Fashion Jewelry (British: Fashion Jewellery), once known as "paste" - named after the theatrical jewels that were "pasted" onto costumes - and later as "Costume jewelry" because of its theatrical roots - by the 1960s the term was coined to represent a wide category of earrings, bracelets, pendants, rings and other similar accessories that were made of lesser value materials than traditional or "real" jewelry like gold, silver or diamonds.

     While at one time the manufacture of fashion jewelry included the use of inexpensive glass components - most notably rhinestones, or a manmade material known as "lucite" - all set in a base metal of pewter, nickel or brass, today the category also includes high end crystals, simulated gemstones, CZs or cubic zirconia simulated diamonds, and lab created gemstones as well as some semi-precious stones and sometimes wood. Metals include gold-over-brass, silver-over-brass, and sometimes gold-over-silver (known as vermeil), as well as sterling silver.
     In lower priced fashion jewelry you may still find gold plating over pewter, nickel or assorted other metals, and sometimes fashion jewelry imported from countries outside the United States may contain lead. Some less expensive fashion jewelry can also contain components made of plastic or acrylic.
     In many instances, high end fashion jewelry has achieved a "collectible" status, meaning it increases in value as time goes on. The secondary market for "vintage" fashion jewelry can be quite lucrative, making it a good investment as well as a trendy way to update your wardrobe.