It’s always fun to come across a line that I’ve never seen before, and it’s even better when the pieces are selling at accessible price points. This was the case when I visited Red Bird recently over in Berkeley. I saw this 52-inch long necklace of chains tied on a thin leather cord from Buju Jewelry. Hmmm…what could I do with that? I was intrigued. It seemed like a perfect layering necklace.
Well, I thought it might be fab with the Arielle de Pinto necklace from Metier, right?! They seemed to speak the same language, with their chains and coloration.
Loved the combo, and I’ve already worn it a few times in the past week. (Just fyi…I prioritize jewelry purchases over buying groceries. And I know I’m not the only one out there!)
Checking out their website, I learned that the co-desigers are two gals from “Bu” (aka Malibu) who were looking to create a line that’s ethnic and organic, yet still completely current. I think they’ve really struck this chord with their designs. Here’s a selection of bracelets and necklaces from their website.
I think it’s fresh and fun, and it fits in perfectly with my “urban bohemian” personal style. What do you think? Could you see yourself donning this line?
Hitting all the stores we could find, my cousins and I found ourselves in the Eileen Fisher store in downtown Seattle during our girl’s weekend. Though the clothes were lovely, I was more interested in the cool silver combination that one of the sales women was wearing.
I love how she paired such a delicate necklace with a more substantial piece. And the main pendant is in perfect harmony with the print of her shirt. Then with the addition of the extra-long chain earrings, the edgy glasses and the mussed-just-so pixie cut, I thought she just looked fabulous. What do you think? Thumbs up?
I recently wrote an article about the spring 2014 trend of layering delicate necklaces. (If you missed it, click here to read it.) I told you that I was going to go through my jewelry box and see what combinations I could come up with. Well never wanting to let you down, here are a few of the mixes I came up with.
This first trial includes a labradorite bead necklace (worn doubled) by Flying Lizard, a bezel-set diamond chain I got years ago from Ross-Simons, and a sort of boho creation that I got at a boutique somewhere in Santa Cruz.
The next incarnation combines a painted crystal purchased at Crimson Mim quite a few years ago, and a newer raw diamond necklace by Ali Grace, acquired at Carrots.
I wanted to make a mix with a longer necklace in it, so I pulled out a long sterling silver bead chain, also by Flying Lizard, and paired it with my Armenta horseshoe from Head over Heels and a tiny diamond disc on a black cord which I purchased through Gilt.com a couple years ago.
Finally, I wanted to see if I could bring my Nordstrom diamond circle pendant necklace (circa 2005?) back into rotation, so I coupled it with a Chan Luu silver and gold leaf long necklace, worn doubled, from Leaf & Petal.
I’ve definitely been having some fun with this, and I plan on creating more mixes in the weeks to come. What about you — have you tried it yet? I’d love to see what you’ve come up with!
I’m working in NYC this week, and it’s truly shopping heaven for me. Hopping from Bergdorf’s (Kardashian sighting) to the Meatpacking (Paris Hilton sighting) to Soho is just so fun. And people watching is right up there with cool things to do in the city, in my book. I ran across 5th Ave. and practically knocked this gal over.
I only had about 30 seconds to talk to her and snap her photo, but I really thought her two vintage necklaces were quite eye-catching. Granted, her sweater is pilling and her shoes were in need of repair, but all I could focus on was her jewelry. She was really showing her personality and sense of creativity. What do you think? And be honest, I want to know your opinion!
You know that I’m a big fan of layering necklaces, and I have a blast with my clients “playing” in their jewelry boxes, coming up with new combinations. Well sometimes you might just get stuck trying to figure out what would work for you, so I think you’ll really enjoy this video that I came across on Youtube. It’s only about 2 minutes long, so give it a whirl. It might just inspire you to come up with some new layers. Enjoy!
(p.s. If you’re reading this on an RSS feed and it’s just a black box, just click on the video link, bolded in blue, or go directly to jewelryfashiontips.com to view it.)
So do you have fond memories of playing Scrabble while growing up? I know I do, as do millions of other people around the world. Well Hasbro Inc., the creators of this uber popular game, has teamed up with World Trade Jewelers to create a whole Scrabble jewelry line! Famous for their Hershey Kiss jewelry, this line will be available to the public sometime this fall. (Jewelry collections for My Little Pony and Candy Land are also in the works.)
