FoxxRain

Swiss Dot Boutique Haul: Bird On A Branch Necklace

2011-06-16T21:49:00.000-07:00

This necklace was purchased at a local boutique called Swiss Dot while out and about with my BFF. After a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch, she and I both venture out to local shops to do some shopping. We spotted this necklace in Gold first but I ended up getting mine in silver. My BFF got hers in gold. The necklace grabbed my attention because I've seen similar designs being sold on Etsy.com for a lot higher price point. This necklace is fun, causal, and cute :) It's not known if crystal beads wired on to the branch are Swarovski or not, but nevertheless, they glitter well under natural light. I'm not sure how well this necklace will wear on my skin for months to come, but I won't complain for $10!

Bird On A Branch Necklace :)

(I believe it's 16'' in length)

The Close Up:

(I think crystals are supposed to be "eggs")

Jewelmint Jewelry Review: Unlock My Heart Necklace, Forever Yours Bracelet, Lunar Blue Necklace

2011-06-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

I first heard about Jewelmint via YouTube awhile back but I ignored it. Then all of sudden, Jewelmint exploded into the scene and spread like a wild fire. Everyone was endorsing this company and there was so much hype! I kept ignoring it because I was put off by the whole "membership fee" which charges you $29.95 a month. I personally thought almost thirty dollars a month for an accessory was pretty expensive. We're in recession, people! Then I came across Groupon special that offered two Jewelmint pieces for $25. Being that I'm a jewelry connoisseur, I couldn't resist any longer; I decided to give it a try. I first ordered two pieces: Unlock My Heart Necklace and Forever Yours Bracelet. It took a little over a week for my package to arrive.

Before I review the jewelry, I must say Jewelmint's packaging is one of the best packaging I've seen from a retailer. I was impressed. It is beautifully packaged in light turquoise mint color box that is very reminiscent of Tiffany's infamous blue box, tied around with a classic black ribbon that says "Jewelmint." If you're ordering it as a gift for someone, this is a packaging that you'll be happy to present. All the work has been done for you. I think this is kind of detail attention I was expecting from my Alisa Michelle order (see my previous review post).

When I opened the first box, it was my Unlock My Heart Necklace, and it came with a card that described the piece and few words from designers, Kate and Cher. I LOVE this necklace. The necklace had a nice weight, it looked exactly as pictured on the website, it's unique, it's masculine yet feminine at the same time, and it's a statement piece. I don't remember ever seeing a necklace quite like this in a regular store like Forever 21, H&M, Target and etc.

Now on to the Forever Yours Bracelet. I honestly didn't expect much because I bought this to layer with my rose gold watch but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the metals. It was high polished, shiny, delicate yet durable bracelet. It looked REAL (looks like real gold and silver). The best part was I've already had several people complimenting and asking me where I got it. :)

Last but not least, the third piece actually arrived today! I had a coupon code that gave me $3 discount so I bought a piece called, Lunar Blue Necklace. I don't know what it is about this piece that drew me in, but something about the center stone caught my attention. I think this is a necklace for someone with an acquired taste because it's definitely a unique piece. In my eyes, it almost gives off that handmade vibe too.

All in all, Jewelmint left me pretty impressed and wanting more. The company offers fun, unique, beautiful, interesting, jewelry that fits varies types of fashionistas. I appreciate that they bring new collection every month, but also reintroduce some of their old favorites from past collections. Another thing that I like about the company is that they have frequent discount codes or special pricing via email or Facebook. My only fear is that I will get addicted to Jewelmint! :)

For more information go to Jewelmint
To sign up for Groupon go to Groupon

Alisa Michelle Designs Jewelry Review

2011-06-15T23:12:00.000-07:00

My order of Alisa Michelle necklaces came from Hautelook about a month ago and I've been wearing them regularly since then. I've had my eyes on these necklaces for awhile but I always hesitated in ordering. But one necklace in particular caught my eye this time and I decided to order. The package took approximately three weeks to arrive. When I opened my box, I was immediately displeased with the packaging. Each jewelry piece came in a cheap plastic Ziploc bag and Hautelook linen pouches. I thought being that these are "designer" jewelry, they would come in their own company logo boxes or pouches. I was planning to give two of the necklaces as gifts and I knew I had to repackage them to make them more presentable (i.e. not so cheap looking).

