The Jewelry Post

Get it, "post?" Like an earring post? Okay, that was lame.

I'm gonna cut right to the chase: jewelry. It's the frosting of dressing. The icing on the cake. An afterthought, but a delicious one that everyone agrees is the best part.

But everyone loves jewelry, right? Well, almost everyone, at least. We recently signed a new client and, as usual, I found and followed their Twitter handles. One's bio proclaimed she's a "hater of jewelry." Who hates jewelry?! Otherwise, she's lovely, though, so I'm not going to hold one baffling view against her.

Over the past several months, I've really focused on building my wardrobe so, particularly at work, I look classy and put-together, but I also want to dress in a way that reflects my personality. Clothing is the visual language you use to communicate to the world, and I want my message to be on-point. I had only a few basic work-appropriate pieces when I started my new job about eight months ago (and used to be that person who was either in corporate attire or gym clothes), so I've mostly worked on acquiring blouses and trousers. But I wanted to make sure I wasn't neglecting jewelry, either - the afterthought that makes a big difference between a polished and unpolished outfit. So I did something that, in my opinion, was pretty smart - I bought a pair of earrings and a necklace that I could wear everyday, and that was that.

I bought these earrings, from a brand called Nishi, at a small boutique in the East Village called duo. It's owned by two really sweet sisters; the clothing is cute but not really my style, and the jewelry selection is fantastic. All these cool, funky pieces that are delicate enough to wear with a classic outfit. From afar, these earrings look like simple gold studs, but up close you can see they're pyramid-shaped. They're polished with an edge, which is my style exactly. In fact, they've become such a staple in my wardrobe that I'm considering investing in a second pair! The price isn't listed on duo's site, but to my memory, they were about $100 and worth every penny.

I bought my everyday necklace, actually, at one of those street fairs. If you live in NYC, you know what I'm talking about. I live for those fairs: you can always find cute necklaces and scarves at a really reasonable price. Anyway, my necklace has a delicate gold chain with a small, faceted lapis stone. I wear a lot of jewel tones, black, and white, so it matches virtually everything in my closet. And I must have paid about $25 for it.

So by now, I've been wearing these pieces nearly everyday for the past eight months. I still love 'em, but I also want to add a few new pieces into the mix. I really like these Mushroom Post Earrings from Elizabeth and James, $55. They're basically a tiny, classic gold stud, but the irregularities in shape keep them interesting.








I also adore these Square Spiked Studs by Jessica Elliot, $105. These are a more substantial take on the pyramid studs I already wear. It's the same deal - taking something timeless and roughing it up just a bit. I clearly have an M.O.






Lastly, I'm obsessed with these Astrid Studs from Katie Diamond, $150. They're just like the earrings I wear now, but they're made with black garnet. That is all.

Now, on to necklaces. Again, I love my reliable lapis pendent, but variety is the spice of life.

At $286, this Arielle Necklace from J. Lingnau is definitely pricey, but it's so timeless, you'd wear it forever (this is how I justify any large purchase). I much prefer gold jewelry to silver, but I do love the contrast of a silver pendent and a gold chain. Both this necklace and the earrings above are from catbird, a Brooklyn boutique that many a blogger raves about. I've never been, because I suspect it would wreak havoc upon my wallet. Seriously, everything in its online store is amazing.

For something a little different, there's this Satin Gold Hinged Collar from Kenneth Jay Lane, $215. Like all young adults who came of age in the 90s, I am nostalgic for that era, so I'm thrilled that chokers are making a comeback. Seriously, there are many relics of 90s fashion I don't need to see a second time - grunge, spaghetti straps, frosted lipstick - but chokers are welcome back anytime. Anyway, the Kenneth Jay Lane collar speaks to the choker-loving 90s kid in me, but it also has a bit of a Spartacus OR The Jetsons vibe going on. I honestly can't decide which. But I dig it.

