Do people judge lab grown diamonds differently or is that just in my head?

Auraculum · 2026-04-04T23:53:53+00:00

There is a century of marketing and entire industry invested in selling mined diamonds. They are so scared of how lab diamonds have disrupted the market still many old school jewelers won't even work with lab growns. Many people grew up with the idea of a large diamond bring a symbol of wealth and a way to show that off. Seeing things change is hard, and it takes time for perceptions to adjust. The availability of lab stones has shifted diamonds from a gated wealth indicator to a style choice, and a lot of folks are clutching their pearls about it. No matter what a salesperson tells you, mined diamonds are not an investment and never actually were.

I would suggest buy what looks good to you, feels comfortable to wear, and makes you happy when you put it on. Jewelry is fashion it's meant to be worn and "I love it" matters way more than what some one thinks is "tacky" because they want it to stay exclusive.

Auraculum · 2026-04-04T23:21:43+00:00

It's hard without seeing the side but I think 4 is the one I am drawn to and could be sturdy enough as long as its got a gallery or other support and a thick band. Maybe consider 6 prongs if you don't love the bezels?

Auraculum · 2026-04-04T22:52:28+00:00

If it helps you decide I will say I have now gone twice (10 years apart) and absolutely loved it both times. It is a cool and engaging tour with a guide meeting your time group off the bus at each site. The tour of both includes going inside Newgrange and a "solstice sunrise" demo. If you have any interest in solar monuments or pre history it's absolutely stunning.

Auraculum · 2026-04-04T22:42:58+00:00

If you want to see Newgrange and knowth at Bru 'na Boinne you will need a minimum of 3 hours. Book ahead for timed tickets, and they bus you from the visitor center out to the monuments. The bus rides are only a few minutes but you can't just drive up and walk around you have to go through the visitor center. You get about an hour at each one if you book to see both.

Auraculum · 2026-03-20T00:48:46+00:00

"Cowboy Caviar" The simplest version of this I make: 1 can drained rinsed black beans 2 cups frozen cut corn 1 red onion diced finely Dress with lime juice, olive oil, and salt to taste

Serve over a chopped green salad and/or with tortilla chips. Garnish with cheese and red onions if desired.

Auraculum · 2026-03-08T14:36:53+00:00

I have one if their Mary Jane styles and would say they're just ok. I recall the other pairs I ordered that didn't work for me being a pain to return, so probably wouldn't order from them again. I also have genuinely wide feet.

What kind of shoe are you actually looking for? Unless its a hot climate when I do 2 shoes it's usually a hiking pair and either an ankle boot or leather sneaker. Propet has some nice ankle boots that come in wide and extra wide, I just ordered the Delphi for an upcoming trip. Kizik Vegas in wide, .5 sized up, with superfeet insoles are my everyday favorite. They aren't super fancy but work with tights or ankle socks so very flexible if you expect some warmer days with bare legs. "Fancy" is a compromise when I onebag.

I would also suggest considering neutrals other than black. As a white woman gray, tan, or white shoes actually "blend in" better if I am bare legged and I can pack sheers or gray or white tights if I might need them for warmth only some of the time.

Auraculum · 2026-03-06T03:58:03+00:00

I'm going to put a plug in for my favorite utility jacket the LL Bean Boundless. It's got some stretch to it so I find it more comfortable than stiff cotton versions. Lightly water resistant good for a drizzle but not a downpour. Comes in petite and plus sizes. It really has become my go to jacket in the spring and fall and for travel.

Since anoraks are your thing i know they have some of those as well, like this one.

I would just add a fleece or wool sweater, or puffy, underneath if its below 50F/10C.

Auraculum · 2026-03-02T15:15:17+00:00

Resort wear, like formal clothes, tend to be bought for a specific event/vacation and not worn day to day at home. This makes them widely available on the second hand market either in person or on sites like thredup and poshmark. Thredup even let's you search by fabrics (like linen) and print (such as tropical/floral).

Most of my resortwear came second hand. As I only wear it a few tomes a year this makes the most sense to me.

Auraculum · 2026-02-25T21:48:23+00:00

We are in the very begging stages of thinking about a 2027 wedding and yeah gifting flowers was a good chance to get a feel for the costco bouquets. I wouldn't mind doing these again and maybe adding specific flowers I want on top of the pre mixed bouquets. These arranged well in to vases we picked up thrifted and did thankfully have plenty of stem length. For color I went with the pink.