Necklaces Purchased:
1) Insanity Necklace (Gold): "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again & expecting different results."
2) Miss The Fun Necklace (Gold): "If you obey all of the rules you miss the fun."
3) Darkest Before Dawn Necklace (Gold): "It is always darkest just before the dawn."

Prices of these necklaces will vary depending on which Hautelook sale you catch but they usually retails from $58 - $72. Overall I was pleased with these necklaces. The quality of the metal was as expected - they have that vintage, almost rustic look and feel to them. Note: These necklaces are not real gold ~~or gold plated~~, but they have not turned my skin color to green (usually cheap accessories do that).

For more information go to http://www.alisamichelle.com/SPLASH.html
To join Hautelook go to Hautelook

The Package:

The Goodies:

Insanity Necklace:

Miss The Fun Necklace:

Darkest Before Dawn Necklace:

HRH Collection Jewelry Review

2011-06-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

My HRH Collection jewelry pieces arrived in a compact USPS box about a month ago. It was well packaged tightly and it took about a week and a half from the day I ordered to arrive. Since then I've been wearing most of the pieces regularly and I feel that I can give a fair assessment of these pieces. I've purchased a total of six pieces from HRH Collection:

- Nautical Rope Gauge (Gold): $25
- The Ultra Sleek Necklace (High Polished Gold): $55
- Gunmetal Gauge: $15
- The Coco: $35
- The Ultra Luxe Necklace (Gold): $55
- Layering Chain Bracelet: $19

Of the pieces above, my favorite is The Ultra Sleek Necklace because it's very shiny, thick, hefty in weight, and nice length. This piece is a versatile piece that is a reminiscent of chain necklaces from Chanel. I felt that this was one piece from my order that was worth the price. The most disappointing piece was the Nautical Rope Gauge, which I also loved, but it broke within the first 2 weeks of wearing it! The necklace is light in weight, delicate than it looks, and can be worn alone or as a layering necklace. My least favorite was The Coco because few links were faded into almost rose gold, coppery color, which was noticeable to the naked eye. (The Coco is originally gunmetal color.) It appeared as though the original color has rubbed off or was worn off. Rest of the pieces were mediocre in quality and appearance; it wasn't bad but it wasn't impressive.

My overall experience with HRH Collection was decent but it wasn't quite what I had expected. It was very "hit or miss," while some pieces were worth the premium price, other were a bit overpriced for what they were. However, keep in mind that all of these pieces are handmade by the owner, Alex. So essentially you are paying for Artisan workmanship and labor. Therefore, they will be more expensive than what you normally pay at a retail store. I personally love Alex's style, and I think she can be a fashion inspiration to many. She's a YouTube beauty guru, and an accomplished blogger. I thoroughly enjoy reading her blog and watching her OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) videos. I find that her blog and her videos are helpful in giving tips on how to wear her jewelry pieces.

For more information:
HRH Collection Shop: http://shopwithhrh.com/
HRH Collection Blog (Alex's Blog): http://www.hrhcollection.net/
HRH Collection YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/hrhcollection

Original Packaging:

Unboxing:

Unveiling:

The Goodies! :)

The Ultra Sleek Necklace (High Polished Gold) -

Personally my favorite :)

The Coco -

(You can't really tell by the picture, but

bottom right portion of the chain was faded )

Nautical Rope Gauge -

I quite liked this necklace until it broke

The Ultra Luxe Necklace (Silver) -

Frosty white silver color, chunky, mediocre quality

Layering Chain Bracelet -

Easy to wear, layer, versatile, goes with anything

Gunmetal Gauge -

Common design & color, but gives edgy feel when layered