Now, to be perfectly honest, I don't really wear bracelets, rings or a watch. I'd never use a watch - I have a cell phone that tells me what time it is. A couple years ago, my body changed from skinny-ish to athletic, and my feet shrunk half a size, along with my fingers - none of my rings fit anymore, and I haven't bought any new ones. And bracelets often interfere with long sleeves and are generally cumbersome.

BUT. I do really like this Screw Cuff from Miansai, $165. There's something about jewelry that requires a fair amount of effort to take on and off. It's almost... a little bondage-y (with this statement, I suspect I've revealed that I know nothing about bondage). It's sort of industrial, but beautiful, too.

What about you? Do you have a go-to set of jewelry, or do you like to mix it up? Am I crazy for not wanting to wear silver jewelry? Is my taste abhorrent? Let me know in the comments.

Countdown to Paycheck

I just started a new job (yay!), but it is going to be a looooong two weeks until I get my first paycheck.  So while in real life I may be struggling to turn a can of chickpeas I bought six months ago into a satisfying and filling lunch, in my fantasy life I've already got my hard-earned cash already spent. Thank god I don't have a credit card, because I would on a steep, slippery slide into debt.

That's why I have this blog--I get almost as much satisfaction of writing about pretty things as I do about buying them, and writing is free!  Here's what's making me want to freeze my wallet in a block of ice:

Sanctuary English Boyfriend Blazer, $158. I've been obsessed with this blazer since I saw it in InStyle Makeovers; it took about a month, though, for it to show up online, and it quickly sold out at Piperlime (where it was a few bucks cheaper, I believe). But ShopRobertson.com has it, so now I can make my sexy-professor dreams come true. I'm especially in love with the elbow patches, which I think are out-of-control charming on women's blazers.  On men's blazers, they're insufferably twee and/or pretentious, unless you look like Christopher Gorham and are legitimately both brilliant and absent minded.

I have to give Sanctuary props for taking a stock costume, such as the professor's tweed jacket, and girling it up; they do the same thing for the boy's prep school blazer. 

 

The Military Schoolboy Blazer, $148, would make me feel like I'm in some sort of teen comedy that's a cross between The Dead Poet's Society, Just One of the Boys, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks. Yeah, this is definitely the sort of thing you want to be wearing while coming of age, confronting gender stereotypes, and pissing off your parents.

The temperature has been falling very quickly here in New York, and I'm trying to be prepared by pulling out my jackets from under my bed and buying new buttons for my staple wool coat. I could also get ready for freezing cold mornings with this Knit Sweater Hood from Land's End Canvas, $39.50.

How freaking cozy is this? And a hood is much less danger than a hat to your carefully-styled hair, and on harried mornings I'd be able to grab this, instead of untangling a scarf from my coat rack and finding a matching hat.  I'm tempted to search for a similar knitting pattern, so I could make this instead of buying it, but first I need to make the Olympic hat I vowed to knit last winter.

Yes, it is undeniable that I shouldn't buy any more jewelry until I start wearing the stuff I already have; I tend to wear the same one necklace and watch every day, and maybe on Friday night I'll throw on a pair of dangley earrings. I'd love to be the sort of woman who is constantly playing with her accessories, and maybe if I had better toys I would--let's pretend that's logical. Available at Piperlime, the Hive and Honey gold and peach drop necklace, $28, is the sort of statement necklace that is eye-catching but not distracting. In fact, I bet it'd look great with this Banana Republic dress:

I've extolled the virtues of the grey work dress before, but they haven't gotten any less essential to one's office wardrobe. And yet, I don't have one! BR must have sensed this and came up with the perfect version in order to tempt me. The wool fabric is clutch in a winter dress, and the girly details (cap sleeves, v-ncck, defined waistline) will definitely get you hit on by guys in blue striped button-downs at Tuesday night Happy Hour. The winter wool v-neck dress is $150.