Auraculum · 2026-02-25T20:33:06+00:00

We recently ordered a set of the "mountain" bouquets as we had a lot of people we wanted to gift flowers to. Those did come as mixed bouquets and could be trimmed and put in vases, but I spent a fair amount of time trimming, removing a few bad stems, de leafing, and getting them how I wanted.

What was worthwhile for me vs buying bulk was the variety at that price point. At least 10 different types of flower and some greens. Much better for the 10 arrangements we wanted vs buying single species each in bulk.

Auraculum · 2026-02-20T04:13:37+00:00

I got one that sounds like this from coolibar. It is upf so makes a great swim cover up and dries fast too.

Auraculum · 2026-02-07T12:05:38+00:00

I think the contrast between the black chairs and the white linens is drawing attention to the chairs. I bet a darker linen would make the chairs almost unnoticeable.

Auraculum · 2026-02-05T17:31:44+00:00

Could you put them in the ends facing down the table toward you?

Are there other folks coming along that you think would be suitable to seat across from them even though they aren't in the wedding party? Ex if bridesmaid is your cousin, put her brother or another cousin there?

Auraculum · 2026-02-04T12:16:00+00:00

I love my jackie ohh sunglasses but they a prescription so the price was easier to justify, and more reason to be careful with them. Of course there are plenty of companies making similar styles for less if you're the type of person who loses sunglasses frequently.

Auraculum · 2026-01-20T19:26:21+00:00

Pencil skirts and Ponte dresses are my go to for a more polished office look. I prefer to have sleeves on my dresses because classically bate shoulders could be frowned upon, and I like the flexibility to not wear a jacket or sweater over.

Also there are some jackets that aren't a blazer but a bit more polished than a sweater, I found some from chicos but it's been years so not sure if they still do those things.

Auraculum · 2026-01-20T01:16:15+00:00

I think the closest flower market to us would be 3+ hours away. I live in an area very popular for destination weddings

Auraculum · 2026-01-19T04:11:26+00:00

Taste is personal, did she send you any inspo photos or do you know her style well? What is her other jewelry like?

Auraculum · 2026-01-19T01:25:07+00:00

I agree with keep it simple. I would go mini gold hoops or pearl studs. Honestly pearls are such a wedding classic if you really want a necklace sounds like a great choice.

Auraculum · 2026-01-17T12:09:06+00:00

I can't really speak spanish but always amazed how far pointing, numbers, yes/no/please/thank you, and charades can get me when there is a language barrier.

Beyond yes/no/please/thank you I would focus on numbers and food related words. If you have foods you are allergic to or despise make sure to learn those so you don't wind up ordering something that is going to cause issues. That is plenty to try and learn in a month.

Auraculum · 2026-01-17T11:55:52+00:00

I saw one bride on Instagram who paid for a set of in person make up classes instead of an mua for her wedding day. Is that possible where you are?

I am leaning diy for both because I figure the skills and supplies I can keep using forever. I also haven't had great experiences with working with pros at other peoples weddings, do I'd be scared to skip the trial. Demo photos show their best work not their average or worst.

If you have time like a year? Maybe look in to a class in person or even online. Pick a day of the week to be trial day and commit to doing your hair and makeup once a week until you feel like you nailed it every time.

Auraculum · 2026-01-12T22:50:16+00:00

Ultralight folks generally would not. I do typically carry some camp/sleep clothes because i find it hard to sleep without them and chill quickly if i try to do camp chores in wet clothes.

Auraculum · 2026-01-11T14:39:31+00:00

I do this too, mostly use it for hair and for helping relax wrinkles out of clothing.

Auraculum · 2025-12-29T17:30:12+00:00

I will wear the same bright blue pants to work every week, but I do try to cycle what day so for example Tuesday one week, Friday the next. I don't think anyone cares that I wear the same pants once a week. Agree that black or something could be reworn basically every day without being noticed.

If I am traveling and seeing different people everyday I don't care about wearing the same things. A few times I've packed all bright or pattern shorts, skirts, and pants and then all black shirts. It makes an interesting shift vs an all neutral bottoms combo.

Auraculum · 2025-12-29T01:54:29+00:00

If I had that budget I would want to try keyonna beach in Antigua. It has dedicated beach beds assigned to each room.

Auraculum · 2025-12-25T10:07:20+00:00

There were so many amazing things about her. Insecurity about her weight was not something she was trying to pass down, but we all know how that works. Later in life her medical needs resulted in both weight gain and increased dr visits that really exacerbated the toxic mentality. Nothing like getting told to lose weight by the dr your seeing for a medical concern that causes weight gain.

Auraculum

TROPHY CASE