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...

Fashion Week Jewelry: Missing or Minimal

Jewelry hounds, I waited the proverbial 24 hours (ok, five days) before filing a Missing Person Report, but I think I can officially now declare: There is no jewelry at New York Fashion Week.

From Donna Karan and Carolina Herrera to Diane von Furstenberg and (even!) Marc Jacobs, the design powerhouses have chosen not to accessorize this season with the by now ubiquitous layered bangle or statement necklace - heck, even a hoop earring from what I can tell.

And honestly? I'm kinda relieved.

Don't get me wrong. No one loves a Christian Lacroix-inspired jewelry box explosion more than yours truly, but it's nice to see that women no longer need to pile it on in order to satisfy the sartorial gods.

Of course, it would be nice to see SOMETHING by way of a little sparkle. So I'm going to interpret this minimal trend for Spring 2011 this way: Only ONE small pendant necklace or ONE bangle is needed. Stud earrings can make a comeback in place of swinging chandeliers. Nothing wrong with a diamond diet every now and again, right?

For those of you lamenting the loss of our favorite accessory, there are still some serious designers on the Fashion Week calendar yet to show - plenty of time to do what we fashion followers do best: contradict ourselves.

In the meantime, these Spring 2011 ready-to-wear trends are emerging:

1. White is the new camel
2. Sheer fabric rules - but not too sexy
3. Slouchy silhouettes over the tight and tailored
4. Bold prints and florals over solid blocks of color
5. Wide-brimmed hats
6. Belted trench coasts
7. Sexy 70s (think Laurel Canyon-era Joni Mitchell not disco)

Stay tuned for more!