I'm also eager to make some upgrades in my apartment.  Let's start with my crappy Ikea couch, whose beige cover has gotten many mysterious food stains over the course of the last year.  Yes, I need to take the cover off and just wash it, but would it be easier to throw it out and get a fun, brightly colored cover?  I like this vivid blue, $49 (PS to Ikea: it's totally bullshit that the bleh beige cover is $19 and the colored ones are thirty bucks cheaper. Dye cannot possibly cost that much!):

 

A big upgrade would be getting a sparkly new Tivo Premiere. My current Tivo is almost five years old, and it can't even record two things at once! It makes our lovely hi-def TV look like an old home video, and forget about accessing Netflix Instant or YouTube. But my current Tivo has a lifetime subscription, which isn't transferable to another machine, so that makes a big purchase even bigger.  I know it'll be worth it (especially so I can record Community while my roommate is watching Bones), I just need to save for a few more months before I go for it.

World-Traveling Lady Who Lunches

I've got some serious magpie tendencies. My mode de operatii is to shop somewhat manically, indiscriminately adding whatever strikes my fancy to my wardrobe. However, due to financial and time constraints, I've reigned in my coveting/hoarding habit considerably and, in its place, developed some positive new ones.

One of the most helpful techniques to avoid style schizophrenia is to 1.) decide at the beginning of each season what story I'd like to tell; 2.) collect images that inspire me and compile an online "lookbook" using iPhoto; and 3.) shop accordingly. And mindfully.

My story for autumn/winter is "world-traveling lady who lunches (filtered through a corporate lens)." I'm going for a bohemian-preppy vibe: clothes that are polished enough for work (I recently scored a job in PR and represent some major financial powerhouses, so looking professional is a must) paired with accessories that add as much personality and whimsy as I can get away with.

Some images from my lookbook (most sources woefully unknown):

Dries van Noten... the master of artful print/palette mixing.

This one I know came from the Shrimpton Couture blog. How perfect is this?! I'm eBay-ing vintage belt buckles as I write this.

Rachel Zoe: you are a pain in the ass, but you know how to dress. Obviously, this look is an exaggeration, but there is a sartorial lesson to be learned: well-constructed basics + mismatched jewelry = perfection.

Still from "The Devil Wears Prada." Seriously digging the 60s winged eyeliner. And I love that she's wearing earrings that look like one of my wardrobe MVPs.

This look is so attainable: it's a white peasant blouse and embellished skirt. Still totally work-appropriate but infinitely more exciting than your typical oxford and black pencil skirt.

More 60s inspiration. And I love the hairstyle: easy but polished.

So, now that I've developed a clear point of view of what I'm going for this season, it's time to shop! This is a surprisingly slow process, because for every one thing that unequivocally fits into my story, there are ten things that don't (and many of them are beautiful or almost fit or are out of my budget or are otherwise not quite right. But I won't be swayed!).

Here's my starting point:

Banana Republic Non-Iron Fitted Sateen Shirt, $59.50

Even though I'm craving peasant tops this season, I will never tire of the white button-down shirt. It's the ultimate sartorial blank canvas: it can adopt a million different incarnations, depending on what you wear with it. I've sung the praises of this one before, and I still haven't found a better basic, especially for the price. It styles perfectly bohemian-preppy when you add:

Vivre Blue Agate Necklace, $115

I love blue against white; I think it's the most delicious color combination. And I love that, depending on what you wear it with, this necklace could either be a statement piece (paired with, say, a black strapless dress) or another element of a cohesive outfit (peeking out of a white button-down). Plus, as a bonus perk, the stones are supposed to facilitate your accumulation of wealth. So, obviously, it's made to be worn to work...

Sparkly and Lovely, Courtesy of J.Crew

Now that it's December, and all I want to do is get all tinseled up like a human Christmas tree. J.Crew is here to help me out with everything I might need for holiday parties, New Year's Eve, Secret Santa, or just trips to Starbucks for peppermint mochas:

Crystal Supernova Necklace, $128, is appropriately described as "an explosion of sparkle." It's the type of jewelry that will elevate whatever you're wearing and take it to the next level--I'd be a bit tempted to wear it with my most casual, worn-in dress just to see if it could rejuvenate it.


