Famous Mothers and Their Jewels

It's Mother's Day and I can't help but be a little nostalgic. Through the years there have been some very iconic mothers who have fascinated us.

What better way to begin than to talk about Jackie Kennedy. Everyone knows what a great mom she was, and doesn't this photo say it all. If John John had broken her triple strand of pearls, she would not have batted an eye. By the way, those pearls were clearly her trademark and represented her "classic chic" sense of style.

Fast forward about fifty years to Michelle Obama. Her fierce determination to raise her girls right is known by all. Besides being a great mom, she has an amazing sense of style as evidenced by her Tom Binns necklace shown above.

Sarah Jessica Parker, another American icon, seems to be able to handle it all, from motherhood to acting and now as the head of a new shoe line. I especially love her long. casual, multi strand necklace that adds just the right edge to her sexy and gorgeous dress. Maybe an unexpected accessory, but it works!

It was hard to find Angelina Jolie wearing any jewelry at all in photos of her with her brood of six children, but for a night out on the town with hubby Brad Pitt, only those stunning, drop dead gorgeous diamond earrings would do! OK, so she does have a staff of 25 to help her along, but so what!

Last but not least, Joan Rivers, the famous mother of Melissa, had to be mentioned. Her jewelry like her humor is loud and brash, but what would you expect?

Happy Mothers Day to all mothers everywhere! You have one of the most important and challenging jobs on earth and I know you wouldn't trade it for anything.

From This to That

I am inspired by so many things when I create my jewelry. I can find inspiration in the strangest places. Recently I completed my Autumn/Winter Collection for 2014. Believe it or not, it was based on wine and wood!

Love, love, love all the wonderful aromas and flavors from plummy, jammy to green apple. Equally interesting are the color variations that inspired me when I was choosing gemstones for the new collections. 

In my world a "big red" wine might be a garnet or red carnelian.

A very buttery Chardonnay is a goldstone.

Nature always plays a role in my creations as well. The orangey bark of the Medrona tree reminds me of rust colored suede. 

The textures of the varieties of tree barks are reinterpreted in my choice of chains.

From this

to that!

Accessorizing............It's an Art

Accessorizing is an art and, like being good at math, you are either good at it or you are not. In the picture above the hostess of one of our recent trunk shows clearly had the knack. I loved the way she accessorized her beautiful home, and also the way she arranged our jewelry for her recent home show. The contrast of the colorful spring flowers with the neutral burlap really made the jewelry pop.

Accessorizing doesn't just apply to fashion. The room above is just as well done as the outfit above it. The same principles apply. Both are well balanced, colorful, and interesting. The turquoise accents seem to work in both cases.

Most importantly, when you accessorize, you must know when to stop. Obviously the picture above is a good example of a bad example. Rule of thumb, if you have layered your bracelets, don't layer your necklaces. Color can be a great accent or a huge mistake.

Here is a photo from another one of our recent trunk shows. This was taken at a boutique and I love the geometry in both the dress and the necklace. There is not a lot of color going on here, but the necklace just works perfectly with the dress. Fabulous accessorizing.

My favorite customer is an interior designer because she applies her talents to the way she accessorizes her outfits. I have found that designers are often my best customers because they are not afraid to take risks. They can conceptualize how a simple outfit may be taken to a whole new level with just the right accessories, but remember the KISS principle Keep It Simple Stupid!

Spring Forward, Fall Back

Like most designers, I sometimes have no idea what season I am living in. We just celebrated the first day of spring and I did "spring forward." However it is still cold outside, and more snow is expected in many areas this week. To add to my confusion,  I am now finishing my collection for next fall. For me springing forward and falling back can morph into one. I know I am getting ahead of myself, but I thought I would share a few sneak peeks from next fall's line.

Had to start with one of our best sellers, the Quincy bracelet. This cuff sports five rows of Swarovski rhinestones and we have added two gorgeous new fall colors, light smoked topaz and cyclamen opal. The cyclamen opal is a close cousin to the 2014 color of the year, radiant orchid. Looks great with gray, burgundy, chocolate brown and navy.

