It’s always helpful hearing tips from pros who understand fashion and design from a more seasoned point of view. Catherine Andreozzi has been teaching at RISD for over a decade and department head since the summer of 2010. As an apparel designer, her collections have been exhibited in Milan, New York and Las Vegas. Check out her tips:
Bridesmaids have a sordid history, fashion-wise. Most women equate bridesmaid dresses with an article of clothing that they’ll only ever wear once. Which is a shame, because a. they cost money and b. a dress should be worn again (unless you’re royalty!)
But what about jewelry? Jewelry is a popular gift for bridesmaids and when the piece is just right, its bound to please for years to come. Here are some tips from Dexknowsweddings.com:
Step 1:
Consider the theme of the wedding when choosing jewelry. If you’re having a beach wedding, buy a charm bracelet with crustacean charms. For a more formal wedding, you might look for pearl earrings.
Step 2:
Pick jewelry that will complement the bridesmaids’ dresses well. Necklaces should not dangle past the top of the dress fabric. Short earrings are best for high dress necklines, and bracelets are excellent choices for bare wrists.
Step 3:
Choose something that will complement the looks of all your bridesmaids. For this reason, conservative selections such as stud earrings or simple necklaces are preferred over dangling earrings and colorful bracelets. Those items are also likely to photograph better.
Step 4:
Traditionally, brides gives bridesmaids identical gifts, but you can take one gift idea and tweak it for each bridesmaid’s personality. For example, if you’re giving silver necklaces, each necklace can have a different pendant suited to that bridesmaid. Just make sure that any cost differences among the necklaces are negligible.
Personally, we think this is a bridesmaid gift for all occasions:
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Style 10579 Freshwater Cultured Pearl NecklaceFreshwater Cultured Pearl Necklace, 10mm-11mm, 18″ long with a sterling silver clasp. Available in: |
We’ve shown you some videos in the past that give you detailed instruction when it comes to wearing jewelry, jewelry trends, etc. This one highlights the fashion power of layering, using some trendy pieces this Spring. Tell us what you think!
If you’re familiar with your business, you’ll know we are very moissanite friendly. It’s eco-friendly and easily comparable to naturally mined diamonds in its brilliance and strength. This quick and easy video walks you through the basic methods of discerning moissanite from diamonds and cubic zirconia. You’ll note from the video the comparability between diamonds and moissanite as well.
Jewelry requires a good deal of maintenance yet many of fall short in this department. A tangled necklace can be a bit of a nightmare. Hours can go by and sometimes you end up worse than when you started! Here’s a simple “how to” video that will make life easier.
Snake chains are considerably less like to tangle:
Style 10347MS
Three stone slide pendant featuring Charles and Colvard created round moissanite on an 18″ snake chain.
Available in 14kt white gold only.
$899
Jewelry isn’t just a fashion accessory. Of course, it possesses a long history of adornment, dating back to ancient times. But there’s something deep inside of us, eons old, that feels the need to wear metals and gems.
Jewelry used to serve as charms or talismans, guarding us from evil, bad luck, ghosts, magic spells and the like. Sometimes the uses were practical. Tibetan monks, for instance, wore bell anklets as a peaceful method to warn bugs to get out of the way.And even today, most of us will confess to owning something considered a “lucky charm” that we don before special events, trips, etc.
Today, we wear jewelry to dress up our outfit, for the most part, or to accentuate our face. But we must remember, wearing jewelry has a rich history.
So when you choose your next piece of jewelry, find a piece that really calls for you. Get in touch with you adorning and ancient roots.
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Style 7380GM
Yellow Gemesis Sun Pendant“Sun” pendant with a 1/3ct Gemesis cultured diamond with fancy yellow or orange color, and .14ct t.w. natural round pave’ set diamonds. The pendant sits on a 16″ black rubber cord with a 14kt gold clasp. Approximately 5/8″ tall. Available Metal: 14kt White Gold, Yellow Gold And Platinum Call For Pricing! |
Most people don’t truly understand how diamonds could possess any color. They’re all colorless, right? Not exactly. Diamonds can possess secondary colors that affect the worth and look of the gem. Here’s a chart that gives you an idea of the different degrees of color a diamond can possess.
(Stay tuned for our announcement on Forever Brilliant, the latest, greatest moissanite ever created, with an even more amazing color!)
Yes, Virginia…diamonds come in black, too. Diamonds come in a wide array of colors, including yellow, red and blue. But a black diamond has a mystery and uniqueness like no other. Other than their inky hue, they also possess some other interesting traits:
According to Black Diamond Jewelry:
1) They’re porous.
2) Most of them are very tiny. Larger black diamonds, instead of being one large crystal, have a polycrystalline structure, meaning they’re made up of millions of small crystals which are all stuck together.
3) They are only almost exclusively in two locations- other types of diamonds are found throughout the world. Furthermore, diamonds are normally found in the mineral kimbertite. Black diamonds are found in newer and different deposits of a sedimentary nature.
4) They have a different carbon isotope (same chemical element with different atomic weights and physical properties) than other diamonds. These isotopes are commonly found in the earth’s crust, rather than inside the earth (mantle), where other diamonds originated.
5) Natural black diamonds are black because their unique crystalline structure absorbs light.
Black diamonds also don’t sparkle like traditional “white” diamonds. They absorb light instead of reflecting it.
February’s stone is amethyst (purple quartz). Which is quite fitting. Something about its rich purple hues evoke the romance of the month of love. With it’s blue undertones, we are reminded that it’s still winter. Amethysts have a rich history as well.
Did you know that the word “amethyst” comes from the Greek language meaning “not drunken”? According to legend, the god of wine, Dionysus became angered at a young girl named Amethyst. She cried out for protection to Artemis (Diana) who turned her into a stone of pure quartz. When Dionysus saw her thus, he cried tears into his glass of red wine which then overturned onto the stone, colouring it a wonderful purple, creating the amethyst gemstone. So intertwined with Dionysus the amethyst became known for its ability to keep a drinker sober. Many believed that drinking from an amethyst goblet would render the alcohol incapable of causing intoxication in the drinker. Amethyst rings became popular for those who wished to keep a clear head during a night of revelry.
So if amethyst is your stone (or you just need to keep a clear mind during your next night of revelry), then contact us and we can create a piece in honor of your birth stone. Amethyst, because of its affordability, gives us all the chance to wear a rich hued gem. And really, is there anything like this purple?
Source: The Jewelry Blog
A client of ours had the following advice about fashion that I’d like to share with you. (It’s paraphrased loosely, but you’ll get the gist.)
I’ve never been able to keep up with fashion. I knew that when I was a teenager. I guess because I was always a comfort queen, so I couldn’t bear clothes that pinched me or felt too tight. But I wanted to be fashionable like everyone else. That’s when my mother suggested a few key pieces of jewelry. Her take? Some nice jewelry pulls an outfit together, whatever you’re wearing. At first I didn’t believe her. I thought I had to keep up with the fashion race.
Then I finally took her advice in my late 20’s. I scaled down my clothing until I owned a small closetful of key pieces. Then I bought some nice pieces (with my mom’s overlooking eye). It didn’t happen overnight but now, I feel like my wardrobe is simpler and my jewelry does the talking. Plus, I’m so attached to the jewelry – moreso than I’ve felt about clothing for the most part. It’s something I look forward to passing on to my daughters one day.
So what pieces are your classics? Here’s a great example:
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Style 438M Classic Prong Set Moissanite Tennis BraceletClassic prong set tennis bracelet with safety clasp and Charles and Colvard created round moissanite. |
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