Jewelry Highlights from Paris and Milan

Jewelry hunting at last year's spring ready-to-wear collections was like shooting fish in a barrel. Everywhere you looked there were huge statement necklaces, boatloads of bangles and lots of layered links.

This year? The runway shine is as dull as a Michael Bolton quickstep.

HOWEVER - there are two noteworthy designers that used the jewel to make their lines pop: Giorgio Armani in Milan and Zac Posen in Paris (his show wrapped just hours ago). Observe...

Armani's Spring Ready-to-Wear collection was all about midnight madness. The navy night sky in Africa was Mr. Armani's inspiration, according to Style.com - and the jewelry he chose echoed the sentiment beautifully (I'm digging out my midnight sapphires as we speak...).

Zac Posen's line was more flirty, feathered and flapperish - with mesh jewelry styles that scream "Industrial Maven meets Prohibition Chic". Bravo.

With the Parisian pret-a-porter extravaganza just underway, some of my favorite designers are still on the calendar - Dior/Galliano, Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier. Will they bejewel their beauties? Stay tuned...

Christina Applegate Designs Jewelry

 

Celebrity jewelry designers are a dime a dozen these days, but I'm happy to report Christina Applegate is flexing her creative muscles for a cause other than the status of her own bank account. 

People reports the pregnant Samantha Who? star is assisting designer, Alex Woo to create a pendant necklace to honor Breast Cancer Awareness month and raise money for her Right Action for Women foundation.  A breast cancer survivor, herself, Applegate was honored to be a part of the process.

“This piece reminds me so much of the roses I made out of ribbons for my friends and family while in the hospital,” Christina told People. “I am so grateful to Alex for creating such a beautiful piece to benefit Right Action for Women. Proceeds from the necklace will help women at high risk for breast cancer get the screenings and testing they need to beat this disease.”

The tree and branches within the pendant–offered in both silver ($198) and gold ($998)–are designed to signify balance, peace, harmony and the curves of a woman. The seven leaves represent each day of the week, reminding women to live everyday to the fullest.


Interested in joining the fight - and looking fabulous while you're at it? Visit alexwoo.com to purchase the tree necklace just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.

Name Your Own Pink Diamond

Pink diamonds always give us jewelry hounds the shivers (in a good way), and when one this big goes on the auction block? We're talking 'commotion'.

According to Luxist, a rare 10.11 carat orangy-pink diamond is causing a stir up in Canada and with good reason: it's the most expensive diamond ever auctioned in the great land of the maple leaf. The pink gem  is estimated to bring in $2.5 million US and comes from the world-renowned Argyle mine in Australia (the producer of most of the world's pink diamonds).

And the best part in my book? Whoever grabs the gem on October 3rd will get the honor of "naming" the stone for the record books.  What would you name it if it came into your grubby little hands, jewelry hounds?

I'm thinking: "The Pink Parker"... "The Parker Pink"..."Laura Parker's Pink Perfection" "Can't Touch This Perfect Pink Parker Purchase"....Ok. Quitting while I'm ahead...(too late?)

Can't get enough pink? Neither can Jennifer Garner. Check out Jewelry.com's fashion recap of her perfect Pink Party this weekend!

Total Boss: Naeem Khan

This week on Project Runway (LOVE Mondo and Gretchen, but more on that later), the guest judge was Naeem Khan, an Indian-born designer. I was looking at some of his designs online and realized that he designed a leather moto jacked I'd drooled over in Marie Claire's September issue.

(Jacket is pictured on the far right)

Plus, I had to give Khan props for giving real constructive criticism. All too often PR's got designers like (fantastic, don't get me wrong) Donatella Versace or someone sitting there repeating, "I loave zis. I 'ate zat."

Also, DID ANYONE SEE WHEN BETSEY JOHNSON GUEST JUDGED?!?? DID YOU HAVE A HEART ATTACK LIKE I DID??

Hope you're all having a fabulous week so far!

-B

DIY: Rainbow Hair!

I love my hair.

I used to spend 200$ to get it done by someone else.

yeah... no.

