Earrings – Page 16 – Jewelry Fashion Tips

Valentine’s Day Gifts (For Yourself)

I think I may approach Valentine’s Day differently than many women. True, I don’t currently have a love in my life to share it with in the way that Hallmark intended us to, but that really doesn’t make me sad. I feel complete with myself, and I think this holiday is another perfect opportunity to gift myself with a heart-felt token…no, not chocolate (though that’s not off the table), but with jewelry of course! With the overabundance of catalogues and e-mails flooding my mailboxes, I came across many items that would definitely bring a not-so-obviously-valentine-sy smile to my heart.

The first is this heart pendant by Mizuki. The word “love” is subtly spelled out with pave diamonds. (Thanks to my friend Jen for modeling it while we were shopping at Red Bird.)

Again, liking the subtle reference to the heart theme, I thought this bracelet by Zoe Chicco would be so cool in a big bracelet stack. Though you would know you were wearing a self-love gift, most people would just admire your bracelet collection as a whole.

I know there are some of you that would rather have a more obvious sentiment. Meeting in the middle, these 14K gold hearts with white diamonds featured in the Arhaus catalogue would achieve this.

I adore this ring by Workhorse, and if you’re a Francophile, you undoubtedly will as well. Perfect on its own or in a creative stack, I “heart” it.

If you want to be more incognito, then how about this cuff by Coordinates. You can have the coordinates of a special occasion engraved. This doesn’t meant it has to be where you were married or where you first fell in love, but how about where you were born or where you had some other significant event happen in your life, just for you?!

And last, but certainly not least, perhaps you are inspired by the colors associated with Valentine’s Day — from pink to red. If so, then these amazing sea glass rings by Aloha Sea Glass are just perfect.

I wish all of you a wonderful Valentine’s Day. May you fill it with whatever it is that makes you happiest, be it a special dinner with your love, a luxurious massage, or your favorite cocktail and a little trash TV. Cheers! xo

Fern Freeman: Designer

Coming from the world of fashion, Fern Freeman is a prolific jewelry designer! When I stopped at their booth at the JCK show, I learned that a whopping 70% of the items in their cases were brand new.

The line is full of statement pieces, many with a creative, bohemian edge. This is definitely at the opposite end of the spectrum from delicate chains and skinny stacking rings. Take a gander at this long labradorite pendant.

And what about this geode and diamond necklace with a double chain? Yes, please!

I was also loving this rhodium cuff with a diamond bar. It’s large, yet still a bit delicate at the same time.

And is it cocktail time? I mean cocktail ring, that is. I’ll take mine in the form of this crystal and 22K gold ring.

And because I’m obsessed with all shades of aqua, these agate and moonstone earrings are a gypset girls dream!

Would some of these pieces work for your personal style? How would you style them?

The Bachelor 2014: Jewelry Dish

I know I wasn’t the only one tuned in to The Bachelor during its season premiere on Monday. While this certainly isn’t a brain-enriching show, I consider it “mind candy” after a long day. Plus, I’m pretty content just watching Juan Pablo for the two hours!

This season the lucky bachelor has 27 single hotties to choose from!

As each woman steps from the limo, you know that you just can’t help giving her the once-over, from her head to her toes. They say it only takes 7 seconds to make a first impression, so clearly they all were trying their hardest to make the best impression possible. Unfortunately, although they are all just gorgeous in their own way, I felt some of the lovely ladies missed the mark with their accessory choices.

First, take a look at Christy. Wearing a floor-length white halter gown, a beaded headband and extra-sparkly long earrings, I couldn’t decide if she knew she wasn’t a bride, at least at this point in the game. Not such a subtle statement, if you ask me!

Then there’s Lucy, the free spirit from Santa Barbara. While I understand her love of hippie chic, I really don’t think the flower-child hairpiece and the lack of shoes (seriously!!) and make-up did her any favors, especially on TV.