J.Crew is all about putting sequins on cardigans this summer, and those are two of my favorite things! This sequin scarf cardigan, $110.40, might, I admit, be a little bit too much of a good thing--you probably couldn't wear it during the day. But at night, when it's a little chilly but you aren't willing to bundle up in plain black wool, this is a showstopping sweater.


So the bowtie skirt, $350, is something that, if I were to find in a thrift shop for $20, would grab and make fun of to my friend, and then I'd say, "Hey, I might as well try it on," and in the dressing room I'd spent about 20 minutes staring in the mirror, trying to decide if it's whimsically cute or way too weird. I mean, it's a bunch of gold bowties sewed to a skirt. And eventually I'd decide to buy it, even though I wouldn't be sure if I'd ever wear it. So obviously I'm not planning on buying this $350 version, or suggesting that you buy it. I'm just saying, I think I've come down on the side of "whimsically cute."

Gold coin necklaces

I really love this necklace:

Tuleste Market Short Coin Necklace, $120 at Shopbop

I love this necklace almost as much, but I love the price a lot more.

Danse Du Ventre Necklace, 15.99 at Modcloth

Dresses and more from American Eagle

I feel a little bad about ragging on American Eagle, because the clothes are made for teenagers. It's not one of those stores like Gap or H&M or even Forever 21, where both 13 year olds and 31 year olds can shop (with the right discretion). No, once you become old enough to drink, you can't go into an AE store without feeling like a dinosaur, and what does a dinosaur need a graphic hoodie for?

And yet... I used to be a huge AE fan when I was in high school, and I still get their emails with ridiculous coupon codes (judging by how desperate they seem to give their clothes away, I'm a bit worried about AE's business future). I couldn't help checking out their online store a few days ago, and I was happily shocked to find some adorable pieces. I might just have to put my hair in pigtail braids and sneak into the store to try them on.

First, their dresses are all the best, prettiest parts of spring distilled into a piece of cotton. I think I'm especially appreciative of AE dresses because Gap has apparently given up trying to design any dresses I'd want to wear. Such epic fail in the cute dresses category, Gap. Sigh. Anyway, this Flirty Striped Dress, $44.50, has that nautical look I never get sick of. A white/blue stripe is one of those classic prints that always look fresh, and the button-up bustier top is sexy in a really unself-conscious way. I like how there's a bit of a menswear vibe in this dress, but it's also completely girly. I want to be wearing this dress everyday from April to September. It also comes in a great checked white, although I worry about the see-through factor (you can tell it's getting warmer when I have to start thinking about clothes being see-through).


When it's 80 degrees and you can't stand the thought of getting dressed in actual jeans, this Knit Party Dress, $34.50, will be your savior. Few things are as easy to wear as a jersey tank dress, and the fun color and print gives it enough style for a night out. I have an AE dress with these shoulder ties, and I honestly find it sort of annoying. I'm always feeling them on my shoulder and thinking something's crawling on my skin, and they look pretty awkward under cardigans. One of these days I'm going to get my mom to just sew the straps together.


This One-Shoulder Ruffle Dress, $34.50, reminds me of something Alice + Olivia would sell. It maybe not have their impeccable fit or quality fabric, but it's also 120% cheaper and just as adorable. I can't decide whether I like the berry or the pearl grey version better: my head tells me the berry is way more fun and vibrant, but my heart is drawn to the sophistication of the grey. Who knew AE could be so chic? The drawback to this dress is that the sexy single strap and the rather low back leaves no hope for wearing a bra. Sigh.