For some drama in your life, here is our new Diana earring, shown here in pyrite, a metallic gemstone in a stunning shade of bronze. I would not save these earrings for a special occasion but would wear them with my favorite silk tunic and skinny jeans or leggings.

The "hot off the press" Chesney bracelet embodies our entire color story for fall with lots of rich colors mixed with metallics. All the beading is hand done and all the beads are faceted gemstones. Sweet.

Hoops are a perennial favorite and our Hollis hoops feature tiny tiger eye cubes mixed with gunmetal coins. Can't you just see them with a cashmere turtleneck and camel wool boyfriend jacket over your favorite cords!

 Yes, I am getting a little ahead of myself. Like most of us, I still need to finish clearing my closet for all those sleeveless tops and sandals. Surely warmer weather is on its way.

Red Carpet Predictions

It's Oscar night and I have absolutely no idea who the winners will be, but I sure do have some predictions about the jewelry they will be wearing.

 Let's start with necklaces. Since Kate Blanchett arrived at the British Film Awards in that gorgeous bold silver necklace, I have had a feeling that other stars will follow suit in some fabulous long, bold piece like our Tillie necklace shown above in rough cut aquamarine with pave diamond toggle. It's definitely more of a statement piece than is usually seen, but I think you will definitely see that look tonight at the Oscars.

That being said, there is no doubt that the delicate diamond necklace will also take center stage. Our Dusten necklace made from tiny raw diamonds with a blue chalcedony and pave diamond pendant is a great classic style that is always good.

 Bracelets will feature the "dripping with diamonds" theme, but also look for colored stones with touches of pave like our Hollins style featuring labradorite, yellow sapphire, or emerald. Color is important here.

The Monroe earring style featuring pave diamond posts is a must have for Oscar night. Some celebs will opt to wear just one pair of bold earrings like these and wear no other jewelry at all.

Finally, be on the look out for the "double down" look featuring pairs of gemstone slices like our Doe earring in moonstone. Again, one pair says it all. 

So now it is time to pop the popcorn, and fluff up the pillows on the couch for an evening of people (and jewelry) watching. Have fun!

 See more at www.myrnahalpern.com

Effortless Chic

French women can be so stunning in such an unassuming way. My favorite part of visiting France is people watching, or more specifically, French women watching. (My husband likes it too!) 

 I like to call their style "effortless chic." The way they tie their scarves, or how they put an outfit together is just an innate talent. A great French designer who inspires me is Isabel Marant. If you haven't seen her clothes, be sure to take a look at them at www.net-a-porter.com. The outfit above features her Bradi black leather jacket, the perfect addition for a cool walk down the Champs-Elysee.

 Shown above is the casually sexy Alden one shouldered dress. I love everything..... the fabric, the cut, the ruffles and the skirt is the perfect length.

 Talk about an unexpected mix! Isabel's Joliet skirt is a witty counterpoint to her Fujiyama sweatshirt.  Can't you picture this ensemble on some cute young French girl leaving Lauduree with several macaroons in hand!

 The Adriana top shown above is a personal favorite.  I could also see it with white jeans and a leather jacket. Ooooh la la!

And, finally, you wouldn't be French without some fabulous fringed scarf to throw around (effortlessly of course!)

Warm Breezes Sure Trump Arctic Blasts!

Yes, this has been one of the coldest, snowiest winters in the U.S. which brings us to the topic of the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. We were recently introduced to this fabulous resort and some quick research convinced us that we should spread the word about it. You can find out more by visiting this link http://atlantis.com The buyers for the Atlantis resort stores bought a wide array of our spring/summer line. Our jewelry is just arriving there, so we thought we would take a closer look to see what they had to offer.

 The verdict is a definite thumbs up. Accommodations look fabulous.

This is a view of one of the many casinos on the property. Wouldn't you love to throw your money away here!

Sure looks like a great shopping destination.

Here are some of the pieces we just shipped there. If you are lucky enough to be able to plan a getaway, we heartily recommend the Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island, Bahamas!

Find out more about our jewelry here: www.myrnahalpern.com