Would you wear your regular everyday jewelry if you..

[Dancing Fire]

were volunteering service at a soup kitchen?

 

[NOYFB]

No, I'd probably just wear my plain wedding band.

 

[sarahb]

No, not at all. Would you DF? I'd probably just wear a sedate left hand band.

 

[Dancing Fire]

No, not at all. Would you DF? I'd probably just wear a sedate left hand band.

TBH, I don't think people care. I have had heard both side...you could dress down to fit in, or you could dress up to inspire others.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I stopped once I started working in social services.

 

[dk168]

Yup, as I had the rings made so that they are not too flashy for day time work wear. Their bigger flashier sisters come out and play at dressier events. However, I take my rings off when I preparing food and cooking, therefore, I am unlikely to wear them while I am serving the food.

For earrings, I would probably wear a pair of simple pearl studs.

DK

 

[missy]

No. A plain WB.

 

[Rhea]

Yes, I work with the homeless population and often wear my rings if I haven't cycled to work. I'd wear the same to work in a soup kitchen or day centre and do when I accompany my clients to them.

My 2 rings are 1/2 carat and 1/3 carat and aren't worn at the same time.

 

[arkieb1]

No.

 

[chrono]

No, because I don't want my rings to get damaged or dirty when handling kitchen equipment and food.

 

[partgypsy]

nope not in a soup kitchen.

 

[iluvshinythings]

No. I don't wear my rings when I handle food or do dishes. I have a plain band that I never remove though. My everyday earrings are modest enough that they wouldn't cause a problem. One of these days I hope I can change that....

 

[momhappy]

No, certainly not. I would find it insensitive to wear flashy jewelry around those who are struggling.

 

[ame]

I wouldn't wear anything, but I don't usually anyway. I don't wear jewelry when I am working with my hands, and especially not when cooking/cleaning.

 

[purplesparklies]

I volunteer weekly with my two sons at a local food pantry and I do come into regular contact with clients. I wear only a plain gold band when I am there. I choose not to wear my bling because I do not wish to flaunt my material blessings in the faces of those who go without what many consider to be basic needs. I do try to inspire through my actions and in encouraging people to pursue academic and trade training opportunities. I inspire people to strive to become better people rather than to have material possessions.

 

[kenny]

Honestly I'm split 50 50.
I totally get the idea that some may see it as showing off, or worse, rude.
All that is, like beauty, in the mind of the beholder and not my problem.

At the same time those we are serving aren't children.
They are the ones getting food handouts from people giving handouts.
They're not dumb, we have more wealth than they.

What? Am I to pretend to be poor too? Should I wear old worn out clothes too? Maybe not shower or shave for a few days so I'm even more similar to the homeless? Maybe I'll talk in a less-educated way? But might that be a bit condescending?
It may be more respectful to those I'm serving to just present as my full self.

I'm me, and I wear my ring always except for heavy manual work that may damage it or in a high-crime environment.
I think of charity work as a low-crime-potential environment.
... and if it was suddenly pulled of my finger and stolen they needed it more than I.

 

[azstonie]

No. There are a lot of people who have suffered terrible reversals in life (or never had a chance to start with) and why showcase your great good fortune to be able to throw money onto jewelry? If there is such a thing as "asking for it," this would constitute it.

There is an enormous income disparity in this county and there is going to come a time when the 99%-ers see this and take action on whatever level they can effect it. You want to make yourself a target, go right ahead.

When I was teaching I NEVER wore bling to work, its not the right environment for it and it sends the wrong message about why you are there and what your intentions are while there.

 

[kathley]

No.

 

[azstonie]

Although I wouldn't judge anyone else negatively for wearing their bling to a soup kitchen. I would just assume that is your regular everyday wear jewelry and that is why you would wear it.

 

[purplesparklies]

For me, it is not about trying to be something I am not but more about adjusting my dress to be appropriate for the task and the situation. Most people dress up for dressy occasions/situations and dress down for more casual occasions/situations. I don't buy clothing specifically for my volunteer hours but I do take care to make sure I am dressed appropriately for the situation. I certainly don't adjust my vocabulary or talk down to anyone. Some of the people I encounter are educated people who have fallen on hard times.