I'm a bit in love with the Floral Vines Halter Cami, $24.50-- it's so artful and lovely. The cut is a nice deviation from a plain tank or an overly revealing halter, and I like the subtle keyhole opening in the back. And the print! It was so smart to have the florals hanging down into the white bottom, since having a whole shirt in that print would be headache-inducing. Instead, it's a nice compromise and a great look. Makes me want to throw a garden party, even though I don't have a garden.

I've had a few pieces of AE jewelry that I bought in high school and wore for years, until they fell apart. I could see this Gold Pendant Necklace. $15.50, being a semi-permanent addition to my jewelry box, especially when I want to dress up solid-colored dresses or black tops. The long chain and embellished pendant gives off a Kate Moss, bohemian sort of vibe-- I'd maybe wear it with cut-off jean shorts and some suede boots.


Or, maybe I'd wear that necklace with these Sunrise Sandals, $29.50. The leather cut-out sun pattern is a nice alternative to last summer's played-out gladiator trend, and it's an obvious upgrade from Old Navy's 2 for $5 rubber flip flops (which are awesome and essential, but don't do justice to your cute summer dresses).

Cute clutch alert! The Envelope Clutch is on sale for $9.99, which is perfect for some faux-leather and an oversized gold AE logo (luckily, you can't really make out what it says unless it's right in front of your face). At 9"x5", it's roomy enough to hold all your essentials, but still small enough to tuck under your arm and dance. It also comes in black and tan, but I think the gun metal grey is the more versatile color-- I could use it right now, and it goes with everything.

Things I Want Right Now

Back in June or July, I asked Julia to add me to add me to this blog as a contributor. She kindly obliged, and I promptly and epically failed to do anything that could actually be considered "contributing." What I did do, however, was amass a collection of wishlist items that I'd get around to posting someday. Well, it's a new year, and I'm going to be a good little shopper and share my wishlist with all you patient readers.

First, an example of what I consider the perfect dress, from my style icon, Rachel McAdams:

This dress is ideal for flattering curves, or for creating curves where none exist. It's hourglass without being too vampy -- the fullness of the skirt is balanced by the boatneck, and the red sash is perfect for highlighting a tiny waist. I also love that the sash sits a bit above the waist, creating the illusion of a long torso and long legs. It's hard to go wrong with the classic black/white/red color palette, and this is a fresh and clean take on it. I covet this dress -- one in every color, please!

The closest thing I've been able to find online that even comes close to falling into my price range is ModCloth's Best of Both Coasts Dress, $129.99:


How cute is this dress? A lovely, muted nautical palette, a flattering shape, and the same high sash. It's even got pockets! My only complaint is that I find it very hard to accessorize navy clothes. You'd need navy or gray tights to go with this -- maybe ModCloth's Regalia Tights, $13.99?


The other dress I keep revisiting but can't quite convince myself to buy is LuLu's Siren's Net Wrap Around Dress, $63:


I love wrap dresses (accentuate those curves, ladies!), and, like Julia, I have a weakness for nautical details like the net pattern on this dress. The only reasons I haven't ordered it yet are that a) I'm broke, and b) I'm not sure that this wouldn't look a little like a bathrobe on my frame. But I'm sure that could be avoided with a pair of cute heels and some strategic accessorizing.

Is it terribly impractical of me to want to buy ModCloth's Ribbons and Bows Boots, $59.99, and design all my outfits around them from now on?


Julia blogged about fabulous green boots in this post, and I'm totally with her. These are just about the only boots in the world that could make me tuck my jeans in. I mean, how could you wear these without showing them off? I'd love to throw these on with my trusty black H&M wrap dress, some black tights, and green jewelry -- I love a monochromatic outfit with contrasting accents!

