High Street Treat

I’ve always loved Dotty P for a high street jewellery fix but it’s been awhile since I’ve had a nose at their latest pieces. On a visit to Oxford St the other night I was pleasantly surprised to find a whole range of cute designs that tugged on the purse strings. I had to snap up this ditsy flower ring (£5). Set on a thin textured gold band the pastel beads and teeny pearl make for such a pretty little ring that looks way above its high street price point.

Along the same vein, I also loved this mint green triangle pendant (£7.50). In a cool marble finish the Aztec design gives the perfect shot of colour to a plain black tee.

Rocks for my Rocks

I’ve been wrapped up in wedding plans for the past couple of months hence the hiatus but I have still been ‘working’, so to speak, as this complete submersion into girlydom has allowed me to unashamedly drool over lots of gorgeous jewels.

Currently I am taking a rare break from window shopping for myself and am on the hunt for some pretty pieces for my four bridesmaids. It’s of course customary for the groom to buy the best girls a little thank-you present but somehow I think my ladies will appreciate my tastes better then his! So a bit of background…I’m planning an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding. I’m not going full on Queen of Hearts style but just taking some cute little details from the book to tie in with my general literary theme (think key charms on the tables and drink me labels on the bubbly). So I wanted to find a piece of jewellery for my bridesmaids that would fit the theme and hopefully remind them of how beautiful the wedding was!

One of my first stops was the gorgeous work of Laura Lee, a London based designer who I’ve coveted for years. This Brit girl has led such an interesting life, globe-trotting with her nomadic family and her travels to Asia, Europe and beyond really shine through in her work. Bright beads and baubles combine with cute trinkets and delicate charms for a girly collection with an ethnic edge. With celeb fans like Keira Knightley and my style crush Anna Friel plus over 25 years in the industry, Laura really has perfected her craft, and the best bit it’s all affordable! 

I’ve fallen in love with a large number of her new 2012 pieces but it’s the ‘Tiny Key Necklace’ (£90) which I think will make the perfect AinW style gift for my girls. If I had the funds I’d also be tempted to throw in the oh-so-quirky ‘Whippet Cameo Necklace’ (£275) and snap up the engraved id bracelets and band rings for myself….a girl can dream.

 

A new ring...

It's taken me awhile to write this post, perhaps because I've spent the past few months staring at the ring finger on my left hand. A new piece of jewellery is always distracting but this particular piece has made me miss tube stops (it looks fabulous resting on the red handrails of the Central Line) and lose whole chunks of the day. Yes, I'm talking about my engagement ring!

Whilst traveling in Malaysia and Japan last autumn He popped the question AND surprised me with an antique sapphire and diamond sparkler. I was in shock for two reasons, the question and the fact he'd actually bought me a ring. You see we'd talked about this before, I had been left my great grandmother's ruby and diamond engagement ring and had always assumed this would be the ring I'd be slipping on my finger. In the end He decided to surprise me with a little something He'd picked out himself. As soon as I opened that box on the sand in Penang I fell in love all over again. It was perfect and this is no mean feat. I'm notoriously difficult to buy jewellery for. Many have tried and failed, I can count on one hand the number of times I've unwrapped a gift and experienced actual delight instead of a feigned enthusiasm.

But this, the most important piece of jewellery I'll ever wear was where it all went right. Gold (check) sapphire (check) flanked by two diamonds (check). No white gold Ernest Jones solitaire diamond here. It's exactly what I would've picked, no actually it's what I wouldn't have been brave enough to choose. I would have spent days agonising over the merits of sapphires vs emeralds, princess cut vs brilliant cut, too frightened to commit. Instead He's given me exactly what I've always wanted, what a brave man.

Marion Cotillard and the roaring twenties

The gorgeous Marion Cotillard (who displayed her "je nais se quoi"most recently in Midnight in Paris) was photographed on the set of her as yet un-named new film. We may not not know the title but from the photos it's easy to guess the 1920's setting. Marion is pictured running around Brooklyn with co-star Joaquin Phoenix in an array of flapper dresses and statement hair pieces. I particularly love the shot of the actress hanging out with her co-stars in between takes, wrapped in less than glamorous blankets but with the full on decadence of the period displayed in their hair adornments.

