The Cultivated One

JEWELRY ICON: CATALINA VERONICA

2011-11-08T04:00:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to stumble upon Catalina Vornica's beautiful fashion blog Armoire Ideale. She has eclectic and daring style and I fell in love with her bold choices with jewelry. I had the pleasure of interviewing her and here's what she had to say.

Your blog is wonderful and I adore your sophisticated personal style. What would you say is the best part about being a blogger?

Hmm….the best part… free drinks and canapés at events? Kidding

Thing is, this is one of the best/fulfilling parts of being a blogger! It motivates me to continuously improve my work when I see it’s being appreciated. I know it sounds corny, but there is something genuinely heartwarming in receiving your feedback, when people who read my blog stop by and say: ‘Hey, I like this’ or ‘You inspire me’, I feel great, it’s so fantastic.

So, thank you Heather for expressing your appreciation and interest in my blog.

I see you are not afraid to mix it up and be bold with your jewelry, which of course I love! How would you say you choose pieces to be worn together?

I usually don’t spend much time choosing the accessories I am about to wear I simply pick something and try it on to see if it matches my outfit, but I pay attention at colors, shades, patterns and proportions.

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry or a piece that means the most to you?

Yes, I know what you mean, I have one of those precious little things. It’s a vintage zebra shaped brooch which I simply hart. You will see her in the photos, she’s absolutely gorgeous.

Now on to the more fun questions. Just quick of the top of your head answers will be perfect.

What is your favorite thing to do on a Sunday?

Enjoying my loneliness far away from all the hustle and bustle of the city.

So where did you have dinner last night?

I dined at a friend’s.

Dive bar or night club?

Night club.

The 20’s or the 70’s?

Jazz age, speakeasies, pearls, feathers, gloves and hats, authentic glamour, oh yes the roaring twenties!

Vintage or New?

Gosh, this is a tricky one, question that is. J

A little bit of both. A completely vintage outfit may look old, like grandma old, on the other hand wearing only new clothes is totally…dull. I feel the urge to mix&match, but that’s just me.

Thank you Catalina and please don't forget to visit her amazing blog Armoire Ideale.

MENS WEDDING BANDS

2011-11-07T04:00:00.000-08:00

You've picked the perfect dress dress, locked in your dream location, and have even broken the news to your fiance that there will be NO beer bonging at the reception. And even though he sometimes mistakes the bedroom floor for the clothes hamper you love him, and need to pick out the perfect ring for your soon to be hubby. Well, I'm here to help make that decision even easier with a collection of mens weddings bands that I find the perfect mix of originality and masculine.

Starting with the Woody ring by St. Kilda. Your crafty stud would be proud to be seen on the job site sporting this ring.

St. Kilda's Men's Loved ring is such a special way to incorporate how you feel about him in a way only he can see.

This Thoothed Band by Claire Kinder is just fierce enough for your guy. It kind of reminds me of a bottle cap, don't ya think?

This is the perfectly imperfect ring for your perfectly imperfect guy. This Concaved Ring is by Satomi Kawakita.

Is your man a bad boy or just super slick? Than St. Kilda's Endless Love ring is the one for him.

STREET STYLE: JEANS AND JEWELS

2011-11-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

As much as I love new seasons there is always a little part of me that misses the one that is ending. That is how I'm feeling about Summer right now. I LOVE Fall, I really do but this week as I was walking along the beach all bundled up in a sweater and boots, I longed for the tank tops and flip flops of just last month. So in a last stitch effort to hold on to the little bit of warm weather we have left I thought I would reminisce on this Summers uniform of what seemed to be every girl: jean cutoffs and jewels.

All images via Mr. Newton

D.I.Y. NECKLACE

2011-11-02T06:46:00.001-07:00

Get creative with Erica Domesek of P.S. I Made This and model Crystal Renn and watch as they show you how to make D.I.Y. necklaces! Don't forget to check out Erica's other amazing D.I.Y. projects on her blog P.S. I Made This, and you can also visit another one of my posts about a personal necklace I made from old keepsakes. Tell me do you have a piece of jewelry with meaningful charms?

