Recently in Costume Category

Candace Ang is the young designer behind these bold statement necklaces. Ang's pieces are always fun and flirty and often have fringe details making them the perfect final touch to spice-up an LBD. Ang was designing bib necklaces way before they became the trend du jour and fittingly her Volume III Necklace ($610, pictured on the left), is one of the coolest ones I've seen. Like all of the designer's pieces, it's handmade in LA and is made from nude silk chiffon accented with silver lurex and then hand ruched and covered with rows of Swarovski crystals. Besides draped on top of an LBD, this necklace would look great over a white tee paired with skinny black pants. Ditto for the Revolution Collar in Toast ($245), pictured on the right and the Sargent Pepper Fringe Necklace ($345), pictured in the center.

March 5th, QVC will broadcast live from the Four Seasons in Los Angeles, hosting a VIP reception and live show surrounding the "Buzz on the Red Carpet" (in light of awards season...can't wait to see all the red carpet Oscar looks March 7!). A number of designers that work with Hollywood celebs also work with QVC and those will be the ones highlighted in their jewelry, fashion, accessories, and beauty-focused segments. Of course the only one I really care about is my man Kenneth Jay Lane! I can't wait to get my arm into one of the cuffs pictured above. Among the new items going up for sale are the KJL Caribbean Coral Cuff ($75) and the KJL Fashion Flair Domed Ring ($50) - both of which looks near-identical to pieces available in the designer's pricier couture line.

Images from style.com

For the brand's Fall Winter 2010 season, Ports 1961 designer Tia Cibani once again turned to Lina Peterson to create jewelry to complement the collection. Peterson is based out of London and has a knack for creating bold, guaranteed to get you noticed, contemporary jewelry pieces. Her work has been showcased in museums around the world and she's sold at many international shop and galleries. I love the pastel colors and geometric shapes of the pieces that were used in the Ports show. They're a great alternative to a bib necklace which I'm so over now that everyone and their mother seems to be sporting them! The jewelry also highlights how versatile the F/W 2010 collection was - you can easily go conservative and wear it without jewelry or spice it up and add some pop if you're on the younger, edgier side. Check-out Lina Peterson's website by clicking here!

It doesn't matter what trend is going on out there, you can always count on Jose & Maria Barrera for some exotic blings that won't break your wallet (too much). I always feel that many of their designs could be future treasures for vintage custom jewelry collectors everywhere. This season, I found their earrings particularly suitable for all the upcoming globe-trotting in the holiday seasons.

Look at these turquoise bead earrings found on Bergdorfgoodman.com --don't they just make you want to wrap your tushy in a sarong and go somewhere near the water? I can see them looking equally stunning with a crisp white blouse or a little black dress. If you are leaning towards travels to somewhere French speaking, these hematite earrings found on Neimanmarcus.com are totally in sync with the Chanel movies out this year. Last but not least, I love how Jose and Maria Berrera make these earrings in clip backs so girls like me, with no pierced ears, can enjoy them as well. The turquoise earrings can be found at Bergdorf Goodman for $390 and the hermatite earrings are $240 at Neiman Marcus.

Pyrite rings are the absolute best for making fun, bold statements that are always conversation-starters. When I was in Paris last year for the S/S 2009 collections I was waiting for the Estrella Archs show to start (yes THAT Estrella Archs who now, a year later, made a disastrous collection with Lindsay Lohan over at Emanuel Ungaro), when I spotted a nearby-boutique that had all these pyrite baubles in the window. I can't remember the exact location of the boutique, but Estrella Archs' show was at the Garage Turenne (66 rue de Turenne), in the 3eme that season so for anyone heading to Paris you'll see it if you go to that address. If Paris isn't in the decks for you, for about the same price you can snap this Dannijo Rocco Pyrite Ring ($385), over at Shopbop.

Obviously I love this ring, but what do you think? Snob or Slob?

Halle Berry appears on NBC's Nightly News wearing this kick ass Fiona Paxton Sylvie Necklace. She is known for her funky and cool jewelry, and not the kind that is dripping in diamonds, just unique and very very her. This stunner is going to be a hit and most likely copied, so don't wait until the bandwagon, jump on it now! At
Shopbop for $300. Makes an amazing gift!!

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Coco Chanel did not corner the market in costume jewelry, Miriam Haskell has been doing it since 1924 and has glittered Hollywood ever since. Malin Akerman wore the silver and pearl tassel necklace at the Chicago premiere of Couples Retreat. The details on this piece are stunning - a slinky 8" tassle, handwired European filigrees, and embellished clear crystal beads hang from silver plated snake chain necklace. Necklace is wrapped with lurex ribbon with the closure in front. Measures 26" from end to end. I love this most of all because it can go from red carpet to lunch with girlfriends, just a simple top and jeans. Trust me, this is all you need to make any outfit! Miriam Haskell Silver & Pearl Tassle Necklace for $960.

This Crystal Ball necklace by Janis Savitt is sparkly. I like sparkly. Sparkly, glittery things are soooooooo pretty. Clearly however, they turn me into a complete moron. I can't really wax poetic about this necklace because all I can come up with is that I like it 'cause it's covered in sparkly things. So there.

