenuity yields new ways to give better information - and get more of the gut response that makes shoppers actually read your prose and click their shopping cart.

Ways to replace "elegant":

• Instead of "Elegant earrings for wedding wear,"
  
  try "Simple formal earrings suitable for the classiest of affairs." Every shopper wants to know she's classy, and the word "simple" makes it clear that we're talking about clean, delicate elegance, not heavily ornamented elegance.


• Instead of "Elegant women's and girls' jewelry,"
  
  try "Jewelry in flattering pastel and monochrome palettes, delicately shaped so as not to overpower, perfectly accents your beauty and taste." It's still rather general, but it gives a lot more information and, not incidentally, flatters your customer.


• Instead of "Elegant pearl necklaces,"
  
  try "Unusual handmade necklace designs made with the finest saltwater pearls." Now it's clear exactly what each adjective modifies - that is, what aspect of your jewelry each word describes.


• Instead of "Elegant Victorian patterns,"
  
  try "Genuine damask patterns taken from Victorian fashion plates." This confers the sense of history and femininity that the word "elegant" was searching for while being far more specific.


• Instead of "Elegant little birds,"
  
  try "Sleek bird silhouettes" or even, if you use a more casual style in your descriptions, "Not too cutesy, these small birds add a touch of refined cheer." Not that there's anything wrong with cute jewelry - it's just that many designers try to avoid getting that reaction!

Other terms to consider:

• heirloom-quality
• classic
• occasion
• chic
• dainty
• refined
• minimalistic
• aristocratic
• ornate
• luxurious
• clean-lined

. . . the list goes on and on, and each has its own unique associations to suit unique jewelry!

Next time:

We'll be discussing the use and abuse of "beautiful" and "lovely."

See the rest of this series:

Writing Product Descriptions for Your Jewelry

Author Chelsea Clarey of TangoPig Jewelry Creations is a jewelry designer who gravitates toward bead and wire jewelry because the simple techniques have infinite artistic applications. She specializes in reusing vintage components in stylish one-of-a-kind designs. When not creating, she thinks much too much about word choice in jewelry descriptions. Be sure to keep up with Chelsea on her TangoPig Jewelry Creations blog.