Properly Buttoned

Hi friends,

Happy Friday-eve!! Imagine this: you buy your first pair of Chanel earrings. You are feeling so elegant, chic, and fun! One day you decide to rearrange your room and donate/throw away things that aren’t being used. It’s a new day with a new room. You put on a new outfit and reach for your Chanel earrings. The earrings are gone. That’s when you realize they were probably donated or thrown away on accident. Could you imagine this? I can. It’s from my life.

It’s been years since I thought about buying another pair of Chanel earrings. How can I trust myself to own another pair? I couldn’t. That was my mentality until I went out to lunch with one of my girlfriends a couple months ago and she pointed to her ears.

“Do you like my earrings?!”

“DUH, they’re Chanel!”

“They started off as buttons”

“WHAT?!”

Yes, my friend was wearing vintage Chanel buttons as earrings. I couldn’t believe it. They looked so fabulous on her. I wanted to be just as fabulous! This is when I was introduced to the @Properly_Buttoned Instagram page. I followed Catherine Nicholson’s @Properly_Buttoned profile instantly and the rest, as we know it, is history.

I went through the Instagram profile and found so many gorgeous pieces, but I settled for two pairs of earrings since it was my/the first purchase. I wrote in the comment section of the earrings I wanted. She sent me a direct message immediately. She is so sweet and made is such an easy process. Honestly, some of the greatest customer service I’ve ever received.

Now, I am happily an owner of several earrings and a custom-made necklace. Yes, you read that right. She can also make custom necklaces! She is just so incredible. Selling jewelry is more than just an income, it’s Catherine’s passion! The journey leading up to this is just as interesting as the pieces she designs.

Catherine went to the University of Mary Washington where she received an undergraduate degree in Psychology. She entered the world of corporate recruiting and career coaching, but the creative side to her was urging to get out. @Properly_Buttoned wasn’t how she started in the jewelry business either! She was a stylist for Stella and Dot. After not having to sell certain pieces because they were from past seasons or they weren’t available on the website, she would play around and tinker it to her liking. @Properly_Buttoned started because an Etsy shop she followed would always sell out of the earrings she wanted, and she took matters into her own hand! After research, some trials and error, Catherine is here for all of our vintage button-jewelry needs!

Ever since I was introduced to @Properly_Buttoned, I couldn’t stop talking about it. I seriously love this business model so much! I love how she’s repurposing vintage buttons. This means less waste for the world! I love her story too! It’s so inspiring. She did her corporate thing and now she’s running her own business in something she loves doing.

What she’s doing isn’t unique. There are tons of vintage-button jewelry shops everywhere! What keeps me from buying from them is Catherine! I’ve been getting to know Catherine for a couple months now. She is so fun! She is so supportive. I love that she understands my humor. She makes me feel like I’m more than just a customer. She’s a mom, wife, designer, business owner and I’m happy to say this title- my friend.

I’m ecstatic to announce that the @Properly_Buttoned website has finally launched. Please check her out! Use Code WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order!

This year I told myself that I wanted to buy a pair of Chanel earrings and I can’t believe now I own nine pairs! Catherine, thank you so much for making the world a brighter place- literally and figuratively.

Thank you for reading! I love you all so much!

~till next time!