At the other end of the spectrum, you’ve got Elise, who apparently thought she was competing in a beauty pageant. The floor-length jewel encrusted gown (which must have weighed a ton!!) was one thing, but then when she added the oversized, cheap-looking earrings and the big hair, it was just all wrong. (but great for Miss America!)

Of course, there’s always got to be someone who turns on the waterworks during each episode, and this week is was Lauren H. While she’s just a darling girl, I think it would have been better if she skipped the necklace (and the tears) with her asymmetrical one-shouldered gown. The chandelier earrings would have been plenty, and the “matchy matchy” set is a bit dated.

I will say that Sharleen, the opera singer from Canada by way of Germany, did stand out from the crowd with her ensemble. While most of the women really went all-out glitz, Sharleen opted for a simple, yet sophisticated unembellished gown with statement earrings. (I think they may be by Alexis Bittar, but don’t quote me on that.) I don’t think it was necessarily her best color, but it still made for a great impression. So much so, that Juan Pablo gave her the first impression rose!

I’m sure next week the girls will spend half of the episode in bikinis or some other skimpy outfit (after all, this is the Bachelor), and I’ll be curious to see how the girls bejewel themselves for that. Are you watching the show? Would love to hear your opinions!

Moritz Glik: Designer

I love approaching the different booths at the Couture show in Las Vegas– it’s like being a kid in a candy shop, and there are countless treats to be savored. That’s just how I felt when meeting Moritz Glik and trying on some of his amazing collection!

Born and raised in Brazil, Moritz came to the US in 1991. Though he was an extremely talented shoe designer, he eventually made the shift to jewelry-making. Buying the tools and teaching himself the art, Moritz started his own line about 12 years ago. He is famous for designing pieces that have diamonds that appear to be “floating” in a shaker-like concept. Take these earrings, for example — they have diamonds enclosed in double white sapphires. Have you ever seen anything like it?

The champagne rose cut diamonds in these earrings with pink gold and blackened silver, are truly unique. (This is his first collection where he’s used pink gold.) You can see how he is inspired by antique jewelry, yet he hand-crafts something so contemporary.

I was drawn to his link bracelets with various “charms.” Here’s one from his new kaleidoscope collection with a blackened silver chain along with yellow and white diamonds in the charms.

I tried one on, and it melded beautifully with my bracelet stack. Love it!!

Here is a cool trio of his designs.

He also makes some substantial cuffs. This one makes a bold statement. As Moritz told me, “I bring downtown cool wearability to diamonds.” Agreed!

This is a "wow" piece! — This is a “wow” piece!

His collection of rings also showcase his floating diamonds. I particularly adore this large one with white and champagne diamonds.

Not only is Moritz branching out with pink gold this time around, but he’s also started using colored stones. This necklace has both diamonds and colored sapphires.

You can find Moritz’s line sold at many retailers around the globe, including at Fragments in NYC. Definitely worth checking out!

Downton Abbey Jewelry: Jewelry Judge

I, like many of you reading this post, am a HUGE fan of the British series, Downton Abbey. In fact, I’ve got Jan 5, 2014 on my calendar for the premiere of season 4 here in the States! The series starts towards the end of Edwardian England in 1912, and the third season ended around 1920. Aside from the perfectly cast actors and the compelling story lines, I eagerly await each episode to see what the characters are wearing. (Kudos to the costume designer!)

The period costumes are truly beautiful!

Imagine my surprise when I spotted this display while shopping in Macy’s over the weekend.

I took a closer look at many of the pieces.

While the line definitely evokes the feel of the era, I really don’t see how this collection is going to take off. Granted, if you were dressing as one of the characters for Halloween, then this is ideal. But are people really going to go for it in real life? I’m dubious. Perhaps someone with a romantic personal style may opt for a piece here and there, but I don’t see myself or most people I know running out to Macy’s to purchase. What’s your opinion? Would love to hear from you!

