mademoiselle papillon.

 liz clairborne blouse/ american apparel shorts/ vintage rings/ audrey daniels necklace/ lucky brand leather flats

when i was in high school (it already feels like so many years ago) my grandmother had a little boutique in my hometown. the clothes were always a little too old for me, but she had a friend, audrey daniels, who made all this beautiful handmade one-of-a-kind jewelry that i would just swoon over. when i would visit my grandmother at her shop, a good portion of my time was spent gazing at all the lovely, unique pieces, especially a certain jade butterfly necklace. the little hand written price tag was more than anyone in my immediate family could really afford, but it got to the point where every time i saw her i'd check to make sure the necklace was still there. seriously, this went on for years. my grandmother eventually sold the shop sometime in my early college years and the necklace faded from my mind. then, on my 21st birthday, my grandmother hands me a beautiful gift box. inside was the jade butterfly necklace. love at 1851st sight. she had saved it for me for this exact moment.

now that i've had a chance to actually wear the damn illusive thing, i love that it is both a statement piece and extremely versatile. it can be worn long or short, although i mostly leave it long and bohemian, with the gorgeous chunk of jade resting somewhere near my belly button.

do you have stories about how your acquired your favorite pieces? share them in a comment!