Here is how to do it all by your wantsy, savvy?

FIRST:

1) Get streaks bleached at a salon.

This is a splurge, but you don't want to try and do it yourself.

Also you only ever need to bleach your hair once,

since it doesn't fade or anything.

2) Choose your color (s)

Special Effects Dye is the best brand,

it lasts forever and the colors are great.

Available online at Amphigory.com

3) Get some tint brushes- like 99 cents at any beauty supply store

4) Get some small disposable bowls for the color

5) Get some vinegar-at least 3 cups.

6) Prepare some tinfoil sheets. Cut as many as the streaks you have.

7) Get some bobby pins.

THEN

1) lay down newspaper. this stuff will make a mess.

2) put your color in the bowl. use small amounts at a time so you don't waste any.

3) wash your hair REALLY well- until it feel dry and squeaky.

this roughens up the cuticle for the color

4) go through your hair and pick out the bleached streaks-

pin everything else to your head with the bobby pins.

5) place a foil directly up to your scalp, and using the tint brush,

paint enough to saturate the hair.

fold up the foil as neatly as possible-

this will help prevent it from hurting when you take it out.

6) once all your foils are in, either run a flat iron over all the foils

or blow-dry your head for 2 minutes in high heat.

7) doodle around for half an hour

8) unfold the foils, and unpin the rest of your hair

9) pour the vinegar all over your hair- this will help to seal the color in

10) stick your head upside down in the sink or the bathtub

and rinse as much color out as you can

11) use a color safe shampoo and wash your hair twice vigorously.

you don't want color residue to get on your clothes or anything

12) condition your hair for 2 minutes to seal the cuticle.

13) blow dry your hair.

you don't actually need to do this for any purpose other than to see the finished product!

voila!

<3>

Claire

p.s.

down comforters

pretty tights

sushi

running water

birth control

yoga clothes

yogurt

Temporary Tattoos, Revisited

Remember that post I made on temporary tattoos by Chanel and Urban Decay?

Well, now Beyonce's in on it too!

She's (meaning her brand, Deréon) teamed up with Temptu and will be selling theiundoubtedly fabulously fierce tats at Sephora starting November 1st.

Told you so!

-B

Fun With Formals!

Last night my uni (lolz) hosted a semi-formal event that is usually black and white themed, but this year it was "modern vintage"... whatever that means. We took it as a cue to add a little vintage class to our outfits; I added red lipstick and nail polish along with a red headband for a little pop:

The classy ladies!

(Skirt, TJMaxx; top, borrowed; brogue heels, Value Village; belt, thrifted; spider earrings, Fremont Market; headband, F21)

These sweet spider earrings added a nice little creepy-ish touch to the ensemble :3

Details of my ridiculous skirt that made me feel like a cabaret dancer the whole night...

We don't get many opportunities to dress up at school, so it was a welcomed opportunity! Huzzah!

-B

Lindsay Lohan: Jewelry Lover to Jailbird

Lindsay Lohan was spotted last night at Ana De Costa's jewelry show in Los Angeles looking fresh-faced and ready to consume - far from the frightened soon-to-be sentenced drama queen we might have expected.

The jewelry show featured D-listers Brittny and Lisa Gastineau's new jewelry line, 'Tres Glam' which features their signature 'eye' theme - a power symbol known to 'ward off danger' according to the mother-daughter duo.

Too bad Lindsay didn't pick one up, cuz...well, it's slammer time again for our favorite tabloid fixation.

People Magazine reports the stunned actress was cuffed and led away by authorities after the judge sentenced her to prison until her next hearing on October 22nd - almost a month away!

At least she spent her last night of freedom doing something worthwhile. What do you guys think of Li-Lo's latest chapter?

Babies

so cute.

i can't wait!

well, i can- but i'm excited!

<3

Claire

Color-Changing Sapphires, A Love Story

Sapphires aren't just the blingy blue bauble often likened to the color of Elizabeth Taylor's eyes - they're crazy chameleons that wear a coat of many colors. While deep blue is certainly what most of us think of when it comes September's birthstone, the gem also comes in a rainbow of hues - from pink and green to yellow and red (also known as - a ruby!) Cool, right?

