Recently in Cuff Category

Molly Sims proves with her Grayce by Molly Sims jewelry line that fabulous does not have to cost a fortune. In fact, you can be instantly chic for under $250. But don't let the lower price points deter you from purchasing if you are a jewel snob, the pieces are incredibly well made! I snatched up a dozen pieces at her trunk show last week and had so much fun mixing colors, shapes and metals-- what Molly is known for. Silver and gold liquid necklaces, bracelets, and eclectic gemstones cut in various facets and shapes are just a few highlights of this well edited collection inspired by vintage jewels Molly's mother has collected for a lifetime. Each piece feels utterly personal and it is clearly Molly's passion as she personally styled each of the 200+ guests that attended the show. I need to mention that Molly is one of the most warm and friendly celebs I have ever hosted an event for-- she is that gorgeous girl next door who everyone wants to be best friends with. Her genuine love for jewelry is also infectious and we wait with abated breath for her Fall trunk show! Check out the Grayce line here, I guarantee you will be tempted to pull out your credit cards the minute you see the pieces (so great for gifts!). See below for what I came home with.

Crystal Point Layered Necklace for $195- My absolute FAVORITE necklace of the colletion, Molly showed us how to wear it long or twist and double it as a short piece-- SO CHIC!
Braided Metal Bracelet for $145- A friend of mine actually sent me a blank check to purchase pieces for her when she saw this bracelet(let's not mention that to her hubby though!).  It has a magnetic closure (brilliant!) and is a great daily piece. 
Crystal Tassel Chain Earring for $115- Talk about a conversation piece, these earrings are disco worthy and perfect for a girls' night out!

Now, GO SHOP!

Poor dads always get tossed aside when it comes to Father's Day.  But I guess that's what they want, to be ignored and left alone on the golf course :)  However, do not think they don't like gifts.  No matter how often they say "don't get me anything"-- they WILL sulk like 5 year olds if you actually do not.  This year you can plan ahead and buy dear pops/hubby/son a pair of John Hardy cufflinks for Father's Day.  The handcrafted sterling silver pieces are available in a wide variety of styles, featuring mixed materials from earthy natural wood to sleek black sapphires, with prices starting at $180.

The other day I headed over to the Bryant Park Hotel for an informal breakfast hosted by Molly Sims to celebrate the launch of the Grayce by Molly Sims website. The model's big, bold jewelry pieces were just what I needed to wake me up from my morning fog! Molly is super sweet and non-intimating despite her killer bod and looks (how is she in her mid-30s!? For sure thought she was in her late 20s). She was dressed in a floral DVF dress, Elizabeth and James black cardigan, flats, and layered in pieces from her Grayce line, which complemented her laid-back style very well. She said that she priced the line from $75-$250 to keep it accessible and when someone asked her what celeb she'd love to see one of her pieces on she said "I just want to see the line on everyone!" which I thought was great. Molly seemed truly passionate about her line and wanting women to feel good about themselves which was echoed in her honest answer about how she stays in shape. Unlike most models (ahem...Gisele), who say they eat whatever they want and barely exercise, Molly spoke candidly and said she works out a lot with Tracy Anderson and that it's hard and takes dedication. It was truly refreshing to hear her speak and to know that she has the same body issues as all of us do and you could tell she was passionate about the subject in particular when she spoke about the young models some of whom are just 70-something pounds - "I just wish they would eat something and then go work-out five days a week if they need to instead of just smoking 2 packs of cigarettes and drinking 10 cups of coffee." Kudos to the Vogue cover girl for speaking-up! More about her jewelry line after the jump!

Sure the snake motif isn't anything terribly original - everyone from Kenneth Jay Lane to the Olsen girls with their Elizabeth and James jewelry line have featured snakes prominently recently -- but I'm still loving this Chrissy Leighton Venom Cuff ($189). If I ever saw a real snake I'd be completely grossed out, but there's something sultry and powerful about the animal which comes through in this chic cuff. Plus the black and rhinestones clear color are easy to pair with just about anything.

What do you think about snake-inspired jewelry?

     

I think the Juicy cuff on the left above looks great, but there are two reasons I would never wear it. One because it's a total knock off a Spring Summer 2009 Fallon Cuff (pictured above right), that I bought last summer at Barneys and two because Juicy is one of the few labels I simply refuse to wear in public anymore. Don't get me wrong, I still own over a dozen Juicy sweatpants that I often wear to sleep, but I would never wear them out on the street - even if Juicy has now enlisted Erin Fetherston to help revamp their brand (I'm actually not a Fetherston fan either...). Juicy is a fascinating brand and I hope Harvard's business school does a case study on them, because it would be incredibly interesting to learn about the inner workings of their marketing, but at this point I associate the brand too much with youth-obsessed housewives and tweens to wear anything (no matter how much I like it), from Juicy Couture.