Haunting Jewelry for Halloween and Beyond

You may not know this about me, but I taught 3rd grade for 8 years. Being a fashionista, I know that you won’t be surprised to learn that I had THE most amazing collection of holiday jewelry for every event from Valentine’s Day to Thanksgiving — wood cut-out pieces, necklaces that required batteries, and many home-crafed gifts from students. My 8 and 9 year-old audience loved it! I had many items like these below in my jewelry box.

When I “retired” from teaching to enter the world of fashion 15 years ago, I quickly realized that I wanted my holiday jewelry to be a bit more refined and subtle. (and BOY did my teacher jewelry sell like hotcakes at my garage sale!!) With that in mind, I wanted to share some hauntingly cool jewelry befit for October 31st — or really, let’s be frank, any day. Enjoy!

Bing Bang rose gold skull and chain earrings

REAL spider web preserved by Dolly Bird Design

Pearl and spider earrings by Anna Ruth Henriques

Happy Halloween!! And I hope that you get some M&M’s in your trick-or-treat basket, because let’s face it, it’s the best candy out there! 😉

Statement Hoops: Jewelry Judge

So the “statement necklace” has been a big trend (no pun intended) for quite some time. But as I was paying for a garment at Bloomingdale’s at Stanford this week, I was struck by the earrings the darling gal ringing me up was wearing. Now mind you, it’s the “uniform” at Bloomies that they have to wear black, and so many of the employees lack a personal touch with their outfits. I love how this woman made a major fashion statement with some very large scale hoops.

Now you have to know, that this is a very petite gal, and the inherent scale of earrings for her would normally be much smaller. (Read about choosing the scale of your jewelry here.) But by choosing these large hoops, she was deliberately making a dramatic fashion choice. I also think her big smile really helped balance them out. In addition, her slightly upturned eyes gives her an exotic look, which is complemented by the bold earrings. It’s not necessarily the earrings I would have first though to pick out for her, but as Tim Gunn would say, she made it work!

Brumani

Brumani is a Brazilian-based jewelry line that I’ve been seeing more and more of on the Red Carpet and adorning celebrities about town, from Jennifer Lawrence to Penelope Cruz. Here’s Jennifer Lopez wearing earrings and multiple rings from their “Looping Shine” collection in NYC recently.

I was thrilled to check out the collection live while at the Couture jewelry show. The array of dazzling colors and gem-laden pieces was enough to get my inner princess drooling!! And visiting their booth was like having a little vacation, including perfumes of the most popular scents of the country.

Though this is relatively young brand, founded in 2005 by three brothers (Eduardo, Emerson and Rodrigo Bruner), they have a 50+ year family history in jewelry making. The essence of the line is all about Brazil, “…inspired by Brazilian music, by the magic and colors of the Carnival, the feminine universe, the arts, the nature of Brazil and by the connection of different cultures brought together by a shared history.”

Their “Looping Shine” collection strives to “connect the many bonds people have in life: friends, relationships, experiences…It’s a tribute to love, to affection, to companionship, to friendship and to fellowship.” The pieces are made from rose gold with diamonds and double faceted translucent quartz, which has been polished with a diamond powder. I would SO wear one of those big rings!!

They also have a collection based on the very exotic Baobab tree. Here are some rings from this group that sparkle like crazy!

This following image showcases pieces from the “Baobab Grass” collection. I was so taken by the frosted, matte look of the lemon quartz. (It reminded me of sea glass, which you know I love.) In combination with brown diamonds, chrysoberyl, and Mandarin garnet, these truly are jewels fit for royalty.

The “Baobab Parahyba” collection features white gold and diamonds with hues of blue, including aquamarines and the rare Parahyba tourmaline.

I also thought their “Nude” collection was very cool. Perhaps a bit more casual, these pieces make a statement about the range in human skin color, “..a way to show appreciation for the ethnic diversity in colors that range from white to beige; from champagne to pink; from brown to black.” Love that inspiration! Here’s a lovely pair of earrings with stunning faceted smoky quartz drops.