But sapphires have a special shade that I recently discovered, and it's downright drool-worthy: the color-changing sapphire.

Not quite purple, not quite red, not quite blue - the ever-elusive color changer is a slippery little devil that injects some much needed intrigue into the gemstone world. I admittedly just came across the 'c-c sapph', when writing about the gorgeous 'Royal Butterfly' brooch a few days ago - and decided to do some digging to find out more.

Here's the skinny:

While many sapphires may exhibit faint color changes upon exposure to incandescent or fluorescent lights, the 'c-c sapph' is a dramatic diva, bless her heart. Most color change sapphires belong to one of two groups depending on their color change: the green to red (alexandrite), and the blue to purple kind.

Most alex type color change sapphires are from Songea, Tanzania while the blue-purples occur in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Burma, and other parts of East Africa and Tanzania.  In all color change stones, the strength of the change is probabably the most important factor affecting their value - but the blue to purple variety tend to be the more pricey option.

Do any of you designers out there have a color-changer in your coffers you'd like to share? Make a comment here or send me a Twitpic with a link to an image/description, and I'll post it here.

In the meantime, here's a one-of-a-kind engagement ring featuring a color changer from The Jewelry Experts to whet your whistle.

I'm Posh Spice

Story Time!

When I was in second grade, a group of my friends and I wanted to be the Spice Girls.

It made total sense, we would just take their places!

Everyone was designated a specific Spice, and for whatever reason- I was Posh.

So, when during Berit's clothing swap,

I was trying desperately to find something that would fit me

(being the only person over a size 9 is problematic)

when I found this dress among my friend Natalie's things.

Because of how tiny she is, it probably made her look like Queen Elizabeth.

But on me it was SKIN TIGHT. I actually couldn't separate my thighs.

However, I took it because it reminded me of Posh Spice,

and that little second grader in me was gleeful.

Sooooo I got to college, and I lost a little more weight, and

VOILA

the dress fits!

So here, REALLY LATE,

are some pictures of my favorite item I got at the clothing swap.

the 5 inch stilettos were a must

the typical Posh pose.

surprisingly difficult to hold

(much to the amusement of my roommate)

so there

<3

Claire

Belated Outfit Post, Eternally Awkward

Last night I was desperately trying to finish my homework before sleep inevitably set in and I thought to myself, "screw it. blog." (Although in my sleep-deprived state I apparently never actually posted it, so here it is)

Lately I've really been digging classic button-ups. They can be worn over dark jeans, tucked into skirts, hidden under piles of necklaces and bangles, and of course can be a classy touch when you've got a more professional task at hand.

(Button-up, Goodwill; skirt, Target; belt, Goodwill; boots, GeeWaWa; necklace, self-made; earrings, Garuda)

All summer I searched for one that had a more relaxed fit. I found the one seen above at Goodwill for $5, it's some weird blend but it's soo comfy and has a really nice slouchy look. It's almost more of a tunic and came with a hideous braided gold belt sewn on, but thank goodness for seam rippers!! I'm really excited to be wearing it as the clouds set in over LA (our equivalent of "winter.").

-B

Also, I can't even tell you how great boots and skirts are when worn together. Something is just really sassy about it.

The Situation - Gym, Tan, Laundry, Jewelry?

He may not have won the judges' hearts on Dancing With The Stars last night, but Jersey Shore's alpha male, Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, is betting his 15 minutes will get him a piece of the jewelry pie like all the other D-listers worth their salt (see Kelly Bensimon, Tori Spelling, and Priscilla Presley for more).

So, here's the situation: Sorrentino is partnering with Jeff George of Luxury Laces to start a line of rosary necklaces and sneaker jewelry. What good Italian Catholic boy wouldn't want to wear Rosary beads while he creeps, right? And sneaker jewelry - as in rhinestoned laces (what else?) - are the perfect way to avoid those 'grenades' on the dance floor.

