2011 – Page 4 – Jewelry Fashion Tips

Julez Bryant: Designer

“Be your own sugar daddy” is Julez Bryant’s tag line, and I couldn’t agree more! I have shopped for my own jewelry with this very mantra in mind my whole adult life. Why wait for someone to buy you a beautiful gem when you can buy it for yourself? You’re worth it!

julez bryant candy bar — Julez' tag line on a chocolate bar...yum!

I was so pleased to meet her at her recent trunk show at Les Duex Copines in Burlingame, California. Julez, formerly of the tech world, has been making jewelry for about eleven years now. In speaking with her, her passion for design and sparkle were evident. She believes that jewelry should be versatile and “add a zing of casual luxury” to your wardrobe–wear her pieces with jeans or a cocktail dress. Her collection is meant to be mixed and matched, both within the line and with other jewelry you may have.

julez bryant — Meeting Julez Bryant at Les Duex Copines

She makes her jewelry in house, down in southern California. (Gotta love that!) When she started the line, she worked mostly with rose gold, and that is her signature. Now she also works with yellow and white gold, along with sterling silver. Her beautiful designs are highlighted by white, black, and cognac diamonds.

julez-cross:ring — Stacking rings and a cross necklace

She is also known for her charms, which can be purchased individually or on a necklace. And if you see one of her pieces yet would like to tweak it a bit, she’s more than willing to do that as well. (as evidenced by my friend who did exactly that at the event)

julez-necklaces — a selection of Julez' disco ball necklaces

Another very cool thing about her is that she will “remodel” one of your own pieces of jewelry, incorporating the older piece with something new. While I was at the trunk show, a woman came in with a baggie of vintage jewelry, and Julez jumped right into creative gear thinking up inventive redesign plans. Just fabulous!

If you want to check out Julez Bryant’s line for yourself, be sure to visit Les Duex Copines or her website for a store location near you! You won’t be disappointed by her (and I quote) “little pieces of magic.”

Layering Necklaces: It’s all in the Mix

You may have noticed that one of the hot trends in the world of jewelry has been layering necklaces. But have you been afraid to try this out yourself? Don’t be, because there are no hard and fast rules. Instead, just play around a little and see what sparks your creative eye.

Start with one necklace that hits around your upper balance point. Then add another one that’s a bit longer, maybe even two more. You might try one of your longer necklaces and doubling it. The following picture demonstrates how a longer necklace was wrapped around twice and combined with a shorter necklace for a stunning effect.

jen layered necklaces — layering a short necklace with a doubled longer one

This photograph shows how a shorter necklace is layered with a doubled longer one. Then added to the mix is yet another one, worn long, for sort of a three-tiered effect. I’m just lovin’ it.

three-tiered layered necklaces — layering three necklaces

One more thing you may want to experiment with is the scale of the necklaces you’re layering. Sometimes a combination you may have never thought about just looks hot. I practically accosted this woman, Janet, in Neiman Marcus when her creative combination really got my attention.

I just think the chunkiness of the carved wood necklace creates beautiful juxtaposition with the more delicate blue beaded strand with the gold medallion.

So here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it. Go to your jewelry box, haul out all your necklaces (even the ones that have been hiding in the deep recesses) and start playing around. I’m sure you’ll find some combinations that really resonate with your personal style.

Manika: An SF Treasure!

When Mankia Jewelry opened on the second block of quaint Maiden Lane about 5 years ago, I of course had to visit. Beyond the wide array of artisan jewelry they carry, I was also completely impressed by the owners, Peter and Monica Walsh. The philosophy of the store is that they want to sell amazing jewelry at a fair price–no big mark-ups and no big sales. (Personally, I think they are even under-priced!) With price points ranging from $150-$6000, there’s truly something for everyone.

Peter Walsh of Manika Jewelry — Peter Walsh, owner of Manika Jewelry

About half their lines are local designers, and the majority of their designers use reclaimed metals. (Perhaps the new “slow jewelry” movement?!) The styles they carry run the gamut from modern and edgy to more ethnic. You want silver? They’ve got it. Kimberly certified diamonds? Check. Semi-precious stones? You know it.

One designer that caught my eye was Clare Ullman, from right here in the Bay Area. (Berkeley to be exact) I loved her pieces with oxidized silver, yellow gold, and natural diamonds.

Clare Ullman jewelry — Jewelry by Clare Ullman

I was also extremely intrigued by a case of handmade silver jewelry from Laos. The workmanship is exquisite!

Laotian line at Manika — Amazing handmade jewelry from Laos

Not only does Manika offer beautiful merchandise, but they also give back. At all their trunk shows, a percentage of the profit is donated to charity. It’s truly jewelry with a heart. Be sure to stop in next time you’re in the Union Square area.