Charity is often not a low crime environment, unfortunately. The food pantry with which we are involved has had to ban certain volatile/unstable clients from entering. This is not unusual. Mental illness can be a contributing factor to homelessness/joblessness. Desperation can cause people to do strange things. Alcohol/drug dependency is not unusual. This brings an obvious risk of erratic, unpredictable behavior. I do not bring costly items with me because it can be a risk to me if I am seen to be an obstacle to obtaining something viewed as valuable. I am not worried about the item. I am worried about me.

 

[jordyonbass]

Absolutely I would but then again I'm probably unlike 99% of the people on this forum, my everyday jewelry is basically my only jewelry which happens to be my tungsten wedding band with grey diamonds and a surgical stainless tongue piercing. Whether it's cooking, washing dishes, playing music, getting covered up to my elbows in motor grease or even fish guts after a day on the water - they stay in place. In fact the only time I can really remember taking them off is to play live gigs on a 4 string bass guitar with my Death Metal band. The only reason I took it off was because it interfered with the economy of movement for my fingers and kept catching on one of the strings, causing sound inconsistencies and fatigue. I never had this issue with any of my 5 string bass guitars or slower, less complicated music like jazz or funk

Not sure if I'm brave or silly but I am just one of those people who will not change anything about themself to cater to others in their situation

 

[wildcat03]

I work in an ER that serves an inner city population which includes a large homeless population. I'm not married, so no ring to worry about. I wear a pave diamond circle necklace daily - which occasionally draws compliments. I occasionally wear a sapphire/diamond bezel ring on my right hand and sometimes wear my 0.84 ctw studs. A lot of my patients wear a lot of jewelry. Some of it is probably real gold/platinum/gemstones and much of it is probably costume jewelry, so I wouldn't feel that odd wearing a nice band or something. I wouldn't want to wear a large diamond, though, as I feel that would start to stand out. My colleague got engaged 2 months ago and I haven't seen her ring yet as she doesn't wear it to work. We talked about why and she said that she just didn't want patients knowing/thinking anything about her personal life or her as a person - that she'd prefer just to focus on the patient during their visit. I thought this was really smart and I will probably follow her lead if/when I am engaged.

Through years of working with underserved/underprivileged population I have learned that the less attention that is drawn to the differences in our circumstances, the better I am received.

 

[azstonie]

I work in an ER that serves an inner city population which includes a large homeless population. I'm not married, so no ring to worry about. I wear a pave diamond circle necklace daily - which occasionally draws compliments. I occasionally wear a sapphire/diamond bezel ring on my right hand and sometimes wear my 0.84 ctw studs. A lot of my patients wear a lot of jewelry. Some of it is probably real gold/platinum/gemstones and much of it is probably costume jewelry, so I wouldn't feel that odd wearing a nice band or something. I wouldn't want to wear a large diamond, though, as I feel that would start to stand out. My colleague got engaged 2 months ago and I haven't seen her ring yet as she doesn't wear it to work. We talked about why and she said that she just didn't want patients knowing/thinking anything about her personal life or her as a person - that she'd prefer just to focus on the patient during their visit. I thought this was really smart and I will probably follow her lead if/when I am engaged.

Through years of working with underserved/underprivileged population I have learned that the less attention that is drawn to the differences in our circumstances, the better I am received.

There is no policy against jewelry at your hospital? At the hospital where I worked the policy allows no jewelry or long/fake fingernails for those who are hands-on/treating staff (MDs, RNs, PAs, techs).

 

[Calliecake]

No. I don't think I would wear any jewelry at all. I would feel I was being terribly insensitive.