Of course, the stars always have first access to the hottest items, and the Scrabble necklaces are being spotted all over Hollywood, from Olivia Munn to Brooke Burke. Initial or monogrammed necklaces are all the rage right now, so it’s no surprise that stylists are swooping them up for their celeb clients. Here’s Carly Rae Jepsen sporting a “C.”
Rockin’ it!
The first pieces that will hit the market are the pendants. They come in sterling with white diamonds and 14K yellow gold with black diamonds.
When I spoke with World Trade Jeweler’s CEO, Murray Shabot, last week, he said that this is only the beginning. There will be some pieces made of wood (birchwood and mahogany), cufflinks, and even a bangle where you can add letters to spell out what you want. Cool! The price range will run from $50-$1000, so there’s really something for every budget.
One thing I love about this whole concept is that it really appeals to both kids and adults — it’s nostalgic and current at the same time. I also think it will be a great necklace for layering. Here’s Amanda Crew wearing an “A” with a simple tank.
I would style it layered with a couple longer necklaces to create a fun look. I will get to see this line in person this week, as it debuts at the JCK jewelry show in Las Vegas. Can’t wait!
(Photo credits for Carly and Amanda: Look Los Angeles PR. Photo credits for pendants: Lazar Advertising)
It’s certainly trunk show season, and I have been having lots of fun making new discoveries in the world of jewelry! One I particularly enjoyed was meeting Rebecca Longenecker and Meghan Zimmerman, the dynamic duo behind Metal Earth Studios, at a recent trunk show at Manika Jewelry in San Francisco.
Meeting the designers!
Meghan and Rebecca became friends when Rebecca moved in across the street from Meghan about nine years ago. Both having small children at the time, it was a natural connection. Fast forward about seven years, and their Oakland-based jewelry line was born. Rebecca had more of of the jewelry background, and Meghan has talents in art and photography. Combining all of their strengths, they started hand-crafting beautiful, organic, and bohemian jewelry.
They use green gold, ethically mined diamonds and sterling silver. “Each piece is created to help women feel connected to the earth, its elements, and the feminine creature,” Meghan told me. They do all the forging and finishing work themselves in their home studio. Wow!
The women hard at work
I love the mixed metals in this necklace.
The diamond really is a special touch!
And this necklace is beautiful on its own, or layered with other pieces.
The chain on this is fabulous as well
Since I have tiny wrists, I was very happy to see that they make bangles in small sizes too!
Perfect for stacking!
The designers are so inspired by the metals they design with, and they clearly have a talent for working with them. Take a look at these beautifully crafted rings.
Very versatile design
If this line appeals to your sense of personal style, I definitely recommend you check it out!
I was at the wrap desk at a boutique in Montecito paying for a blouse, when I was distracted the young 20-something salesgirl’s artfully layered necklaces. While I wouldn’t have necessarily thought to have put them together, I really admired the result! One was on a silver chain, one on a gold chain. One was a classic design, the other quite bohemian. Yet, they somehow worked together beautifully. Come to find out, the pave diamond and turquoise necklace was designed by her mother, a jewelry designer…clearly the jewelry gene is in the blood.
Ok…so I was meeting a friend for lunch downtown the other day. While waiting for her, I spied this gal pushing her baby carriage toward the door. Granted, I give her two big thumbs up for being “dressed up” with an infant — a feat to be applauded! So her jewelry struck me, and I was honestly not the big fan. I thought the cheap-looking bejeweled neon necklace really competed with the gold monogram necklace. In combination with the striped tee and the ruffled military jacket, I just thought it was a bit…uh…trying too hard. I think it would have been perfect minus the orange necklace.
SO interesting, though, that when my friend arrived (mid-photo shoot), she was completely in love with the look. So what’s your take? Thumbs up or down?
OK…perhaps not 50, but certainly a lovely spectrum of the color! I spotted this gal in my own ‘hood of Burlingame while she was buying some shoes for her daughter. (Lucky girl — they were cute booties!) I love how she combined the various shades with layered necklaces. The longer one is by Chan Luu and the others are some pearls she purchased while vacationing in San Diego. I love the combination, and how they were highlighted by the simple white top and coordinating cardigan. Snap!
Perfect ensemble for this transitional time of year!