With this in mind I decided to track down some pieces inspired by Marion's look. Perfect as an alternative to the dreaded fascinator at weddings or just to dress up an LBD have a look at my discoveries...Embellished Headband, Topshop £10. It might not have the decadence of Marion's look but for something simple and chic to ease you into the style try this Toppers beauty.

Brown Peacock Charm Head Piece, River Island £12.99. If you want a splash of colour this peacock charmer is the one for you. Perfect festival-wear.

Velvet Flower Ribbon Tie, Her Curious Nature £45. HCN are the forerunners for bespoke hair accessories and this velvet creation is my current favourite. The bohemian flowers are perfect for summer weddings.

Orelia sale alert!

I thought my sale days were behind me (they should be judging by my negative bank balance) but then I spotted this little goldmine on Orelia's site. I'm a huge fan of Orelia jewels. They always put out a huge amount of product every season (they supply to big names like asos) which hints at the trends but retains the trademark notes of the brand. Their new collection focuses on beads and ribbons and is quite "young" but I'm lusting after the sparkly grown-up decadence of some of their older pieces, now in the sale!

One thing Orelia does brilliantly are bangles, and this Shanade piece is a real treat. Down from £18 to the frankly bargain price of a fiver it conforms to the Orelia colour palette of gold combined with splashes of semi-precious stones. The trademark matt gold discs blend in beautifully, perfect for brightening up my winter wardrobe. Check out the rest of the sale here, there's bags and purses as well as jewels. Just promise not to blame me for the bill, OK?

House of Bershka

Normally celebrity accessory lines verge on the tacky side but one brand I have lusted after since its conception is Nicole Richie's House of Harlow. The part LA bohemia, part aztec feel of Nicole's pieces manage to transcend the cheap celebrity association. I like to think the girl herself is heavily involved in the line (she does have great personal style after all) but even if she doesn't actually take pen to paper in the design studio, Nicole makes a sensational model for her collection, piling on the pieces to ensure money can't buy press coverage. Whilst the pieces aren't horrifically expensive (rings start at about £60) they do break my high street budget so that's why I was over the moon to spot this little beauty in Amsterdam this weekend.



It was actually in Bershka, the Spanish younger sister to Zara, not somewhere I have ventured into much before but def somewhere I'll head again. I think its a great copy of HofH's signature sunburst cocktail ring, a favourite of Nicoles and at only 5 Euros a tenth of the price. It's a tad smaller than the HofH piece but I think this makes it more daywear friendly. Head to Bershka's Oxford Street branch to find yours.

New discovery alert: Know Your Onions

In amongst all the dainty charms and slinky jewels its nice to throw on a chunky statement piece once in awhile and Brit brand Know Your Onions certainly does chunky. Crafted in resin and finished in either an ivory or slate finish the collection includes floral brooches, bangles made to be stacked and cute pendants. I love the fun motifs including Victoriana keys and pocket watches and bangles inscribed with peppy phrases. It's also really lovely to find a brand that's "designed, modeled and made in England", kinda makes you feel all patriotic.

Find Know Your Onions online or in various independent stockists nationwide, check their site for a full list.

Demi Lovato stacks up the jewels

Teen popster Demi Lovato has a great sense of style and certainly isn't shy about throwing on an accessory or six. At an LA event last night Demi added interest and sparkle to her simple LBD with a treasure trove of jewels. The stand-out piece was the chunky cross pendant.

I tracked down this copy on one of my favourite sites, folksy.com.


You can pick up some beautiful, handmade and bespoke pieces here and there's some great bargains to be found, this chunky pendant is only £22. Take your style notes from Demi by teaming with a hit of bright nail polish and a stack of bangles to stop the look veering too far into goth territory.

Copy Rochelle's statement necklace

The gorgeous Rochelle from The Saturdays knows how to work an accessory. She teamed her simple bandage dress with this amazing necklace at a theatre do last night. The crisp white dress is immediatly transformed from overt sexiness to boho glam with the beaded creation. She's continued the theme with a couple of string and bead bracelets in bright colours. I've found these copycat pieces, wear yours with a white frock like Rochelle or team with a simple vest and jeans to take you from day to night.

