Wearing is Believing

Here Comes The Bride

If you’re anything like me, and apparently almost everyone I know, you were yelling at the TV during Monday night’s tragic-comic finale of The Bachelorette.  One of the reasons everyone was shouting: bachelorette Jillian Harris had the audacity to wear what initially appeared to be a white wedding dress to the final rose ceremony, where one of two suitors would propose to her.  Although upon closer inspection, the dress turned out to be pale pink, it still begged the question: jumping the gun much, Jill?

While maybe a premature choice, the strapless stunner, says Harris, made her feel like a princess.  The man behind the gown, Rafael Cennamo, is known for his high-end evening wear. Cennamo says designs for the chic individualist who knows what she wants (oh the irony of dressing indecisive Jillian for her proposal!).  Cennamo’s creations evoke a clean, classic style, yet are fresh and modern, too.  Cennamo plans to launch his first full bridal collection in October.

Getting ready to walk down the aisle yourself?  Check out the full range of bridal jewelry at Holsted Jewelers.  With the cash you save on their affordable yet incredibly stylish and beautiful bridal accessories, you can splurge on your gown!

Engagement Bling: Who's Wearing What?

When model Gisele Bunchen (left) wed Tom Brady, she didn’t wear her ring publicly for quite some time.  Gisele recently stepped out with a stunning ring that had everyone buzzing - a round cut, estimated 4-carat stunner set in platinum, which beautifully complements her pave diamond wedding band.

One thing’s for sure about celeb engagement rings - they’re always jaw-dropping! Girls Next Door star Kendra Wilkinson recently received a stunning white gold tri-band ring which features 60 diamonds and a center princess cut diamond (at right).  Carmen Electra’s engagement ring is completely non-traditional: a round-cut black diamond!  Jennifer Hudson worked with her fiance and jeweler Neil Lane to create her micro pave ring, which is set on a split-shank band.  The center stone is a whopping 5 carats!

The rings celebrities sport are tens of thousands of dollars -- but you can bring home the sparkle and glamour of their rings for a lot less. Get a look similar to Jennifer Hudson’s with Holsted Jewelers’ 30.5-Carat Secret Wish CZ Ring, which features a mix of round, pear, and oval-shaped cubic zirconia.  Want to capture the essence of Kendra Wilkinson’s engagement ring?  Try the 1 Ct. T.W. Diamond Ring in 10K White Gold.

Just a Little Bit Dramatic...

Check out this fun necklace I spotted on Etsy.com, a site which showcases all things handmade.  The Masquerade mask charm necklace is feminine and dainty without being too girly, and will add an element of mystery to whatever you pair it with!  The mask is made of brass, and hangs on an antiqued brass chain.  Best of all, it's less than $15!

Masquerade-inspired baubles have been spotted before -- the Phantom of the Opera movie spurned several collections that captured the luxe mystery of masquerade.  But with pieces like the Masquerade mask charm necklace creatimng great buzz, it could be the next big trend in jewelery. 

What do you think? Would you sport this masquerade-inspired trend? Tell us!

Trendspotting: Statement Earrings

Fashionistas are saying that the day of the statement necklace is over, and it’s all about statement earrings now.  Reese Witherspoon dripped diamonds with huge statement earrings in November’s Vogue, and everyone from Rosario Dawson to Heidi Klum and Christina Applegate are letting their earrings do the talking these days.  Right now, it’s all about shoulder-skimming, gemstone filled creations reminiscent of those Beyonce used to rock in the early Naughties. 

Chandelier and shoulder-dusting styles are the perfect way to draw attention upward, day or night.  The key with this trend is big and bold -- and chunky is preferable. Getting this look for less is simple: try Forever 21’s teardrop stone earrings ($8), Jai Johnson, Peacock feather shoulder dusters ($12), or Holsted Jewelers’ Sterling Silver Dewdrop Earrings ($84.50, at left), which feature more than 18 carats of faux blue topaz and clusters of green and champagne cubic zirconia.

Who is Me & Ro?

Me & Ro is a New York-based jewelry designer founded in 1991.  Me & Ro first garnered attention when Julia Roberts wore some of its silver and 10 kt gold pieces in the movie Notting Hill.  Since then, stars like Charlize Theron and Sheryl Crow have become fans of the line’s stackable rings, hammered bangles, personal amulets, and hoops of all size. 

Opting for subtlety over showiness, Me & Ro strives to create pieces that evoke simple beauty.  Designer Robin Renzi uses precious, rare and semi-precious materials, from diamonds to Antique Tibetan Coral, and hand sets them in platinum, gold, and silver.

Me & Ro’s pieces can cost thousands, but you can get the delicate beauty of the designer’s pieces for less!  Check out Holsted Jewelers’ Multi-colored CZ Candy Jar bracelet (at right), which features a bright array of pink, amethyst, lavender, champagne and peridot CZs, reminiscent of Me & Ro’s 18K Gold Small Multi-Color Sapphire Teardrop Bracelet.  The Fall Breeze Bracelet and Necklace Set, a delicate assemblage of gold chain and champagne and faux garnets, evokes the same simple beauty Me & Ro is known for.

Trendspotting: Animal Rings

One of the hottest new trends in accessories: animal rings.  Snakes to tigers, subtle to bold, animal rings are in.

Watch out for rings that are all one material, like gold or silver, with no embellishment -- they can look a little junior high if they’re faux.  If you go bold and jewel-encrusted, keep the rest of your accessories simple -- a few bangles will do, or a necklace, bracelet or earrings that coordinate with your ring, but don’t match exactly.  Going for an all-fish or all-leopard theme with your accessories is over-the-top and cheesy, and reminiscent of your crazy third grade art teacher.