JEWELRY ICON: RIHANNA

2011-11-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Rihanna shy away from jewelry? Never, and we love her for it! Along with her daring clothing choices she loves to rock big, bold jewelry and earrings are definitely one of her favorite accessories. Earrings are a great way to keep attention upwards and can help transform or enhance the shape of your face. There is just nothing sexier than a bold earring with a naked neck, and Rihanna does it perfectly. Check out this look on Rihanna and see how amazing she looks. There were so many looks to chooses from it was hard to make a decision but these are the earrings I narrowed it down to.

all images via Style Bistro

DIY: $260.00 Arielle De Pinto Chain Earrings for $6.00

2011-10-31T08:55:00.000-07:00

Today's post is from Jess James from Inked & Sewn. A lovely fashion blog with style advice, fashion finds, and amazing DIY projects. I invited Jess to do a jewelry DIY project for us here and she did not disappoint. I'll be making these stunners very soon.

A piece I have been DYING to recreate is these looped chain earrings by Arielle De Pinto retailed at $260.00. When the Charlton Girl from The Cultivated One asked me to do a DIY jewelry project, I knew it would be perfect.

The materials you need are:

-A Thin Chain -Flat Pins -Sterling silver studs -Construction paper

-Spray Paint (in a color of your choice) -Hot Glue -Metal Glue -A wire Cutter

First tie your chain in a knot and hot glue it to the flat side of the pin. Continue to wrap and glue it on the flat side until it covers the entire surface.

Grab a piece of construction paper and make a loop then secure it with hot glue. Leave about a ½ inch space and start to wrap the chain around the construction paper until you can no longer see the paper.

Glue the loop of chain you have just created around the portion already glued to the pin. Organically wrap the excess chain that is left to get the look you want (and remember the way you are wrapping it to duplicate it on the other earring). With the loose end, glue it to the back of the pin.

Take the Wire cutter and snip off the “pin” part so that your earring now just sits on a flat piece of metal. Use hot glue to fasten your sterling silver stud to the back and reinforce it with metal glue. When the glue is finally dry use the spray paint to cover the upper portion of your earring to give it the two-toned look. I chose silver to go with my grey leather jacket.

Thanks again Jess, and don't forget check out her blog, Inked & Sewn.

CHANNELING WONDER WOMAN

2011-10-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Ahh Wonder Woman, she is the epitome of a strong sexy female, and don't we all want to be strong and sexy. Check out these celebrities as they channel their inner super hero. These cuffs may not be bulletproof but they sure are hot! Which one is your favorite?

images via Style Bistro

HOW TO PICK OUT AN EVERYDAY NECKLACE

2011-10-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Meet my cousin Paige. Paige meet my lovely readers. As lovely as the picture of her is there is something very very wrong. Do you see it??? Yes, she is not wearing a stitch of jewelry. We had to correct this problem and fast. Like many of you Paige wants a piece of jewelry that she can always keep on and not have to think about. So, we set out on our journey to get her a simple necklace and here are our top options we found.

Our first stop and one that had great options for necklaces under $10 for the budget conscious was Brandy Melville. The single crystal drop would be a perfect choose for just a bit of sparkle. I recommend that you check their jewelry on their website or in one of their many locations.

The other option that we loved were these Dogeared necklaces we found at Modern Romance Boutique. They are a bit more expensive at an average of $66 but well worth it. I mean you're going to be wearing this necklace everyday, so you want it to last! The thing I loved most about these options is that many of them are two toned metal colors. This way no matter what other jewelry you wear with these pieces they will always match.

Now take a look at Paige above, doesn't she look so much more polished. It's amazing that the addition of such a small necklace can make such a big difference. Tell me do you have a necklace that you wear everyday?

OH ALICE

2011-10-26T09:49:00.000-07:00

image via Retroraunt

Even Alice Cooper needs his jewels.

HOW TO CHOOSE JEWELRY FOR YOUR PREPPIEST OF FRIENDS

2011-10-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

If you know anything about your friend Bitsie's it's that she lives and dies for polka dots and popped collars. It's her birthday and you can't figure out what to get her. Well, worry no more because I have come up with a collection of the perfect jewelry to give your polo loving pal. I guarantee that Bitsie is going to absolutely swoon when she receives any one of these options at her Bellini brunch at the county club.

I mean come on, it's an argyle bangle! How perfect is that! You can find it at J Crew for $28 and comes in brown and pink as well.

