After buying this Teong Kay necklace on a recent shopping spree to Rumor boutique, Eva Longoria seems to be wearing it non-stop. Eva fell in love with the collection and bought 4 different styles! In addition to sporting it straight out of the store, Eva wore the long necklace to lunch at Café Med, as well as to the “You Gotta Have Heart” benefit later in the week. The 14k gold filled necklace comes with both gold and silver circles – a chic and versatile accessory to be worn with any outfit. Eva’s favorite new necklace is available for $132 on www.shoprumor.com.

Left:Large Chain- $1080, Large pendant $2080 Right: Small bee pendant necklace $390

I went to the Slane and Slane showroom for a blogger event last month in NYC and was introduced to a whole new obsession. Landon Slane, 1/2 of the sister duo who design the line, was there to meet and greet us (with a bulging belly!) and show the new collection. I of course did not leave empty handed, I can not resist anything sparkly! I bought a gorgeous chunky chain with diamond toggle and large bee pendant with diamonds, which I've been wearing daily and get so many compliments! It's casual and hip but has the bling I require on a daily basis. I also love bees, so this was the perfect trinket for me.

They also gave everyone a party favor at the end of the event. A small and delicate silver/gold bee pendant on silver chain. I layer it with other pieces, it is so cute!

But my favorite styles from them are the matte gold pieces. Chunky chains layered together with bold lockets and pendants, these are amazingly chic items that all women need to have in their jewel boxes. At Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

I love bangles and stack them on my arm daily but I have tiny wrists so it's hard to find bangles that fit properly. The solution is a clasp of course but not all jewelers have that option. Cartier has the love bracelet which I have in both white and yellow gold but it takes two people to remove. This is not the most convenient because I don't wear the same thing every day-- I am a fickle girl and need variety in my daily accessories! Luckily, Louis Vuitton has the solution for my tiny wrist dilemma, the Clous Bracelet!

Simple, elegant, and impossibly chic-- the Clous has a small clasp on the top that you can pop open to remove without screws, nuts or bolts. There is also a glittering diamond on the side, so you get the look of bling without looking like a pole dancer. I met a stylish woman who had three on her arm in white, yellow, and rose gold in various sizes. I loved the way it looked, the different dimensions gave it effortless appeal and of course the three different colored golds allow you flexibility in your other jewelry. $4550 at Louis Vuitton boutiques worldwide.

For a super glam night out you can't go wrong with Celestina's 14k gold multi loop earrings. It's such an intricate and interesting design! The floral shaped stud drops to two sets of gorgeously intertwined hoops. Wear it with your hair back and a simple black dress or jeans and let them take center stage.
Celestina Dawala multi-loop earrings $1,390 at Net a porter.

Jude Frances is designed by a delightful duo whom I met six years ago when the line was just starting out. Judith and Frances were moms in Suburban Orange County who wanted to create an affordable line of whimsical jewelry that women can buy for themselves. They felt a woman should treat herself to a trinket whenever she felt like it! The line has grown so much, including a high end "Couture" jewelry line for Jewel Snobs! At the core of the line, however, are the reasonably priced baubles like the ones above. The small princess ring is just the thing to lift your mood, and at that price, you should get two to stack! I love Jude Frances' signature motif, the Maltese cross. Chic and timeless, it's jewelry you can wear daily without looking ridiculous. At Saks.
Jude Frances Small Princess Ring
Jude Frances Single Maltese Cross Charms

This pair of jade and ivory acrylic bangles greatly appeal to me. They look so refreshing and crisp, and not unlike the pair of Jade bangles my grandmother used to wear daily. Of course hers were made of very old, rare, uncolored and untreated natural jade - next to impossible to find today (all women should own a piece of jade for good luck!). If you love the look of jade, however, you can get it from the master of costume jewelry- Kenneth Jay Lane. Fans included Jackie O and Audrey Hepburn, arbiters of taste and style of their time (and ours!). The pair above is a mere $90, and it will look great all summer long with your breezy floral dresses. Kenneth Jay Lane Oval bangle set at Net a porter.