This line just really makes my jewelry soul smile. Their goal is to “design jewelry that represents the joy of living from the Brazilian soul” and I think they’ve done just that!

Elizabeth and James Jewelry Line

I must admit that I’ve had a fascination with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen ever since they shared the role of the youngest Tanner daughter on Full House. Fast forward about 25 years, and these twins are a fashion force to be reckoned with! They even won the coveted CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year award in 2012 for their line, The Row! I, of course, was thrilled when they launched a fashion jewelry line under their Elizabeth and James label. I was extremely please to meet with Jocelyn Helm, the head designer for the line (and a twin herself!) for the second year in a row at the Couture jewelry show.

Jocelyn has been designing the line for about 4 years now, and I must say that I’ve been a huge fan since its inception. I have a couple pieces from when she launched the line (which are still among my fave items in my jewelry box), and I seem to keep adding to my collection. I appreciate the price points and how you really get big looks that are affordable. This line does an excellent job at melding “uptown sophistication and feminine detail” with “laid-back, downtown edge.” One of the collections shown this year is called Berlin. It’s comprised of pieces with bold, linear lines, and it’s inspired by old-world ironwork and European windowpanes. Metals include black ruthenium and yellow gold plate with white topaz, black spinel, lapis, carnelian and black onyx. Here’s a pair of earrings from this group.

I fell in love with this cuff from the same collection when I saw it locally, at Wilke’s Bashford in San Francisco. Yes, it went home with me, and I love how I feel so modern and a bit edgy when I wear it.

I was also very intrigued by another new collection, called Northern Star. The cohesive note here was the “delicate compass stars (which are) evocative of vintage Vicotrian era.” The pieces are comprised of all-natural white topaz, carnelian, lapis, and green onyx with yellow gold plated designs. I love these two rings from this group! (both available at Shopbop.com) They show the range in style within the collection, yet with a unifying theme of the star points.

Finally, I got a sneak peek at their resort line called Metropolis, clearly named for the amazing skyline of New York City. With an art deco feel, the pieces are bold and colorful. These earrings are crafted from amazonite, lapis, and created rubies and sapphires.

While at the show, I was lusting after this chunky chain plated brass bracelet with an amazonite clasp. Love it!! Perhaps I’ll see it in a store soon…

If this line interests you, then I encourage you to try on some of the pieces at a retailer near you!

Irit Design

Quite a few years ago, I ripped out this page from a magazine, and it has lived in my “style file” ever since. The article was about Amber Valetta, and I was just obsessed with the jewelry she was wearing!

The object of my desire was a pile of expertly layered necklaces by Irit Design. As the years passed, I was always on the lookout for her line — I wanted to see it in person! Well luck would have it that Neiman Marcus in San Francisco started carrying it, and I was in the store recently when she was having a personal appearance and trunk show. Lucky me!

This Malibu-based designer was just as lovely as her line. She took the time to really show me (and my client, Karen) her new pieces, and we spent over an hour trying everything on! Here’s Karen modeling her snake handcuff. It’s so unique and edgy! It’s nicely complemented with the chevron knuckle ring.

All of her jewelry is hand made in Los Angeles. She uses recycled sterling, conflict-free diamonds, and Tahitian pearls. And let me tell you, the designs rock! Here I am trying on a stack of her bracelets.

I loved these triple pearl earrings. The diamonds at the top add just the right amount of sparkle.

For a more all-out diamond look, these earrings, called “bubbles,” are quite tremendous.

Celebrity clients range from Sandra Bullock to Halle Berry. Even the First Lady, Michelle Obama, is a fan. Here she is looking quite smashing in Irit Design!

Not only is Irit a talented designer, but I learned that she is incredibly charitable as well. “Dogs are my favorite thing in life,” she told me, and she is very active in animal rescue charities. Love that about her. Irit’s line is available in various states around the country and online. Click here for a list of stockists.