You can try out this trend at any price range.  My absolute favorite: Noir’s adorable silver -plated koyu fish ring (above right).  Glitzy and fun, it makes me smile every time I see it!  The look for less: Holsted Jewelers’ True Temptation Snake Ring ($97.50, at left) glitters with 4.47 carats of white cubic zirconia.  Patricia Field’s new HSN line Destination Style New York also features a tiger ring ($149.95).  While not exactly my style, it’s a bold choice for a woman looking to make a statement.

Is Destination Style a Worthwhile Stop?

Sex & The City stylist Patricia Field recently launched her own clothing and accessory line for HSN, Destination Style New York.  Field made style the 5th leading lady on the HBO series, dressing the show’s heroines Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda in lavish, and often outlandish, creations that always inspired trends.  Field has a knack for seamlessly meshing high-end with low-end to create memorable looks -- most famously, the $5 thrift store tutu Sarah Jessica Parker wore in the series’ opening credits, which was paired with a designer pink leotard and heels.

Destination Style New York is reasonably priced, with pieces ranging from $20-$200.  Field calls the line, co-designed with her House of Field collaborator David Dalrymple, “affordable luxury”.

I was immediately struck by how much of the line seems lifted directly from SATC style, particularly the recent Sex & the City movie: from Carrie Bradshaw’s (Parker) wide studded belt (left) and over the top metallic flower dress (white in the movie, black for HSN) to Samantha Jones’ (Kim Cattrall) huge flower ring.  The HSN version of the ring is $39.95, goldtone and crystal (below right)-- a far cry from the $50K Samantha bid on her version in the film. 

I often watched the Sex & the City series and wondered how Carrie’s oversized flower pins or tacky chic “Carrie” necklace would play in reality, even in New York, where almost anything goes.  I decided that it simply wouldn’t work for most people -- Sex and the City style seemed, like runway shows, mostly for the press, a suggestion to real people and not to be directly imported into one’s life.  While I think pieces from Field’s line could work for the average woman, most of them will look like ridiculous outliers anywhere outside Manhattan.

However, it seems not everyone agrees with me -- available for less than a week, much of the Destination Style New York line is already sold out, according to HSN’s website.

The Bold and The Beautiful

Well, ladies, we finally have an answer to that age-old question -- size does matter...if you’re a trendspotter, that is.  Big is big in accessories right now, as chunky costume assemblages of glass, plastic and metal crop up everywhere.  The fun of this trend is that you don’t have to worry about passing off CZ as the real thing -- bold is more important than authenticity here.  Equally fun: you can can bargain hunt for obviously faux pieces, new or vintage -- eclectic and funky is the goal.

Larger retailers like Banana Republic (their Autumn Necklace is pictured at right) and J. Crew offer reasonably-priced takes on the trend.  Check out Fragments NYC and Alexis Bittar (at left, Alexis Bittar Large Diamond Dust Abalone Hinge Bracelet) for slightly pricier but more unique pieces. 

If you’re ready to dive into the bargain bins at vintage stores for the most unique pieces of all, there are some things to keep in mind.  Weight matters: the heavier the piece, the older it’s likely to be -- and it's more likely to be durable.  Jewelry designers started using more plastics and lightweight metals like aluminum after World War 2 -- before that, jewelry was often made of heftier metals.  Make sure you check out the clasps on your finds -- you want to make sure they’re sturdy, or at least easily replaceable.  Also, don’t let decades of dirt deter you from a piece you love -- you can always get them cleaned!

When shopping for accessories for the fall, just remember -- bigger is better!

Affordable Bling Alert: Buckle Rings

Buckle rings have become increasingly popular over the last few  years. It's not suprising, considering that the buckle itself is something that has been with us since ancient times. It is another one of those classic silhouettes that will be with us forever. Wearing it as a ring can be very costly, however, as much as $3900, as is the case with the one below by David Yurman: 

Those of us in the real world don't have to buckle under at the thought of paying so much. Take a look (on the right) at the Brilliant Buckle Ring. Over 100 white cubic zirconia gives it lots of sparkle and, at $36.85, the price will make your wallet sparkle as well, so much so, that you'll be able to purchase a coordinating bracelet and set of earrings

The Brilliant Buckle Set is only part of the story. There are a lot more "designer-inspired" styles available at a fraction of the cost at Holsted Jewelers. Try them on for size!

Blinged Out Perfume Bottles

Bond No. 9 is a fragrance company that creates scents dedicated to neighborhoods and popular destinations in New York City.  Some of their recent creations include scents named Union Square, Bryant Park and Saks Fifth Avenue (my new favorite). A few weeks ago I attended a special event at their Soho location, where they unveiled the results of a partnership with Austrian crystal giant, Swarovski:

The larger bottles are called the Bond No. 9 Swarovski Stars. You get your choice of the Bryant Park, Bleeker Street or Nuits de Noho scents. The smaller ones are the Swarovski Stars Bon Bons: all three scents above, plus Eau de New York. Each bottle is blinged out with thousands of Swarovski Crystals. These pictures don't do them justice. They are absolutely beautiful to behold. Imagine one of the larger bottles sitting on your vanity, or, better yet, pulling one of the Bon Bons out of your purse at a party. A glam moment, for sure!

Alas, these limited edition creations (which will be available in a few weeks) are too expensive for the average woman's budget.  The larger bottles will cost $650 each and the Bon Bons set will set you back $700.

Bond No. 9 isn't the only place showing off Swarovski Crystals, however.  Holsted Jewelers has Swarovski, too (minus the perfume, of course). To see it, click here.