Jewelry Fashion Tips

Ok…so I admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for my godson. But on a recent visit, he blew me away. His mom (my college roommate) and I were chatting away, and he suddenly disappeared. A while later, he reappeared with his hands behind his back. Now you can never guess what a little boy might be holding…an earthworm? something he accidentally broke? In this case, it was one of the most special pieces of jewelry I’ve ever received. He had created a necklace with fishing wire and a shell he’d found on the beach near his grandfather’s house. It was hard not to cry when I put it on. Thanks, Andrew!!

How did he know I'm such a jewelry-a-holic?!

The proud designer!

Not only did he make me one, but he also created one for his mom from a precious heart-shaped shell he found on that same beach. I think we have a true romantic on our hands!

Too darling for words...

I recently made my way to Seattle for a fun girl’s weekend. (In fact I think I’m still recovering…) I didn’t have time to do any shopping research before leaving (oh, the horrors!), so I just relied on tips from locals and hitting the pavement to see what I could find. I knew there were some gorgeous items just waiting to be discovered, and I was right!

I’m sure you’re not surprised to hear, but I think I was shopping within about and hour and a half of landing! The first boutique I visited turned out to be one of my favorites of the trip. Alhambra is conveniently located right near Pike’s Place Market, and I was delighted to meet one of the owners, a lovely Turkish woman named Serpil. When you walk into the shop, you feel transported to some exotic location. The merchandise is cleverly displayed in every nook and cranny. She carries some of my favorite jewelry designers, from Erica Molinari to Nava Zahavi. There’s a wide array of price points and styles, so I’m sure that most shoppers can find something they just “must” have.

Serpil and Amy

A glimpse of the exotic decor

(Side bar: If you’re into vintage jewelry, check out Isadora’s Antique jewelry just across First Street. I spotted some cool Native American pieces and some lovely 1890′s Persian turquoise.)

If you wander a few blocks further down First, you can’t miss Watson Kennedy, which is a virtual cabinet of curiosities come to life! It’s a huge store, and there is jewelry tucked in quite a few places, so you really have to spend some time looking. (like that’s a chore, right?!) I thought these earrings (made by a friend of the owner) were quite intriguing, as I do have sort of a “thing” for religious artifacts. They’re made from vintage French medallions.

Charming earrings

Watson Kennedy doesn’t sell any fine jewelry, so you can be sure that they have lots of baubles at accessible price points. It’s a truly eclectic mix of goodies!

Colorful delights at every turn!

In talking with locals (and the ever-so-helpful concierge), I next found myself heading about 20 minutes from downtown to the Ballard neighborhood. This is purported to be an “artsy” area of town, which in my mind translates to unique jewelry! I was about done exploring and hadn’t come across anything that turned my head…and then I discovered Curtis Steiner. This triangular, well-lit shop is just amazing! Everything in this delightful boutique is either antique or hand-made by (predominantly) Washington artists. The owner designs exquisitely feminine necklaces, many of which can transform into short or long lengths.

A tri-level display of Curtis' designs

The displays of antique jewelry abound!

A parade of bangles

Gorgeous antique pieces

The walls of the store are covered in floor-to-ceiling displays of hand-made greeting cards, also a creation of Curtis.

Hangin' with Curtis

Of course, all this shopping makes a girl hungry. In Ballard, stop by La Carta de Oaxaca for some amazing Mexican food. Yum! Or if downtown, make your way to the Purple Cafe & Wine Bar for drinks and dinner. Gotta keep a shopping girl well-fueled!

So you know that I’m all about layering necklaces and stacking bracelets. But when you decide to wear all your gold at once, you resemble an extra from “Pirates of the Caribbean” more than a chic woman about town. Case in point with this gal. While I really loved her diamond encrusted sea star pendant, it was completely overwhelmed by the heavy chain/gold coin and the thick omega with diamond enhancer. And let’s not even mention the seahorse pin with the heavily patterned vest. I think this is the perfect opportunity to edit, edit, edit….

Three times is not a charm....

Gypset…it’s a term some of you may not have heard about before. This is a term used to describe the gypsy, jet-setter lifestyle. (There’s a actually a beautiful book that delves into this theme.) This embodies a life full of adventure, color, luxe travel and joy. Miriam Salat’s line is designed with this woman in mind. When the gypset woman is out embracing life, she clearly needs to be adorned in beautiful jewelry.

Officially founded in 2010, this line is primarily composed of resin, sterling silver, and 18 K gold vermeil. Though her pieces are extremely on trend with the whole color story, that’s not what intrigues me. More it’s the feeling that I need to be shopping at the bazaar in Istanbul when I wear her pieces.

Here’s a beautiful set of her bangles. Worn together or intermixed with bracelets you already own, I’m just loving these!

Sweet stack of bangles

This gorgeous pair of earrings would pair perfectly with a breezy white linen sundress.

Blue beauties!

And this ring gives you the look of stacked rings all in one. I actually own this ring in camel, and it’s really become a go-to ring for me.

There's another silver layer on the other side

With Mother’s Day approaching, Miriam Salat (in cooperation with Fever Tree, DRY Soda and Vosges Haute-Chocolat) is donating 15% of sales to Water For People, which is an international non-profit organization that aims to bring access to safe water and sanitation to those in need. This event runs May 8-13th, so be sure to take advantage of this! It applies both online and in her store, located in Columbus Circle in New York City.

You gotta love jewelry that gives back….

