Quite Charming: Meaningful and Fashionable Jewelry

Hellooo!

I know it's been a while since I last posted, and contrary to popular belief, I have not dropped off the face of the Earth.  Unfortunately, I had a family emergency, which in a way, helped to inspire this posting.

Two weeks ago, my family's dog, Puppy, suddenly became very ill.  We've had him since he was a tiny pup, and even though my sister and I no longer live with our parents, we still consider him to be the littlest (and possibly the cutest) sibling in our family.  Anyway, long story short and after much testing, he was diagnosed with a mass on his heart, causing partial heart failure and other complications.  Sadly, we were told that because of his age and the nature of the mass, there is no long-term cure...  Although were able to take him home with some temporary relief medications, we were told to prepare for his ultimate decline.  Sometimes one must have an animal of his/her own before they can realize how meaningful and life-enriching a pet can be.  Puppy has simply been the light of our lives; always loving unconditionally and putting a smile on our faces every day.  Needless to say, my family has been devastated, and in dealing with my grief, I put my hobbies (including this blog) on the back-burner...

Well, after a couple of weeks of recovery, and with the support of some amazing friends, I'm back and feeling alright :)

Now, allow me to explain the thought behind the creation of this blog post.  While on my mental hiatus, I was contemplating a way to remember Puppy forever.  I thought about getting a tattoo, but I'm scared of needles, and although I love tattoos on other people, I don't really think they're my thing.  Coincidentally, around the time Puppy got sick, I had also pulled out one of my older Tiffany charm necklaces and had been wearing it layered with another charm necklace of different metal that I had recently acquired.  I love the look of the two together, and I got lots of compliments at happy hour when people realized both charms had a common theme of Luck.  Reaching down to play with my necklaces, it hit me: CHARMS can be the new temporary tattoos! They're amazing to mix and match, and anyone can create a meaningful, wearable message that not only holds sentimental value, but also looks great! They can even serve as vibrant conversation starters!

After a little bit of internet research, I was able to find a woman on Etsy who creates customized charm necklaces using the Dachshund (Puppy's partial breed) as a focus.  I ordered a gold and bronze piece and requested an added Sapphire stone to commemorate the birth month of my baby boy.  Voile!  A keepsake to wear whenever I want and to keep Puppy close to my heart forever.

Some thoughts on charms: Like I said before, mixing metals, colors, and medias looks great!  One of my favorite things to do with charms is to create some kind of theme.  If I need an extra Luck boost, I love mixing my Tiffany horseshoe with my little wish bone.  The best part is, you can always add on and change things over the years!  My next acquisition to the Luck duo, if I can find one I love, will be a little shamrock charm.

I also love mixing old with new.  Adding in a neat vintage piece adds a burst of extra character and opens a whole other route of meaning.

Another fun idea is to mix in letters.  Your own initial is always a go to, but if you have a special someone, that also always looks cute :)  And remember, if the relationship goes South, you don't have to see your tattoo artist to cover up a particular name...

Don't forget: Charms don't only have to belong on necklaces!  While I was shopping around in DC, I found the most adorable vintage bracelet from the 50s.  It has five different charms, each one being a different landmark from DC.  The perfect addition to any local (or well traveled) girl's collection!

Look over some of my favorite charms that I have posted below and get inspired to make wearable memories of your own!

Happy Charming!

<3 Puppy <3

Dachshund Love Doxie charm necklace by Madre de Olivia $25, Available from www.madredeolivia.etsy.com.

T&Co sterling silver horseshoe pendant $175, Available from Tiffany's.

Secret Charms wishbone necklace $39.50, Available from Banana Republic.

Bony Levy pave diamond pendant initial necklace $425, Available from Nordstrom.

Betsey Johnson Snow Bunny Glitter Bow Necklace $25.90, Available from Nordstrom.

 

Washington, DC souvenir charm bracelet $30, Vintage.

Love,
Brittany XO

Bring on Spring (but still look cute in Winter): Headgear

Good afternoon/Happy Super Bowl Sunday, my little blog readers!  Thank you so much to those of you who are following me already :)  I'm really excited about my site and I caught myself daydreaming several times (including missing my Exit on the way to work on Friday) about new topics to share!

Well as you all know, last Wednesday was Groundhog's Day and little Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow!  This means, FINGERS CROSSED, that Spring is just around the corner.  I love animals, and in honor of this cute little critter's prediction, I decided to do a post about some accessories to help you segue into the warmer weather (and to finish out the winter season).  Behold: Headgear.  Simple or Blinged Out, a headband is a must have for every wardrobe.

Now before we start, I just want to make something clear:  There is a headband for everyone!  I happen to have an extremely small cranial region, and for years I swore that headbands just weren't for me.  Every time I tried one on, I felt as though I looked like a former version of myself from the 80s (not in a good way).  I was so jealous of those girls who wore headbands all the time, looked amazing, and thought nothing of it.  Unfortunately, I was just going about things in the wrong way, and all those years I could have been looking just as snazzy as my idols.  The key is simply to find the right headband for you based on several factors: head size, hair type, and functionality.