Cleaning Silver

Tarnish is the bane of my existence with my silver jewelry. Storing it in a jewelry box or a felt bag certainly cuts down on the tarnish, but nevertheless, it eventually comes.

sterling silver cuffs — sterling silver cufffs

Christine Campbell, the owner of one of my FAVE boutiques, Crimson Mim, (with locations in Los Altos and Palo Alto, CA) made a very cool video clip of a new way to tackle the tarnish. I haven’t tried it yet with my own jewelry, but she says it works like a miracle!

No more stinky creams or treated cleaning gloves for me!

Hiking Jewelry

No…I’m not kidding. Hiking jewelry has actually become a priority in my life. (Who would have ever thought it?!) I guess that’s what happens when you’re dating a very outdoorsy guy and you suddenly find yourself exploring caves and falling in rivers. I can’t be doing these activities wearing my typical earrings (too big), bracelets (might break), watch (doesn’t mix with water) or necklaces (just plain inappropriate with hiking gear). So, it’s back to the jewelry drawing board for me.

The first thing was to find a watch that wasn’t completely ugly and could take some rough and tumble action. I found the perfect line with Baby G watches. They are very reasonably priced, good in water up to 200 meters, and shock resistant. I found a fairly large selection at my local Bloomingdale’s. Of course I feel under-accessorized without a bracelet, so I complemented the watch with a leather and woven silver bracelet I had purchased in Sweden. The clasp is extremely secure, so I don’t have to worry about it falling off next time I find myself submerged…

hiking watch & bracelet — My Baby G-shock hiking watch

I think the key factors in selecting hiking bracelets (beyond the fact that they can’t look too blingy…they’ve got to have a more natural feel) are having a secure closure and being able to withstand the elements. This rules out any sort of bracelet on a string or elastic, as they can easily break. Also, toggle closures are a no-no. One idea I like is the woven leather or cord bracelets that are self-tightening. You can find them at all price points. Tai is one brand I have road-tested and they’re readily available in many stores and online. Wrap braclets with a hearty button closure are another great option, and Chan Luu is a wonderful designer of wraps. (A friend of mine has had one of these on for years, scuba-diving and all, and it still looks great.) You can find different takes on these two themes everywhere.

Now what about the perfect hiking necklace? Well, I certainly don’t recommend wearing anything too precious and it, too, must be pretty hearty. I was at Margaret O’Leary on Fillmore street in San Francisco and came across a fabulous solution! Margaret Solow makes petite pendants of semi-precious stones on a polyester/nylon cord that’s pretty much unbreakable. Sign me up!

margaret solow necklaces — Perfect hiking necklaces by Margaret Solow

Finally, the earrings. I think you’ve got to keep it pretty darn simple here, with either studs or very small hoops. Otherwise, you may find yourself with only one earring at the end of your adventure. Happy hiking! 🙂

Meredith Marks: Designer

I’m like a kid in a candy store when I attend jewelry trunk shows. When I have the opportunity to see a designer’s line that I never have seen before AND it’s tremendous, it’s like Christmas morning. That’s exactly how I felt last week when I went to see the Meredith Marks show at Angela in Menlo Park. WOW!

Meeting designer Meredith Marcks — Meeting designer Meredith Marks

The first thing that struck me about her line was it’s diversity. Some pieces had a more exotic flair, while others were polished to the nines. I also appreciate how she uses gold (in various colors), silver, and both precious and semi-precious stones, which gives her collection a wide range in price points. It is accessible jewelry to be loved and worn.

Another wonderful feature is the multi-functionality of many of her pieces. For example, she showed me a pair of larger earrings (the elongated pointed ovals on the left side of the picture below) where the dangling part comes off and can be used as a pendant on a necklace. Another necklace she showed me is the perfect length to be used as a wrap bracelet as well. With jewelry that can be used in a variety of ways, it really makes your jewelry dollar go farther.

meredith marks jewelry — A selection of Meredith Marks jewelry

Meredith started her line a couple years ago, and her passion for it is palpable as she talks with you and shows you various pieces. You can’t currently find her jewelry in any US department stores–just specialty boutiques. In my mind, this makes her line all the more coveted, as it’s truly unique. If you’re interested in seeing her jewelry, you can contact her to find where it’s sold near you.

Scale: How Big or How Small?

You may have noticed that over the years, the scale or size of jewelry goes up and down. I remember the huge plastic jewelry of the 1980’s and the petite chain and crystal necklaces from the 1990’s. (Think Monica and Rachel a la Friends) Currently, jewelry seems to be fairly large scale, though there are many choices when you go shopping. So how do you choose what to buy?

First of all, you need to get a basic understanding of what large, medium and small scale jewelry looks like. Here’s an example shown in necklaces.

large, medium, and small scale necklaces

This same guideline applies to all types of jewelry, from the thinnest of gold bands to the chunky cocktail ring…from simple diamond studs to shoulder-grazing chandelier earrings. Once you can identify the scale of a piece, you next need to decide what would work best on you.