Dorothy Perkins Turquoise Bead Chain Collar £5 (in the sale)

Anton Heunis Disc Crystal Brooch Necklace at my wardrobe.com £295

Oasis Seed Bead Choker at asos.com £16

Absolutely Marvelous

Amongst the bustling restaurants of London's Fitzrovia nestles a tiny pink emporium, Be Marvelous Jewellery. Established by jeweler William Robert Lee in summer 2010 this gorgeous little shop houses some real finds. William started out at Covent Garden Market in 2004 creating and selling his own handmade and bespoke pieces. His jewels are vibrant, colourful and packed with natural gems and semi-precious stones in silver settings. Since moving to his shop on Goodge Street William has continued to create his own pieces (he makes all his work at the shop in between serving customers) whilst stocking a huge selection of costume and vintage pieces from as little as £5. From hefty enamel pendants to delicate glass beads there's something for all tastes. Many a lunchbreak have I spent at Be Marvelous, William is constantly updating his stock and always serves with a smile and advice plus it's fascinating to sneek a glance at him at work.

On my last trip I picked up this delicate feather pendant from the store's costume stock. The two gold feathers hang on a string of tiny aqua beads leading up to a fine gold cable chain. One thing I love about this piece is the length of the chain. I love a long, chest-length pendant, they dress up a simple top instantly and make more of a statement than a shorter length. The combination of gold and aqua in this necklace make it perfect for summer, in short I love it.


Check out William's website at: www.bemarvelousjewellery.com and his shop at 38 Goodge Street, London, W1T 2QW

'She's got the whole world in her hands...'

How cute is this pendant from Accessorize? As I mentioned in my previous post, one thing Accessorize does splendily is quirky charms. I have a whole collection from the Effiel Tower to a teeny bicycle. This Around the Globe necklace (£9) will be perfect when I go on my travels this September. Find it in store or online at accessorize.com

Accessorize me

I don't think I can walk past a branch of Accessorize without going in. Since there is a rather good one at Liverpool Street Station (the hub of my daily commute) this means most days don't pass without a trip inside this Aladdin's cave. From their trademark quirky charm necklaces to their on- trend collections like this summer's '70's' pieces, they are probably my number one high street stop.
Last week I stopped by the Liverpool St branch to pass the time whilst my train was stuck somewhere outside of Hackney. Intending to pick up some bargains in their summer sale I instead was distracted by these two beauties. I love the aqua blue of the Jemima Faceted ring (£10), how summery and pretty will this look once the sunshine hits? The Phoenix Bird ring (£6) is also become a new a favourite. A bit rock star but kept pretty by the delicate engraved detail, I love the unusual slanted angle. By the way the nail colour I'm sporting is Revlon One Perfect Coral, a gorgeous summer shade, especially perfect with the silver of the Phoenix ring.
Whilst I was distracted by the non-sale items, Accessorize does have a rather good sale at the moment. It's been on for awhile so the stock is dwindling but there's still some good bargains to be found. Check their website: accessorize.com

And so the obsession began...

I remember when I was little, one of my favourite games was rummaging through my mother's velvet lined jewellery box. It was stuffed full with glittering treasures, silver and gold trails and trinkets would spill out onto the dresser and by the time I had finished cocktail rings would adorn every finger and thumb. Years later I was given custody of some of these childhood treasures. My favourite was a dusty brown quartz ring nestled in a gold leafy shell. Costume jewellery, so of no monetary value but once belonging to my grandmother it has become my go to accessory. For any important meeting, interview, event it's the first thing that goes on, usually sitting comfortably on my right middle finger. It doesn't even have to be a special occasion, it's my glittery comfort blanket. So this ring was the treasure that opened the floodgates and since then my obsession with jewels has spilled spectacularly into my day to day life. It is my firm belief that accessories maketh the outfit. You could be wearing battered blue jeans and a grey tee but slip on a chunky ring or a statement necklace and immediately the style balance is tilted from scruff to chic elegance. So that's the story from the beginning...