I think Sleeping Beauty would wake for these gorgeous earrings don't you? Paolo Costagli's sparkling stunners are made of almost 4 carats of dripping yellow sapphires and dangling "Sleeping Beauty" turquoise drops. The effect is both elegant, sophisticated, and timeless. The name is derived from the mine where this particular turquoise is found, it is without any veins, spiderwebs or streaks. In short, it is perfect. $7800 at Paolo Costagli.com

The romance and mystery of the past and the elegant restraint of the present distinguish the work of jewelry designer Temple St. Clair. Rooted in the mystery and the romance of the past, Temple’s pieces feature an elegant restraint, a clean modern line, and a sensitivity to color that are indisputably contemporary — yet utterly timeless. I had lunch with a girlfriend who was wearing a delicate gold chain with a gold pendant made of sparking sapphires. Without asking, I knew it was Temple St. Clair. Her signature style is unmistakable as is the workmanship of her jewels.

Continue reading "The Romance of Temple St. Clair" »

I was recently introduced to the spirit of Cindy Chao, a jewelry designer based in Taiwan. I love discovering new jewelry designers, especially those with an incredible eye for detail and design like Cindy- one of the most promising jewelry designers I have seen in a very long time! A friend of mine had several pieces made by Cindy and showed them to me during her last visit, the pieces were extraordinary and exquisite and like nothing I had ever seen. Inspired by her Eastern roots and by the forces of nature, Cindy's jewelry is astounding and fascinating. Owning one of her pieces is like capturing the essence of nature and owning the spirit of beauty. Each piece is carefully designed and meticulously handcrafted- a conch pearl rests delicately against the sensual curves of lily petals made of diamonds, a golden pearl mounted as the exotic center of a spray of diamonds, a diamond nestled in a cluster of pearls, each piece unique in its own way. I am waiting for my first Cindy Chao pieces, I was told the wait would be long, but as all things worth owning, it is worth the wait. Email her showroom for details and point of purchase.

More photos after the jump!

Continue reading "The Spirit of Cindy Chao" »

Our friends always say I have my husband wrapped around my finger; just to give you a quick example, he spent hours (it was a workday and he had to cancel meetings, luckily he is self employed!) looking for a dress I forgot to pack to New York for Fashion Week last month and after he found it, he sent it to me Fed Ex overnight so I could wear it to a party. Not gallant enough? What about the time he sent me Easter cookies via Fed Ex International overnight (with a Bvlgari diamond necklace hidden inside) when I was working in Asia so that I wouldn't miss out on one of my favorite holidays? I could go on but it would just make you sick and hate your own husband. His friends constantly tease him but he just laughs them off, there are worse things in life than being lovesick! If there is someone in your life you'd do anything for and are just lovesick over, show it to them with the Pianegonda Lovesick Heart Wraparound Ring, at eLuxury.

Southern women love to monogram everything, and I do mean everything. Towels, bags, toiletry cases, soap, you name it, we'll monogram it. When I made my formal debut I even received a soft little portable cooler with a polka-dot handle and a monogram on it. (Because every debutante must have a inconspicuous way to carry her liquor and who can think of a better way than an adorable monogrammed cooler disguised as a bag.) This seems to me to be the only explanation for why I love this necklace by Lizzie Scheck. It is a classic and would dress up a pair of jeans and a white tee-shirt perfectly or I could wear it with a dress. Lizzie Scheck necklace, $685.00, www.lizziescheck.com.

