I was excited to spot this look in the beautifully styled Neiman Marcus multi-page advertising spread in the September 2008 issue of Vogue magazine—a highly textured single-breasted coat of a rich, beautiful autumnal hue topped off with an elaborate statement necklace of large rectangular disks suspended from a chain. The look is by Burberry Prorsum, and it demonstrates an entirely new way to wear necklaces.

In the October 2008 issue of Harper’s Bazaar magazine, Anne Monoky writes about the “wowing trend” in coats for fall: “On many a runway, coa...Read More

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From time to time, I come across a photo of an individual styled so beautifully with jewelry that the photo deserves comment and another admiring look.

The nod this time goes to Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose look also merited full-page coverage as “The Best Dress” in Hal Rubenstein’s “The Look” in the October 2008 issue of In Style magazine. Rubenstein salutes Gyllenhaal as an “unconventional beauty in a beautifully unconventional silk floral gown” by Dries Van Noten.

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Bracelet-length or three-quarters sleeves have been popular over the last few seasons, and for good reason. They allow the wearer to keep her upper arms covered and still highlight a set of graceful wrists, a beautiful bracelet or two or a wonderful wristwatch. For women whose upper arms are where they carry their weight or, at the other extreme, where their upper arms are very thin or sinewy, sleeves can help the eye skim over the area and bring the focus elsewhere.

Two separate instances of pronouncements about the length of sleeves prompts this posting. First was an episode of “Time Gunn’s Guide to Style,” which advised Gunn’s curvy client JeAnne, after “an extreme weight loss,” that three-quarters sleeves on one of her “before&rd...Read More

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Matching handbags to shoes, or shoes to handbags, used to be an art form. I still remember most fondly, back in the days before there was online shopping, my aunt’s energetic search of all (and I do mean all) the department stores and shoe salons in Chicago to find just the right shoes that matched the perfect handbag that complemented the coffee cream-colored ultrasuede suit (me) and coat (her) we had acquired. The end result was so polished that I wore that suit with its perfectly matched accessories and loved it until it wore out.

Some of the designer lines, such as Ferragamo, consistently produced matching sets of handbags and shoes, but if they weren’t producing items in exactly the right color, the hunt was on. The look of matched accessori...Read More

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Taking their cures from precious metals, the evening gowns worn to the Daytime Emmy Awards, with rare exceptions, dazzled with their incorporation of metallic beading or metallic fabric, the effect of which was heightened by the addition of spectacular jewels that coordinated with the metal accents on the dresses.

Diamonds were the runaway favorite, most often white stones set in platinum, and so it was no surprise that silver was the favorite color of beading on the gowns, as seen on the dresses of Kyra Sedgwick and Vanessa Williams.  
   
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If the economy is in a slump, one wouldn’t know it by watching the 60^th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards yesterday evening. Jewelers pulled out all the stops in adorning their favorite actresses with earrings that can be seen a city block away.

Although diamond studs, clusters and hoops had a presence on the red carpet, far and away the bigger trend was bigger earrings – unapologetically huge earrings, typically executed in diamonds. Earrings with some width (narrow stiletto shapes not being favored) but with serious length – four, five, six inches and longer, if my calculations are correct, which seems to be running on a parallel track with the heel heights of shoes being promoted this season. The earrings designs were some of the most spectacul...Read More

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Some months ago, I walked into a mass market clothing store to see whether I might supplement my wardrobe with a piece or two of inexpensive, trendy fashion. Near the door was a rack of newly arrived fashions – eye-catching party dresses sprinkled with sequins. I stopped to take a closer look. The style was definitely a “Monet,” to use an expression from the movie Clueless – they looked okay from a distance but were a disaster close-up. Incredibly, each paillette had been sewn on with one meager thread. Although the dresses were new, not one dress hadn’t already been ruined by the breakage of the skimpy threads anchoring the sequins to the dress. Sad little sequins hung off the dress like so many extraneous price tags. The dresses were entirely ruined.

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In the “Ask Mrs. Exeter” column in the September 2008 issue of Vogue magazine, is posted the almost inevitable question this season, “how the Best-Dressed cope during economic downturns.”

Prefacing her comments with the observation that being well-dressed is an attitude, Mrs. E. responds that having lots of money is optional but fresh ideas are necessary. She mentions bumping into a stylish friend wearing what appeared to be a new Cartier watch. In fact, her friend had changed the gold watch bracelet to a white alligator strap, making the wristwatch look entirely new for a fraction of the price of a new watch. This kind of ingenuity is key now, Mrs. E. concludes.

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The Metropolitan Opera of New York is celebrating its 125^th Anniversary Season with a noteworthy magazine ad. “Let yourself go,” it beckons, showcasing a spectacular pair of earrings on soprano Renee Fleming. The photograph identifies her look as a costume for the production of the Jules Massenet opera Thais.

I bring this ad to your attention not because I support the fine arts most enthusiastically (which I do!), but rather because of the artistry of the styling of Ms. Fleming with jewelry in the ad. Notice how the scale of the dangles of the earrings is match...Read More

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Freckles! Scattered across the bridge of a nose, they are a feature of the archetypal cute, active, sun-loving child. Scattered across the shoulders and chest of an adult, they can be youthfully charming or a pesky reminder of too much time in the sun. 

    

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, visible freckles present a design element that should be considered in the selection of jewelry. There are several elements that come into play: color, size, shape, and spacing.

 
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I recently wrote about the proliferation of highly architectural designs in clothing and jewelry for the fall season. One sub-category of these designs deserves special mention, especially since the world lost a proponent of this stylized effect in the death last week of Italian fashion designer Mila Schon, just days before she was to be honored for 50 years in the fashion business.

The look is that of fabric folded over to expose its reverse side, yet completely finished on both sides. Recent advertisements show this folded effect in handbags (here a design by Ferragamo) . . .

    

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In line with the current state of the American economy, consumer magazines (except those focused on the most affluent) have been grappling with a dilemma: How to promote fashion yet be sensitive to the financial concerns of their readers. Offering less expensive alternatives to trendy designer looks is one approach, but of course price cannot be the sole consideration in a purchase decision when quality matters.

From the September 2008 issue of In Style magazine, comes these thoughts from its editor-in-chief Charla Lawhon: “The economy is dicey, at best, and any fiscally savvy woman . . . knows that the sensible thing to do is bank that money for the inevitable rainy day. Or is it?” 

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