elizabeth and james earrings – Jewelry Fashion Tips

You may have heard them called ear climbers, ear crawlers, and even ear cuffs. But the common denominator is that these earrings are not your typical pair. They are often singular or mis-matched, and they quite honestly, crawl up your ear a bit. Over a year ago I wrote an article about this trend (click here to read it), and it appears to be one that’s not just a flash-in-the-pan. Not only are the celebrities wearing them, but it’s hitting the streets all over.

Taylor Schilling rocking a diamond ear climber at the 2014 Emmy awards

I have to admit, I’m intrigued. As I always tell my clients, there are going to be lots of trends out there each season, but that doesn’t mean you need to adopt them. Just stay true to your personal style, and try the ones that really resonate with you. Well, my personal style, which I define as “urban bohemian,” was all over trying this out, but in a more understated way. So off I went on an internet shopping spree, and the next thing I knew, my UPS guy was knocking at my door. I chose this topaz and ruthenium pair by Elizabeth and James (gotta love the Olson twins!) for my first attempt. Can I say love at first wear?!

Yes, this is a matching pair, but I thought it was a nice, not-too-extrme way to try it all out. And I must say that on my first three days wearing them, I’ve been stopped numerous times with inquiries. It did take a little maneuvering to get them to stay in the right place. I’ve squeezed the cuff part to really grab my earlobe so that they don’t droop down during the day.

Now, I want to explore the next step, where I have a crawler in one ear, and just a stud or hoop in the other. Here are some of the options I’m exploring. First is this gorgeous bezel-set earring by Jacquie Aiche.

If your personal style is a little more rocker, then these graduated spikes by Smith + Mara might get you going.

smith + mara graduated spike ear crawler

Perhaps your style is more feminine and whimsical. Then Jennifer Zeuner may have you pegged with these butterfly or pearl renditions.

jennifer zeuner symone small ear crawler

Even the minimalist can find an interpretation of this trend. This cutout design, again by Smith + Mara, is so sleek and simple yet it is still just so much more than your average earring.

If you want to take things just a step farther, then take a look at these bedazzled vines by Ca & Lou. They are definitely more of a statement.

And for the grand finale, I think this black diamond star by Milka Star is pretty spectacular. What a way to spice up your outfit!

So what about YOU? Is this a trend that appeals to you? Are you going to try it out? Or is this one you’ll reserve for viewing on the pages of fashion magazines? Please post your comments and photos!

I was so happy to hear how much you liked my first installment of Accessorize Me, and I appreciate all the comments! So here we are with our second article. I did get quite a few inquiries about the different items in the last post regarding how much they cost and where to purchase them. Please know that each and every item has a link directly to the product, so if you’re interested in knowing more about a particular piece, just click on the highlighted link and it’ll take you right there. Easy-peezy.

One of my clients received a generous gift card for her birthday, and she decided to purchase something special that she normally wouldn’t have bought for herself — this beautiful Vince suede oversized top.

In order to make her purchase make sense, as it was certainly an investment, we had to make sure she could wear it a variety of ways. The rule is that the more you wear something, the lower the cost-per-wear will be. The first look we went for was one with a very casual, yet pulled-together beachy vibe. We started with a pair of Kut from the Kloth “Mia” skinny jeans. (side note: This is a great brand and cut for a curvy figure.)

Now comes the really fun part, selecting the right accessories to really express her casual, cool California style. The centerpiece is this fab necklace from Anthropologie. It’s definitely a statement in its scale, and the bold horn combined with the cotton cord creates a very bohemian, organic look.

anthropolgie legend & song daylight horn necklace

Adding this mixed metal ring and rustic gold hoops complement the neutral tones in the rest of the outfit. I really enjoy mixing metals, and I find it can really add some dimension to an outfit.

In lieu of a traditional bag, this metallic woven tote with these snake print sandals (only $39!) complete the ensemble.

But now how to step it up? She wanted to wear the same top to an upcoming outdoor cocktail party at a friend’s house, looking sleek and sophisticated. First step was to find a white pencil skirt. When wearing a fuller cut on top, balancing it out with a slimmer silhouette on the bottom works well. I also made sure the skirt was longer than the length of the top, giving the two pieces an uneven proportion, which is always more flattering than a half-half proportion.

For a more sophisticated look, I opted for streamlined gold cuffs (one on each wrist) and modern earrings by Elizabeth and James.

kristen elspeth gold cuff and elizabeth and james earrings

It’s always good to add a bit of texture, though, so this ring by Rebecca Minkoff does the trick. (It would also mix very well with the ring from the first outfit.)

rebecca minkoff earth eclectic open pave ring

For the finishing touches, these neutral bootie-style sandals (which would also rock with jeans) and a killer Jimmy Choo bag in multiple neutral shades, stylishly ties it all together.

sole society shoes and jimmy choo candy clutch

Another thing I’m looking forward to, aside from creating more combinations for her for this season, is also transitioning this top into fall. It’s really something that can be worn 9 months of the year here in the Bay Area, which will continue to make the cost-per-wear go down. I would love to hear your thoughts on these ensembles!

Tag: elizabeth and james earrings

Ear Climbers for Beginners

Accessorize Me: Vince Suede Top