I was a Fine Arts major in college before switching to International Finance (due to the urging of my father who feared I would end up on the streets of New York painting Chinese characters on small grains of rice). Though I do not regret making that decision, I wish I continued my education of Art History. My favorite subjects during the short time I was an Art major was studying Goddesses depicted in art from different cultures. To me, Goddesses represent a celebration of femininity, grace, and beauty, like the earrings from Ippolita in 18k hammered gold. These earrings transcend time and culture, I can see it on Nut- The Egyptian Sky Goddess or on Kwan Yin- The Chinese Goddess of Mercy and Compassion. And have you ever noticed- no matter if the Goddesses are depicted in flowing gowns or in the nude, they are always adorned with a piece of fabulous jewelry. As you should, daily (wear jewelry I mean, not run around nude). Ippolita 18K Gold Goddess Earrings $2,500 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

One of my favorite fashion eras are the 1920's. My great-grandmother was born in 1901 and passed away when she was only three weeks shy of her 100th birthday. There are many pictures of her in my house in Alabama. I love to study them in great detail because they depict the evolution of fashion. My favorite pictures of her are from the 1920's. These are my favorite pictures because she is not only fascinatingly beautiful, but her clothes are to die for. I always love her necklaces which are usually layered pearls and chains much like these. I can see myself wearing this Temple St. Clair necklace and looking just as chic now as she did then. Temple St. Clair 18K Ball Chain, $450, saksfifthavenue.com.

You are never too young or too old to believe in love! M2's Believe and Love Necklace is the piece to wear daily and be reminded of how much you love and are loved. I love little trinkets, this is something I'd give to my goddaughter for her 18th birthday(I had my heart broken when I was 18 and thought I would never love again-boy was I wrong- but you know how every break up seems like the end of the world at that age!). 14k gold believe tag with diamond Chinese love symbol and white topaz drop. Chain is adjustable from 16-18". $622 with free shipping. At Max and Chloe

Wearing Temple St. Clair's jewelry is like carrying a Monet painting on your arm. Each piece of her jewelry is meticulously designed and crafted, a masterpiece in its own right. I met Temple at one of her trunk shows years ago and through the years have thought of her when looking for a special piece of jewelry to treat myself. I am in love with this stunning blue moonstone ring, made of Royal Blue Moonstones set in 18k gold with diamond accents and Temple's signature archer's granule, it is just the thing to perk up a LBD or a pair of jeans.$5,900 by Special order at Temple St. Clair.

Suzanne Wilson is the preferred jewelry designer of Hollywood A-listers on the red carpet and off, she is also one of my favorite jewelry designers! I have had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne on several occasions and own many of her pieces. Suzanne's designs are timeless and classic but always stylish. Like this delicate and chic wreath (her signature!) necklace of 18k gold and diamonds. It's the perfect trinket to throw on with jeans or a floaty summer dress. $2350 at Blue Bee.

I adore Christian Lacroix, if you have ever watched "Absolutely Fabulous" you will remember how obsessed Eddy was with "Lacroix Sweetie darling, Lacroix." Like Eddy, I am obsessed with his couture line and plan to buy my first piece of Christian Lacroix couture jacket this year. Lacroix also has a line of fun and shiny trinkets like this bracelet. It was $1,600 on sale for $1,120. This is the type of piece you can travel with and not worry about it being lost or stolen. Christian Lacroix Exclusive diamanté encrusted bracelet at Net a porter

I usually do not like men who wear jewelry but if done subtly, it can be a very appealing look. Like the industrial 18k, black rubber, ceramic and stainless bracelets above; they're young, hip (perfect for my brothers!) and very masculine. I can see this on Brad Pitt, he loves jewelry and carries it off fabulously without looking feminine or tacky. My husband, on the other hand, hates any kind of jewelry and only wears his platinum wedding band. Maybe it's the ex-football player in him but he thinks jewelry belong on women (hey, I am not complaining!) and I am certain he would laugh if I ever bought him any jewelry (other than cufflinks or watches) but if your guy is open to a little bling, this is the perfect Valentine's gift. Mens Bracelet with 18K Gold Screws and Black Rubber
Mens Stainless Steel and Ceramic Bracelet

Source:Forbes