What do you think about this cuff? Would you wear Juicy Couture jewelry?

I've been contemplating getting one of these Nicholas King cuffs for awhile now. The cuff on the left is the Silver Stud Cuff  (£218), and the one on the right is the Diamante Cuff (£230). Both pieces are handmade in London and uniquely eye-catching...so fun! I've never seen anything like these and the idea of covering the studs and diamante with resin is completely ingenious! Nicholas King has worked with everyone from John Galliano to Donna Karan and you definitely see that mix of modern boldness with classic touches in his designs. I just wish these particular cuffs weren't so thick...they sadly always look a bit too big for my wrists:-(

Citrine by Stones was started by a mother-daughter team and everything in the line is handcrafted at their studios in Miami and Peru (they also donate 10% of all profits from their website sales to Bridges Across Bordersa, a non-profit organization that focuses on clothing, feeding and providing shelter and education for Cambodian children). I love the Greek goddess feel of some of their 18K gold pieces. Particularly the three pictured above which are all versatile and easy to wear. I can totally picture these looking great with a flowing boho or draped dress! Most pieces in the line retail for under $250 which is great considering their 18K and handcrafted.

From left -

• Wire Cuff Simple, $188
  
• Chain Wire Ring Gold, $155
• Triple Bangle Gold, $217

I've always found Eddie Borgo to be somewhat over-rated. His jewelry has a ridiculously prominent display at Bergdorf's and just last week it was announced that he is up against Dana Lorenz and Alexander Wang for the CFDA Swarovski Award for accessory design. Yes his pieces are fun and funky, but when you get down to it, they're really not all that original and certainly they don't seem priced appropriately (glass cuff for $625!? I'm sorry, but this cuff looks like it could have come from Girl Props). Plus the S/S 2010 collection is full of cone studs which Alexander Wang was doing over a year ago! Am I missing something? What do you think - Snob or Slob?

The entire Fall 2010 collection from ready to wear to accessories was inspired by the beetle. The colors, an opalescent green blue that degrades to a bright yet gentle yellow. The jewelry is elegant and refined, yet edgy and surprising. I did not know a beetle could be anything but icky, but after Tomas Maier tames them, they become a beautiful and interesting creature. The beetles are made of enamel. He also has a new technique that is used on gold. Just like the woven leather bags, here gold is woven and made into belted chokers. Super chic and decadent! And the craftsmanship is astounding! They are handmade in Germany. For fine jewelry, there are silver links with pave diamond for their loyal customers who will and always remain classic and timeless.

I'm totally gaga over Hayden-Harnett's newest cuffs. I first discovered the brand when I ran into a friend in Paris wearing one of Hayden-Harnett's signature Ramone Studded Slim Cuffs ($90, pictured on the left) and immediately looked-up the brand and feel in love with all of their jewelry, handbag, apparel, and shoe offerings. The Ramone is so easy-to-wear and versatile that it has become one of my staples and I wear it at some point almost every week. For Spring the Vesuvius Tie Cuff ($188) is an eye-catching, bold leather cuff which can double as an ankle accessory! It's got this great fashionable-rocker thing going on, while the Lava Wide Cuff ($98) shows off HH's custom hardware (there was actually a matching clutch to this cuff which I'm totally kicking myself for not snatching:-(. Love the contrasting red and black leather), in a more classic silhouette.  

What do you think about Hayden-Harnett's new cuffs?

Behnaz Sarafpour accessorized her Fall 2010 presentation with Kara Ross ebony wood cuffs and rings with gold accents. All pieces are made with 18K gold and the rings have diamond accents (available now; price upon request). I love how the bold wood plays against the fur...total rustic-chic! Wood is definitely a love-it-or-hate it material when it comes to jewelry and I know more than a handful of people who would never wear anything made from it. Personally I'm a big fan and have been begging my friend Flavia to make a QVC version of her Visconti wooden jewelry, but alas Middle America, according to QVC execs, doesn't respond positively to wood (they associate it with "cheap"). I couldn't disagree more and think wood, when done with as much sophistication and restrained as these Ross pieces, can make a very memorable statement. Ross has a variety of wood pieces in addition to those featured in the show -- I'm dying for one of her cuffs!

I don't own any of Tory Burch's shoes, clothes, or bags, but I absolutely LOVE her jewelry and now that she's hired Subversive designer Justin Giunta to be the design director of Tory Burch jewelry I'm even more excited about what's to come! The Tory Burch Siddhartha Cuff  ($250) pictured above is a versatile piece that would pair just as well with an Upper East Sider's Lilly Pulitzer dress as it would with a young, urban girl's LBD or a more bohemian-type who could wear this on one arm and then stack a bunch of more slender bold, gold and patterned baubles on the other arm. As a nice little extra bonus Siddhartha means "he who has found meaning (of existence)" in Sanskrit, so who knows, perhaps wearing it will bring me luck in finding some added meaning!? ... hey, you never know!