 

[the_mother_thing]

Great points/thoughts in this discussion. And I am totally understanding & respective of the sensitivity perspective here. But I am also kind of curious on what people's thoughts are on this perspective: NOT to flaunt, but to inspire ... if you did wear your jewelry in the soup kitchen scenario. Growing up, what inspired me the most to want to work hard was seeing how others "play hard", be it with a boat, nice jewelry, a nicer home, car, etc. I've never been one to assume someone was handed anything, and always assume they worked for what they had. My grandfather was my greatest inspiration in life in many ways and taught me nothing came free. And growing up, my family was definitely in the "have not" category. So everything I have (and I'm not Melinda Gates mind you), I have worked hard to have.

So could it not possibly serve as an inspiration to others who ARE otherwise capable, if they see successful, hardworking people enjoying the "fruits of their labor"? I don't mean rolling into the soup kitchen drenched in carats while slicing carrots, but if I had a piece I was particularly proud of or loved, I would much rather wear it if I normally would, serve as an inspiration and - if asked - share my journey to acquire that item in hopes of inspiring someone else to do the same for themselves.

I also think there is an opportunity to squash the media's overplayed segregation of "1 & 99 percenters" by not hiding or "diluting" oneself simply because you are in the presence of those with less than you. I would find that insulting that someone felt they couldn't be themselves or enjoy themselves at "100 proof" because I was "Boones Farm". Having nice things doesn't make someone a not-nice person.

 

[arkieb1]

I think it really depends on what you are wearing when you are "inspiring" people. If you roll up in a 1 to 1.5 carat diamond that is pretty well that is probably inspiring. If you are rocking a 3, 4, 5 carat + rock and dripping in bling you are more likely asking to be robbed in the parking lot on your way home. I guess for some people wearing clothing and bling is all about attitude but I agree with some of the posters above there is a no doubt a line between just being normal/yourself and flat out asking for trouble.

 

[the_mother_thing]

I agree Arkie. I admire and drool over 2+ ct rocks on others, but I don't know if I would personally ever be comfortable wearing one - regardless of the company I am in. I just don't like to draw attention to myself, much less with bling. I was the victim of an armed carjacking about 14 years ago, so I am sure that subconsciously plays into my conservative nature when it comes to my jewelry preferences, not that jewelry had anything to do with the crime; I was just a random target.

 

[purplesparklies]

I think it is possible to inspire people in many ways and in many situations. I'm sure the clientele of charities varies. In my experience, soup kitchens and food pantries generally serve a particularly desperate population.

I remember when I was teaching in an inner city environment. We kept breakfast food items on hand because so many kids came to school hungry. Not a little hungry. Truly, uncomfortably, can't focus on anything else because their stomach hurts hungry. We fed the kids because they were not going to learn anything or be inspired to do anything until their basic needs were met. They literally could not focus. In those conditions, there is little room for inspiration to grow. Few people can relate to that type of need. I grew up with a single mom. We had very little but we had food. It probably wasn't the food we wanted but we were not hungry.

Is it possible that someone will be inspired by seeing one's material gifts? Sure. I don't think this possibility outweighs the risk of potential resentment and/or theft. While 1-1.5 ct. may seem reasonable and relatively conservative to many here, that is not the case for the population served by soup kitchens. My "big" diamond is just over 1.5 ct. It is significantly larger than most I see in my area.

I don't think of adjusting my level of bling to my surroundings to be changing myself in any way. I am not my jewelry and my jewelry is not me. It's just a little decoration and sparkle that I enjoy when it is appropriate. Going without a little sparkle seems to be a very minor sacrifice to making sure I am not causing people who are clearly in difficult, desperate circumstances undue resentment or temptation.

 

[lyra]

I wouldn't presume to "inspire" anyone that I was serving at a soup kitchen. I wouldn't wear any jewelry at all. I would be there to feed people, who probably don't need inspiration so much as actual opportunities in life. JMO of course.

 

[arkieb1]

Yes sorry I used a 1 to 1.5 carat example of the size of diamond a lot of people in the US typically own. I would wear a simple band or nothing at all. I used to volunteer at a place called kids canteen which fed children because their parents would spend most of their welfare money on booze, drugs and themselves frequently and the children would go to school as the poster mentioned above having not eaten for days as a time. Wearing bling around the children would have been fine but around the adults would have been a real no-no.