I’ve written about layering necklaces and bracelets, but I’ve yet to talk about stacking rings. I think this goes beyond being a trend — it’s more of a personal style. Mixing metals, styles and scale, one can really let your personality shine through with this technique. And the bonus is that there are no set rules…you just need to experiment until you get the vibe you’re going for.

On a recent shopping trip with a client, she was excited to show me her new (beautiful) David Yurman ring which she had purchased on a girl’s weekend in Las Vegas. She and her long-time friend bought matching rings to commemorate the trip. She smartly paired this with a diamond band she already owned. On our shopping expedition, she found the perfect thin black diamond eternity band at Gallery of Jewels to complete the trifecta. Loving it!

Great combination!

Here’s another stack that was created over a few years’ time. The bottom ring is by Armenta, the middle ring was purchased at an estate sale, and the top ring is a beauty by Nina Bashrova from Manika Jewelry. Though they are all different, they still appeal to the same sensibility with the delicate gold/diamond story. In addition, the scale of each ring works harmoniously together.

A coherent gold & diamond stack

Let your creativity run wild when experimenting with combinations. This group by Sylva & Cie rocks!

Creative combination!

I’d love to see what stacks you come up with. Feel free to send me photos!

This is another pic I snapped at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas. Granted, the whole Vegas thing elicits a particular dress code, but I think this gal took it a bit too far. Love the Erin Featherstone black beaded mini-dress she’s wearing, but I do think she went a big overboard on the jewelry. Did she really need those oversized, bohemian earrings? (which might be perfect with a bikini on St. Tropez) AND the big bangles? AND the layered necklaces? And the photo doesn’t even show the huge cocktail ring she was wearing on her right hand. Darling…scale it back a bit and you’ll be stunning!

Beautiful woman, yet over-accessorized

So I know that I’ve already written about jewelry storage in a previous post, but I just HAD to show you another amazingly organized (and large) collection. These photos are from the closet of one of my clients. She travels the world, and has curated one of the coolest jewelry collections that I’ve seen during my many years as a stylist. No, it’s not all fine jewelry, but it’s amazing. I can’t tell you the number of hours we’ve spent “playing” in her jewelry box, accessorizing all her outfits. And I can’t honestly think of one time that she didn’t have just the right piece to finish off an outfit. She certainly gets a big, gold star for the way she has stored her jewelry in both a lovely and user-friendly way.

The main part of her collection is stored in this Elfa drawer tower

An inside look into some of the drawers

Her necklace collection has grown so large, that she got these great lucite wall mounts to display her most commonly used necklaces.

When you can see it, you'll wear it!

And finally, many of her earrings are now on display on top of the Elfa drawer tower. Great idea!

Clever way to display earrings

Yet another client has been building a fabulously cohesive jewelry collection. She had a storage shadow box custom made at the local framing shop. It seriously looks like art hanging in her closet!

Way to highlight your jewels!

She lined the cork board with silk, though using a sturdier fabric, such as linen, may be a better choice if you’re going to move your pins often. My client doesn’t, so the silk worked out perfectly.

I hope these examples inspire you to store and display your jewelry in a new way, if your current system isn’t working for you. Happy organizing!

I, probably more than most, can certainly appreciate the sentimentality of jewelry. I’ve got my Italian grandmother’s engagement ring, which features blue glass that has been weathered by work in harsh chemicals. I’ve still got a lovely black safety pin embellished with beads from a German pen-pal from when I was nine. Oh, and of course some of my Swedish grandmother’s “cruise” jewelry. (translation: pink rhinestones)

But when you wear all your mementos on your fingers all at once (along with a dated manicure) it’s just not right. Though I loved hearing the story of each and every one of the rings this sweet woman wears daily, I really think she should selectively wear her rings and not over-accessorize. (Curious side bar: why has she ignored her pinky fingers when she is clearly into abundance?!?)

Edit, edit, edit....and get a current manicure!

So what exactly is Art Deco that we’ve been hearing so much about? Basically it’s a jewelry style that gained popularity during the World’s Fair in Paris in 1925 and remained en vogue for about 10 years. It’s name is derived from the official name of the fair, and it’s characterized by very architectural features: squares, circles, and triangles that form very cool geometric patterns.

Art Deco has been popping up everywhere from the fashion mags to the street, so if this trend appeals to your personal style, then jump on the bandwagon! I’ve seen examples at a range of price points. Here are a few cool pieces that have caught my eye. First up is a pair of earrings that would take you from jeans to a LBD.

Aventurine & Crystal disc earrings by CA & LOU

I think this red resin ring by Trina Turk would add a lot of umph to a maxi dress, with a margarita in hand, of course!

Trina Turk Button Ring

This fabulous Deco bracelet by Kenneth Jay Lane is very hot. It really combines two trends, with the cuff being another important theme this season.

Yum!

Finally, this necklace would spice up a slim cardigan and skinny jeans. Love it!

Kara Ross Art Deco Necklace

So if you want to get your speakeasy on, then scoop up this trend while it’s in a store near you…because you know these things never last.

While I do typically focus on women in my Jewelry Judge series, I must say that a very tall drink of water stopped me in my tracks today. All decked out in a black suit, polka dot shirt and bow tie, his personality definitely came through (in a tasteful way) with his choice of brightly colored beaded bracelets. While not always a fan of “man jewelry,” this one definitely worked for me! His collection included pieces from Chinatown in SF, Hawaii, and a multi-bead combination made by a friend. In my book, he’s got it goin’ on!

Showing his personality with accessories!