sparkle-tastic

diamonds are forever.  diamonds are a girl's best friend.  diamonds are super fantastic, no argument from me - BUT diamonds also happen to be on the pricey side.   don't get me wrong -  for the right time/reason/occasion you can't beat a (conflict free please!!) diamond.  however - given a lady's desire to have a bit of twinkle on any given occasion - other options need to come into play.   let's say you feel the need to have a nice dose of twinkle for a night out.  choices:  a) a royal relative sadly passes, you come into a massive inheritance and you go drop a fist full of money on the real deal OR b) you come back to reality and you go the equally sparkly route of a crystal wrist-full of Nadri bangles.  need a little extra light dancing around your face?  choices: a) win the lottery OR b) the old "real life" option - a pair of Adriani Orsini earrings or perhaps a tennis necklace...  there are always the lower price point options at any high street store that can fit the bill - but if you want it to last past one or two fiestas - it might be worth your while to spend a bit more.... cost per wear you will get more bling for your buck.  and a twinkle on top.

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happy wrappy

speaking of Bergdorf's... as i am known to do... on a recent "what's new" wander through the super-fantastic 5th floor (5F if you don't mind), my wandering eyes did fall upon these ADORBS little wrap bracelets by Gorjana. i have a few bangles and rings of theirs and now these little babies are calling my name! they are priced reasonably at $55.

there are some basic colors (one of my faves is bronze) and now there is an array of great summer colors just waiting to happy up your wrist. wear one, pair it with bracelets you have, or stack a lot of them - any way you wear them it will look fab. LOVE.

cuff joy

it's a bit like a cousin to the bangle. the cuff. they walk a strange fine line between looking amazing, and the possibility of looking like a Roman soldier, or some sort of prisoner... so i think they are best worn in the detailed variety. be it intricate or simple - the success is in the details here.

i have a few cuffs in my jewelry repetoire - ranging from the rock and roll-ish leather and stud variety to the highly polished enamel and rhinestone vintage variety. each has its own special and particular use in the life of yours truly. what i had not yet found was a "daily" version - one that would go with pretty much any outfit and mood. until now - lo and behold - the daily cuff! on my way to somewhere else, i popped into Laila Rowe, hoping to find a necklace i could chop up and make into something else. no such luck in that quest - but what i DID find was my new little wristy obsession, this little feather cuff. i would suggest going to a shop rather than the website, as the selection is infinitely larger - but, as the big red letters proclaiming 75% off might lead you to believe - the prices are DIRT CHEAP and there are some fun finds to be had. my new little friend here? $3.99. yep - you read that right. three american dollars and 99 of their cents.

that, my friends, is "responsible" shopping. (leaving plenty of money left over for when the irresponsible strikes!) hazzah!

ps - kind of love the Black Orchid tie dye jeans as a background...

big bangle theory

it is a scientifically proven fact that i am a huge fan of jewelry. i am a fan of layering it on, numerous pieces at once. for some reason it seems most apparent on the wrist. i am a pile-r of bracelets. the more the merrier. the size and style of bracelet varies according to mood, with several pieces that never come off. lately i am feeling drawn back to the bangle... let's call it the big bangle theory... one will not do. two works, three is usually the charm. they clunk around when you move and it is oddly satisfying and comforting. and it looks great too.

i have a happy little collection of bangles (and then sadly some that i gave away throughout the years in fits of cleaning the closet) but it is always fun to add more - and of course always fun to see what is out there...

a few that are top runners in the current obsession category...

this lucite lovely from Alexis Bittar (and as mentioned yesterday - until 1/22 100% of sales go to charity for Haiti!!). i have a couple of the plain lucite bangles and they are light as air, and have a crazy pretty glow to them. LOVE.

last weekend my lovely bf treated me to an amazing steak dinner and a gorgeous necklace from Tiffany. that's just a happy prelude... in the same collection by Paloma Picasso , there are these amazing bangles that do this crazy trick where the etched design changes in the light. cool AND gorgeous. also at Tiffany, these gorgeous Elsa Peretti hardwood bangles lacquered in a variety of colors. simple but beautiful - and beyond satisfying in the clickety clack factor on the wrist!

if you're feeling a little more like a rocker this little number by CC Skye could make its way into the mix...

and on the down low - of the price scale, that is - there is quite the amazing collection at Forever21. some really cute on-point bangles at ridiculously low prices. definitely worth checking out to flesh out any collection of clink-y delights!