With all the hand talking Bitsie does she's going to die over this classic Marc by Mark Jacobs Katie ring in rose gold for $68 at Shopbop.com.

This Venus Fly Trap Necklace by J Crew for $85 is just the right amount of sparkle under the popped collar of a button down shirt. Gorg.!

How adorable are these Twinkle Bloom Earrings from Anthropologie for $28? Too sweet, right!?!?

JEWELRY STORAGE: BRACELET EDITION

2011-10-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

I've posted about jewelry storage before as you can see here and here, but today I am focusing on bracelets. There are advantages and disadvantages to storing cuffs, bangles and bracelets. One plus is that they don't get tangled but a minus is that they can be big and bulky. Things like a pretty dish, special box are beautiful options, or you can do what I did and use a jewelry tree like the one pictured above from Urban Outfitters. These are all great solutions, and as I always say whatever you do display it, it's too pretty to be in a drawer! How do you display your bracelets? I'm always on the look out for new ways to display my jewelry.

All images via How I Met Your Style

PERMINENT JEWELRY

2011-10-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

All photos via The Sartorialist

HOT MOMMA

2011-10-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Miroslava Duma is one hot momma, pregnant or not! If you don't know Duma she was an editor for Harper's Bazaar (Russia) and now is a freelance writer for numerous publications such as OK Magazinee (Russia), Tatler, and Glamour (Russia). She an international fashion icon, and a darling to all the street style photographers. I've taken even more notice of her since she's been pregnant. How adorable is she?!

Take a note from Miroslava Duma's book and play up that bump and have fun with it! Many woman have a hard time figuring out how to stay stylish while prego. My advise is accessories, accessories, and you guessed it more accessories. Jewelry finishes any outfit and the best part is that one size fits all! You can dress in comfy leggings and an over-sized T and as soon as you throw on tons of jewels you're instantly stylish. You can check out more of Duma's hot prego looks here.

All photos via The Queens of Couture

TOURMALINE TUESDAY

2011-10-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Oh tourmaline how I love you. I love it so much I have decided to showcase some of my favorite tourmaline pieces for the next couple of weeks. This week I'm focusing on earrings. If you don't know about this gorgeous stone, I have compiled a little lesson for you below. Enjoy!

St. Kilda Temptation Studs in 18ky w/green tourmalines

The semi-precious stone tourmaline is one of my very favorites. According to Egyptian legend the reason that tourmaline comes in such a variety of colors is that on its long journey up from the center of the Earth the stones passed over a rainbow and thus assumed all the colors of the rainbow. The stone also comes with two colors and are known as bicolored tourmalines, and those with more than two colors as multicolored tourmalines. The favorite of mine and many others are slices showing a cross-section of the tourmaline crystal because they display, the whole of the incomparable color variety of this gemstone. Tourmalines are found almost all over the world. There are major deposits in Brazil, Sri Lanka and South and south-west Africa. Other finds have been made in Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Tourmalines are also found in the USA, mainly in California and Maine. Although there are plenty of gemstone deposits which contain tourmalines, good qualities and fine colours are not often discovered among them. For this reason, the price spectrum of the tourmaline is almost as broad as that of its color. Pictured is a collection of tourmaline earrings I'm digging.

Which ones are your favorite?

Jemma Wynne Watermelon Tourmaline and Diamond Earrings

Lucifer Vir Honestus Green Tourmaline Earrings

Cathy Waterman Pink Tourmaline Marquise Earrings

Jemma Wynne Watermelon Tourmaline and Diamond Earrings

HOME JEWELRY

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Glamourai's Kelly Framel is one of if not my favorite blogger. She has her own jewelry line, a design background, an all around style icon, and a model to boot- not to shaby. Her blog is filled with many to die for DIY projects that are easy and equally awesome, personal style posts, and home inspiration. Her style is perfect mix of high/low and old/new in all aspects. As a jewelry lover and designer myself I have always loved the idea of using it in the home (as you can see here) and I think Framel is the best example I have ever seen. A perfect example is her roommate Caesar, pictured above, who is one lucky guy that gets to share Framel's drool worthy gems. Check out her apartment pictures and start swooning!