Anyone who knows me knows that my true love is jewelry, and I have quite the assortment: $4 H&M brooches, funky statement pieces my dad picks up for me here and there (my favorite being a pair of earrings made of cut-up rulers that say "Beyond Measure"), gold and diamond jewelry from my mom, who gets it on sale at work, and antique bangles inherited from my grandmother. But when I'm shopping for myself I tend towards whimsical and offbeat pieces -- earrings with interesting shapes, my H&M articulated fish necklace, flashy fashion rings, and the like. This Forget Me Knot ring ($54 at Fred Flare) is exactly the type of jewelry I'm drawn to, however impractical it may be:


I know it would get caught on everything, and it'll probably turn my finger green, but it's just so damned fanciful!

Also wonderfully fanciful are these necklaces (Forever, $34, and Spouts, $26) from designer Marc Poulin on Etsy:



All I'm saying is that if anyone happened to be looking for a gift for me... well, subtlety's not really my strong suit. I want these. Badly. That is all.

Anchors Away!

If I could just move into the Gossip Girl wardrobe trailer and make it my new home, I'd be happy. But until then, I have to shamelessly copy the Waldorf and Van der Woodsen style.

Here's Blair in the first episode, meeting Serena for drinks at the Palace and wearing the perfect anchor necklace. It fits perfectly with her preppy style, and the background in the books that she sometimes goes sailing with Nate. I went through a stage a few years ago where I decided to make my new fashion philosophy, "Also be dressed as if you might step onto a yacht at a moment's notice"-- not swimsuits or boardshorts, but lots of navy blue and white and stripes. The whole "Kennedy on holiday" look, you know. I never fully committed to it, but often when I'm shopping I stop and think, "This is such a great sailing outfit." And then I buy it.

But in this post I'm going to concentrate on just one aspect of the sailing wardrobe: the anchor as accessory. Blair's necklace is Alexis Bittar (seen to the right), but I don't think you can buy it online anymore. Luckily, there's Etsy, which has a lot of different styles that are almost all very reasonably priced.



This, the Anchors Away blue bead necklace, $15, might be my favorite for its simple classiness. It has the anchor, the bead, and a little pearl! Also, I think the long chain is a good idea with a chunkier necklace. It's tough, though, because you don't want it to be that length where the pendent gets lodged in your cleavage, but you also don't want to be able to tuck it into your waistband.




Lustrongirl flat shell anchor necklace, $15. The shell looks great as a background for the anchor, and it's very beach appropriate.










Blue anchor turquoise circle necklace, $28
I love this and think the use of turquoise (desert element) with the silver anchor (sea element) is very creative. I worry that the anchors would sort of get lost amongst the bright green of the stones, though.
















Sail Me Away Charm necklace, $10.
This necklace is so cheap! The starfish and seashell in addition to the anchor make it a very fun necklace, but I don't know if you'd be able to make it work in day-to-day New York.













Hello Sailor ring, $17.
So this ring doesn't have an anchor on it. But it is very saucy, and think about how useful it would become during Fleet Week!




Goth anchor ring, $5.95.
I don't know why it's named "Goth," but I think this ring would get you a lot of compliments. Button rings are so fun and crafty.











Little anchor hoop earrings, $18
These earrings are classic enough that they'd go with just about any outfit, but they'd be especially perfect with a short navy blue dress.







Gold photo frame necklace with turquoise pendent and anchor charm, $115
This one is really cool because you can email the seller a photo of your loved one or dog or whatever, and she'll shrink it down, laminate it, and put it in the frame for you. It's the most expensive, and the anchor is kind of an afterthought, but if you were to own a yacht that you really loved you could put that in the frame and carry around your love of sailing with you!










J.Crew anchor charm bracelet, $65
So I'm deviating from the Etsy stores, but I wanted to include as least one bracelet with the necklaces, earrings and rings. This bracelet is good if you're into chunky jewelry and don't care if the charms on your bracelet are sort of really phallic. You know, to each her own.



And if you're not really into jewelry, J.Crew has another option: the Cashmere Glitter-critter tee, originally $148 and now $55.99 if you buy it before February 29th (J.Crew is having one of those 20% off the final sale things). I don't really understand the point of cashmere t-shirts, but you know you can never talk sense with the Crew.