What do you think about Tory Burch's jewelry?

Little Mermaid take notice! How fabulous is this tiara style cuff in gold coral and laced with Strass Swarovski crystals! Valentino has some incredible jewelry this season but it is this inspired cuff that has me swimming in a day dream of all the looks I can wear this with. What's the point of wearing jewelry to just blend in? I always want double takes and compliments when I spend money on jewelry! But with this, you will definitely look like you spent a lot more, especially when you say, "Oh this, Valentino?" =) At Net-a-Porter for $425.

Post apocalyptic Mad Max looks are in! Instead of the Jetson's version of futuristic with clean lines and awesome robot maids, the current vision of the future is melting metal and leather and rags. Sounds depressing you say? It doens't have to be! Look at the Anndra Neen collection, the Island Coral Necklace, $745, with hammered copper, antique silver and gold mixed-media breastplate is definitely making the future look a bit brighter. And if that's not aggro enough for you, how about the Gladiator Cuff, $545, of hammered antique silver with spiked horns. Doubles as a weapon if the future is as dangerous as Hollywood is making it out to be.

When it comes of jewelry, it really is all in the details. These bangles look like any other until you realize that this is inlaid silver in oxidized metal. Designer Chhaya Kapadia drew inspiration from an ancient Indian art form of this painstaking process and the result is truly mind blowing. The craftsmanship required is so exact and detailed but when done right, like these are here, you get a little piece of treasure to cherish. The Flow Bangle ($750) with minimal in-laid silver is subtle and soothing. The Vine Bangle ($1750) is much more showy and impactful.

Leslie Greene is a red carpet regular, here her Sterling Silver Collection was seen at the "American's Next Top Model" wrap up party on model Angel McCord (with her sister, 90210 actress Annalynne McCord). The fantastic bold cuffs are great for adding extra volume without getting too complicated with stacking. The Hudson Cuff seen here is $1200. Also seen are the Bica Earrings with diamond embellishments - what a great way to get some bling without going all out, these are only $780. These chandeliers really grab your attention and the intricate craftsmanship will not betray your savings.

I love that she has the silver collection as a starting point for her line. The Silver Levana Cuff has the same details as well as .44 carats of diamonds but it is $1695 compared to the 18K gold and .93 carats of diamonds on the Grande Sasha Cuff for $12,895. Such a smart way to develop a line!

I love Kate Hudson's style, it is easy, chic and full of personality. To me jewelry is all about personal choices, whether it is sentimental or expressing your style. Brazilian jeweler Jack Vartanian has distinct pieces that really define personal style and Kate Hudson clearly agrees. She wore the gold cuff with black quartz during the day at a press conference at the Waldorf Astoria and showed up that night in the white gold fringe necklace and the aqua marine ring to the screening of "Nine" at Lincoln Square Center. The cuff, necklace and ring are all available at the Jack Vartanian boutique at 996 Madison Avenue, New York, NY.

In recently years the stingray skin has become a popular material with the luxury designers. In my personal opinion this lux material can appear cheap if not used with caution-I've seen some Stingray clutches in the Thailand weekend markets mixing the bad color dyes with bulky shapes that made lots of stingrays die in vain. This Kara Ross Stingray Cityscape Cuff offers the perfect mix of stingray and metal that makes it the tasteful classy accessory with an edge. It could easily become an ice breaker at boring company holiday parties, and is affordable at $370 so your boss won't think he's paying you too much. It also comes in black and green on the Kara Ross website but the café stingray is my favorite and would make a versatile-all-time-favorite addition to any wardrobe.

Kara Ross Stingray Cityscape Cuff here $370

As they say, it's all in the wrist. And certainly true when you have this twisted mesh cuff encrusted with bling. Sure, it's cz bling, but as you can see, who the heck cares! This is super fab!! I wouldn't go all out with some overdone necklace with this on, which is actually a bonus, keep the focus on one bold piece and save time and money. I would however, go for a major ring to set this off, the more off beat the better. And make sure your stilettos are sexy and high! Exclusive to Net-a-Porterfor $605.

Want something bold? I don't like to fuss with a thousand little bracelets and bangles, I just go for the gusto with something powerful that packs in the statement. This Alexander McQueen's heart charm and spiked black metal cuff will certainly give your outfit some flare, as well as some intimidated looks! At Net-a-Porter for $1095.