$375 at Neiman's.

This YSL bracelet is nice. I wouldn't say it's extraordinary - but it's nice. While perusing the YSL site for new jewels this morning, I happened upon it and thought exactly that. Nice. Thing is, I'm relatively certain that I've seen similar pieces at stores like J Crew and Banana Republic for 1/8 of the price. At $585, I can't really see myself purchasing this... but it's nice. Maybe not snob-worthy, and I would've expected more from YSL, but it's nice. Okay - it's Friday - and clearly I'm desperate for the weekend, since I'm sounding like a broken record and I'm not exactly enthralled by this piece but stay tuned, because Tiffany Week kicks off on Monday!

Until then, enjoy this nice bracelet.

Another perfect example of great things on the horizon for fall. What a great impact costume piece in such a cool neutral for just $80!

So I had lunch with my mom the other day, and she was wearing a number of pieces I was drooling over, including a museum-quality cameo and a gold link bracelet. I asked her if it was vintage - and she said yes. (Keep in-mind, that my mother's business is vintage and estate jewelry). That being said, I wanted the bracelet, but she wasn't about the part with it because it is the only gold-tone piece she owns at the moment that works with the recently acquired cameo.

Anyway, today, I found this $58 Estate Link Bracelet on the J Crew website - and I'm thrilled, because it practically mirrors my mom's!

Speaking of my mom, I'll be doing a post on her jewels, (the ones that are available for purchase) soon, but she is lacking a website, so it might take a bit longer than I'd like. Let's just say however, that she is a hidden resource in Los Angeles for phenomenal vintage pieces that won't break the bank, that sell for 10 times the price elsewhere.

In case you get impatient, and don't want to wait for the next post because you're a vintage jewelry junky like myself, you can check out her wares at all of the Senna Cosmetics boutiques in Beverly Hills, Tarzana, Corona del Mar and Valencia - www.sennacosmetics.com. And while this isn't a Beauty Snob post, Senna Cosmetics' products are amazing - and I don't care what anyone says - Anastasia is NOT the Queen of Brows. Eugenia Weston, founder of Senna Cosmetics is.

Much like statement necklaces, I am thrilled to see that chandelier earrings are also here for the long-haul. When they're as intricate and well-adorned as these Jose & Maria Barerra White Chandelier Earrings, they lend so much dimension to a look - and can serve as the sole accessory of what would otherwise be a dull outfit. With 24k gold plating and delicate Austrian crystals and seed beads, these earrings are a great bet for $340.

What happened to Marc Jacobs? I'm starting to think that he might have experienced some type of trauma that has reverted him back to childhood, or at least the uncomfortable teenage years of trying too hard to find an identity - and has thus created a line of jewelry intended to infect us all with the same age-inappropriateness.

Unless you're buying this Skull Watch Necklace for your wannabe-goth-punk-kid who normally shops exclusively at Hot Topic, then I just don't get it.

It can however be yours for $200, though I think it might wind up on the shelves of Hot Topic for under $20.

This Vera Wang Crystal Rosette necklace for $850 is so damn pretty - and is a sign of things to come for fall. The modern bohemian look we've seen all summer will transform to a super-luxe, highly decorative and embellished Russian Folkloric style that will exude high-drama and sophistication.

Love, love, love. Now if only we could just breeze past the next 3 blisteringly hot months so I could wear this baby today...

*Sigh*

In fact, some of it is pretty darn cute, particularly for the price, like this
Tori Spelling Bold Brushed Link Necklace

I'm a sucker for chainlink - and I love the weighty look of this piece and for about $60, it's a fun frugal investment - and will work well into fall/winter.

Erickson Beamon Turkish Delight Coin Necklace

There seems to be a running theme here lately with things I don't generally adore in their standard form, but when it comes to the jeweled version, I'm smitten.

Take for example, this Erickson Beamon Turkish Delight Coin Necklace. Turkish Delight, a strange gelatinous deliacy covered in confectioner's sugar doesn't do it for me. It's like a strange hybrid of jello, chewing gum and powdered donut. Gross. Not a fan. This necklace though is fantastic - and I don't have to eat it.

Decorated in Swarovski crystals and loaded with beautifully detailed medallions, this Turkish Delight is easily one I can sink my teeth into at $745.

Erickson Beamon for Target Jeweled Dome Ring


Matthew Campbell Laurenza Enamel Sapphire Ring

I am admittedly a junkie for cool cocktail rings. They're great statement pieces and I feel they flatter any finger. I've never been a huge fan of my hands, particularly as delicate rings don't look quite right on me, hence the cocktail ring obsession. That being said, I was perusing various websites looking for something fun to place on one of my empty digits that wouldn't break the bank - and found the fantastically faux Erickson Beamon ring on the Target website. Considering I'd already guiltily examined and fell in love with a number of Matthew Campbell Laurenza rings at Neiman Marcus including the one pictured here for $590.00, I was thrilled to discover I liked the $29.00 Erickson Beamon for Target ring better! It's always nice to find a less expensive version of something fun like this that you're bound to eventually get tired of anyway! By the time the metal starts to tarnish, you'll be on to the next fun, funky, chunky piece to don.