Think about your physical being and how much “space” you occupy in the world. Are you tall? Short? Somewhere in between? And think about your skeletal frame. Just because I’m quite tall, I actually have very small bones, as shown in my tiny wrists and ankles.

Finally, think about the scale of your facial features. Do you have large eyes? A small button nose? A smile to rival Julia Roberts?

Knowing how you visually come across will help you in determining the most inherent jewelry scale for you. By inherent, I mean the scale that is most naturally pleasing and complimentary to you. For me, I can carry pretty large scale jewelry due to my height and the size of my facial features, but I need to mix it with some medium or small scale to balance out my small bones. Often, I can achieve this by layering necklaces and bracelets of different scales. (I will elaborate on how to do this in a future post.)

Now keep in mind that this is how to get an inherent look. You can also create drama by selecting a scale that you wouldn’t normally choose. For example, picture some five foot tall gal who constantly wears large, oversized necklaces–and she looks fabulous! This is because she’s making a dramatic statement with her necklaces. Plus, it may very well be part of her jewelry signature. Here’s a perfect example of creating drama with a large scale necklace:

creating drama with a large scale necklace

So take all this information and look at your jewelry with new eyes. You may get an “ah ha!” or two…

Dominique Cohen: Designer

I have been a huge Dominique Cohen fan for years, so I was especially excited to meet her in person at a recent trunk show in San Francisco.

I’ve always considered Dominique’s jewelry as perfect layering pieces. Although she makes all different types of jewelry, I associate her most with her necklaces. She has core collection chains in rose and yellow gold. To these you can add a variety of pendants.

She features semi-precious and precious stones, as well as stunning pearls to her jewelry. By adding different layers and stones, you get completely different effects. It’s wonderful (and cost-effective) how you can keep adding different necklaces to your collection over the years, yet they all mix and match perfectly, both with themselves and with other necklaces you already own.

I also love the fact that her jewelry is made right here in the USA. It is hand made, and she casts each gold piece in her Los Angeles facility.

Here are a necklace and some earrings from her spring 2011 line:

You can find her jewelry at Neiman Marcus, Sak’s Fifth Avenue and various smaller boutiques. Read more about her and her line at Dominique Cohen.

Necklace Length: Where Should it Hit?

How many times have you found yourself at the jewelry counter trying on a necklace and wondering if it looks just right? Is it too long? Too short? Why is it just not quite right but I don’t know why?

Well I’m happy to say that the concept of balance points will help you determine the most flattering necklace lengths for you. And the bonus is that it’s simple–no rocket science involved.

To find your first balance point, measure (with string, a ruler, or whatever) the distance from your hairline down to your chin. (If you have thick bangs, then measure from the bottom of your bangs to your chin.) Then, drop this same distance down from your chin. Voila–that’s a balance point and a great place for necklaces to hit. Often, if you’re wearing a top with a neckline that feels to “high” and you add a necklace that hits at this balance point, then it suddenly works much better.

For the second balance point, just double this length. In other words, take that first measurement from your hairline to your chin, double it, and then drop it down from your chin to find a perfect spot for your long necklaces to hit.

With this handy guideline, I encourage you to visit your jewelry box. If you encounter some neglected necklaces, perhaps its just the length that needs a little adjusting.

What’s Your Jewelry Signature?

When people think about you and your jewelry, do you have a signature? Perhaps it’s the big, chunky men’s watch that you wear every day. Or are you usually wearing the topaz cocktail ring your grandmother handed down to you? If you’re me, then you are inexplicably drawn to necklaces with horn pendants. Whenever my friends and clients see a horn necklace, they inevitably think of Amy.

horn jewelry collection — A selection of my horn pendant necklaces

Developing your jewelry signature goes hand-in-hand with your personal style. It speaks to who you are and what you love. Having your personal style clearly defined is the first building block of developing your jewelry collection. Without a solid sense of your personal style, then you are left adrift in the sea of fashion, and you’ll undoubtedly make some purchases you will later regret.

Think about what makes your heart sing. If you are drawn to more classic styles, then your signatures may include pearls, a gold link bracelet with a monogrammed charm, or a Cartier tank watch. The romantic will likely have layers of pearls or dreamy chandelier earrings. Baubles in turquoise, red coral, and armfuls of bangles will undoubtedly be part of a bohemian style.

Having a jewelry signature really puts the “you” in your ensemble. It could be just one specific piece (like a bangle with a horseshoe on it) or it could include a general theme (such as jeweled stacking rings or pieces with your initial on it). The goal is to not walk around looking like a cookie-cutter image from the latest catalogue or magazine. Instead, let your individuality shine through. So what is your jewelry signature?