For those with smaller noggins:  Through trial and error on my own head, I have come up with some styles that work well if you have a little smaller of a tip top area.  If you want to use a headband as an accessory to a hairstyle (bun, ponytail, partial up-do), thinner is better.  This way, you're not drowning yourself and your locks aren't too overwhelmed.  If you're feeling daring and would like to try a thicker band with a style, make sure you PUMP UP THE VOLUME.  Teasing your hair along your bang line and roots, behind where your headband will sit, helps bump up a platform to balance out more fabric.  If you're in more of a hair down kind of mood, I have actually found that large bands, worn around the entire head, slightly above the eyes (hippie style) work really well.  This is one of my favorite looks in winter, because you can use a fuzzy, warm earband as both a hair accessory and as cold weather head protection.

For those with larger noggins: Consider yourselves lucky in the headband department!  You can pretty much rock any type of headgear and won't be overpowered.  Just remember to test out headbands before you buy them to ensure that you don't choose any that pinch you behind your ears, or you'll be contracting a headache in an hour flat.  Circle stretch headbands are a go to, and bandannas can also be fun and unique.  Medium thick lace headbands are awesome with a tight, slicked back ponytail, and are a perfect solution if you skipped a shampoo.  I have also found that thick scarves tied around the head, with long tails flowing behind look great for weekend running around.
 
Keep in mind: The thing that I love about headgear, is that since there are so many styles, experimentation is great!  I love headbands with embellishments, such as flowers for spring weather, or little pearls and stones for anytime of year. Depending on the headband you choose, you can pull off a dressy or a more casual look.  If you find a really neat and intricate headband, make it the center of your outfit!

Extra note: Headbands don't have to be just for girls.  I've seen many a guy rocking a headband around his longer hair for that Euro look.  Think about it...  I'm just saying...

Below I have posted some of my favorite headgear to get you inspired.  Enjoy!!
 

SPRING FLOWERS:

SPLURGE: Juicy Couture Flower & Bird Metal Headband $50, Available from www.zappos.com.

SAVE: White Satin Flower Headband $12, Available from selected JCrew Outlet locations.

SAVE: Black Flower Headband $6, Available from selected Ulta locations.

NAUTICAL KNOTS:

SPLURGE: Express Knotted Cord Stretch Headband $24.90, Available from www.express.com.

SAVE: Gold Knotted Headband $1.99, Available from selected Rugged Warehouse locations.

WINTER WONDERS:

SPLURGE. Diane Von Furstenburg Marley Head Wrap $98, Available from Neiman Marcus.

SAVE: Urban Outfitters Oversized Flower Earwarmer $28, Available from www.urbanoutfitters.com.

SAVE: Grey Wool and Pearl Headband $8.50, Available from selected Forever 21 locations.

COOL SCARVES:

INSPIRATION: Nicole Richie wearing a scarf as a headband while out during the day.

SPLURGE: Louis Vuitton Catania Bandeau $150, Available from www.louisvuitton.com.

SAVE: Floral Trimmed Scarf $7.90, Available from Forever 21.

Love,
Brittany XO

The Patterned Stocking: My First Post

Welp, you gotta start somewhere... and as my best friend Sarita always says, "you gotta spend money to make money," so here goes:

I owe my boyfriend, Marco, partial credit for helping me tweak my love of interesting legwear into the discovery of my newest obsession: the patterned stocking.

It all started when I was browsing Perez Hilton (not at work of course), and saw a paparazzi shot of Kourtney Kardashian wearing the most amazingly fierce leopard printed tights.  Not only was she rocking those stockings with a vengeance, but she was also wearing them with leopard printed heels of a slightly different pattern.  Some may have thought her look was animal overkill, but I was truly inspired.  How had I not thought of this before?  A look for all seasons, weather, and personalities: the patterned tight!

With New Years Eve in a mere 2 days, I was on a mission to somehow recreate parts of this look on a level for which DC was ready.  Side note: as some of you may know, my roommate and I had a slight casualty in our apartment in November.  It was a blaze of misfortune I guess you could say... A kitchen fire turned smoke disaster, which set my wallet back for the time being.  As a result, and lucky for us all, my initial pantyhose hunt scored me some super neat, low budget finds.

Around the same time, Marco happened to see a woman wearing some interesting fishnets while he was at work.  He tried to describe them to me as fishnets with a pattern, but I needed to see them to understand their amazingness.  After combing several local malls, we were able to find some HOT versions, which were even sexier than the leopard printers.  With a little more research, I realized, there are literally patterned tights for EVERYONE.

How to wear: On New Years Eve, I wore mine with some cute short shorts, booties, and a black blazer.  I put my hair in a tight bun for that James Bond Girl look.  You can also rock your patterned stockings with a simple dress or even a tunic (if they're opaque enough).  The one thing to remember though, is that since the stockings are the highlight of your look, less is more when it comes to additional accessories and clothing colors.  Keep things simple, and your stockings will pop!

Additional tip:  If you feel self conscious baring your gams, or you haven't been to the gym in a while, don't fret!  Black patterned tights are your new best friends!  The dark color slims your legs, and a floral pattern (as opposed to stripes) will keep the attention where it belongs.  For more coverage, wear tall boots with just a hint of the stockings peeking out!

Below, I have posted some of my finds.  Enjoy!!

SPLURGE:

My original inspiration.  Kourtney is wearing Wolford Leo Tights (see below)

Wolford Leo Tights $68, Available from Bloomingdale's

My personal favorites!  Oroblu Annis Tights $49 from Nordstrom or $30 from www.uktights.com

SAVE:

Hue Sheer Scroll Stockings $8, Available from Macy's

Hue Bold Lace Stockings $8, Available from Macy's

Xhilaration Patterned Tights $5 each, Available from Target

Love,
Brittany XO