“Luxury Laces has always been a favorite of the Sorrentino boys,” said a family friend according to Radoronline. “The guys wear them, and they give the rosary blinged out necklaces to their girls.”

And if Jersey Shore jewelry isn't your cup of tea, ladies, The Sitch is apparently designing a line of women's underwear, according to wetpaint.com.

Run, don't walk.

Blingy Butterfly Gets The Royal Treatment

Now that the jewelry-barren landscape that was New York Fashion Week is behind me, it's time to get back to blingy basics. And there's no better way to celebrate than by ogling this bodacious butterfly bauble that just joined the storied coffers of the Smithsonian Institution.

Designed by Cindy Chao, the "Royal Butterfly" is a three-dimensional diamond-and gemstone-studded brooch that took over two years to create. The design is balanced by four large rough diamond slices and includes more than 20 color gradients comprised of 2,318 colorless and colored diamonds, color-changing sapphires, colored sapphires, rubies and tsavorites.

Color-changing sapphires? Awesome.


Chao generously gifted her "Royal Butterfly" to the Smithsonian, which now lives with some of the world's most significant jewels, including the famous Hope Diamond.

The designer's 'hope' was not only for viewers to appreciate the art in a new medium, but that it would also inspire "people to dream and create" and "continue to contribute to the evolution of culture and the world around them."

Ms. Chao? You had me at 'color-changing sapphires'.

And if you're hunkering for more Smithsonian sparkle, they just launched a branded jewelry line with QVC based on many of the pieces in their treasure chest. Check out Jewelry.com for more.

i want some of these.

Osborn Shoes is a small Guatemala based free-trade company

that employs 24 local artisans and uses sustainable methods.

Their shoes are handmade, the soles are made of recycled tires, and every shoes is signed by its maker.

Not only are they awesome for the world, but they are also just plain AWESOME.

They come in oxfords and oxford booties- and I WANT SOME.

these are my personal choice.

Because of their humane methods, they are not cheap-

but that is a small price to pay for the quality of the product.

for more information or to buy, go to osborndesign.com

you can also buy them on:

modcloth

solestruck

bonadrag

oaknyc

<3>

Claire

Ms. Berit Homemaker? Awkward.

I've been at school nearly two weeks now in the new apartment and I have to say, it's finally starting to look like home! Not only that, but it's FANTASTIC to have our own kitchen...

All summer we were so excited to do some decorating, and here are the highlights!

(Huge Ball canning jars to keep the sugar, flour, and coffee in, tied up with ribbons! The jars were $4 each for the half gallon ones and the ribbon was $1 a spool, all in all about $12 to create cute storage space for baking ingredients! Also reminds me of when we used Ball jars as drinking glasses when I was little.)

(Scrabble letter magnets for the fridge)

(dragonflies on the wall)

(Tibetan prayer flags and prints from my brother's girlfriend, who is a graphic designer!)

(vintage table cloth from mama)

Aaand... banana bread muffins with granola!

Now if only the boy was here...

-B

P.S. Went on a trip to Michael's. My wallet got pwned.

Mad About Marchesa

Shut the front door! Marchesa just hit a Fashion Week home run with their stunning presentation of Oscar-worthy gowns. I'm sure Rachel Zoe has already hoarded the highlights for her growing list of A-listers.

With jewelry a veritable no-show on the runways this season, it's nice to get a lower jaw-drop moment from the fashion at least, and Style.com reports onlookers were gasping aloud in awe at the daring display of drapery.

Bejeweled necklines, hand-painted florals, loops of fabric. What's not to love?

While Marchesa is the go-to dress-up design house this season, Anna Sui presented my favorite casual collection.

As if channeling my inner Laurel Canyon layabout, the softer side of the 70s sprung off the runways here in feathered necklaces, beaded bodices, suede half-boots and flowy blouses.


Kate Hudson, eat your heart out!

What do you guys think? Do you have a favorite designer showing at Fashion Week? Weigh in! And be sure to check out the Jewelry.com Fashion Week trend recap hot off the presses!