This bowl full of bug brooches is to die for! Sorry Kelly but I'm totally stealing this idea.

Don't hide your jewelry. Put it out there for all to see. It's too pretty to be in a drawer.

Have a statue? Why not slip a ring on him!

BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK

2011-10-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Black is back!! Alright, alright it never left and probably never will. Black is a classic. Everyone looks good in it and it goes with everything. Can you imagine how amazing any of these all black pieces would look on a bright dress or even just a white t. These pieces are dramatic and sophisticated and I want them all.

Bottega Veneta Blackened oxidized silver chandelier earrings $980

Bottega Veneta Blackened oxidized silver filigree ring $580

Bottega Veneta Oxidised silver and zircon necklace $1,950

You can find all of these pieces at Net-A-Porter. Also, if you would like to see more photos from the shoot from the top picture click here.

FALLING FOR THIS JEWELRY

2011-10-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dannijo Oksana Swarovski crystal earrings

Oscar de la Renta Pewter-plated topaz necklace

Fall is here!! Well, as much as there is a fall in Southern California anyway. Most of the time I love the gorgeous weather here in Orange County but every once in a while I long for the ever changing days in NYC, and right now I miss fall so so bad! I miss the crisp air, changing leaves, and the perfect layering weather! It's all about piling it on and mixing styles. More is more during fall and that's why I love it! Since I don't get to see the beautiful colors of the leaves I guess I'll haaaavvvve to settle for jewelry.

Bijoux Heart Ainse Je 24-karat gold-plated Swarovski crystal ring

Kenneth Jay Lane Swarovski crystal clip earrings

Dannijo Frances Swarovski crystal cuff

You can find all these gorgeous pieces at Net-A-Porter

GET SPOOKY WITH PAMALA LOVE

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween and seeing all the decorations is getting me excited! So in the Halloween spirit I thought I would share some of Pamela Love's spookier jewelry. Her designs are certainly not just for Halloween time though. Love is a New York based designer who was a CFDA nominee and the winner of the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation award. The jewelry is innovative and over the top in the most perfect of ways, and you can see the magic and folk lore influence in the jewelry. These designs are for the brave girl with a tough streak. So tell me do you love her jewelry as much as I do? Are you the type to wear her tough designs or do you prefer softer looks?

STACK 'EM UP

2011-10-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

all photos via street peeper

HOW TO WEAR JEWELRY BY LUCKY MAGAZINE

2011-10-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Everyone at one time or another struggles with how to wear certain jewelry pieces, or asks can I wear this with that. Here is a video from Lucky Magazine that hopefully will help with the process a bit. Enjoy!

JEWELRY ENVY: IOSSELLIANI

2011-10-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Oh Italy, how I love you! The boys, the beaches, the wine, the art, the boys ;) Another thing that I love about Italy is the jewelry team of Iosselliani. This jewelry line is made up of designers Roberta Paolucci and Paolo Giacomelli in Rome, Italy and thank God they came together because what they make is pure magic. Their beautiful jewelry is influenced by Italian classic jewelry but in a way that is so new and modern. The way that they fuse styles is dramatic and perfectly mismatched. Now I just have to take a trip over there to find an Italian guy to give me one of those rings!

HOME JEWELRY

2011-09-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Images via Porch Light Interiors

Being the jewelry lover that I am I don't want to keep them locked up and out of sight when I'm not wearing them. I think that jewelry especially necklaces make great home accessories as well. Displaying them in a frame on the wall or even over a vase on a shelf adds a personal touch to any home like the picture above.

I also found these great diamond paper weight ornaments on Etsy by AMOK Home. They are oversied and perfectly imperfect. Check em' out!

JEWELRY STORAGE: NECKLACE EDITION

2011-09-29T02:00:00.000-07:00

Having too much jewelry is certainly never a problem but storing it can be. When it comes to how and where to keep your precious necklaces there are a few things to keep in mind. One they can get tangled very easily so I find hanging your necklaces up works best. That way you can also see what you have easily. I like the idea of hanging necklaces on hangers in my closet like they are clothes. It makes it easy to see how the necklace works with outfits. Another option is on a coat hanger or bulletin board. All great options that allow you to see the pieces individually. Tell me how do you store your jewelry?

All images via How I Met Your Style

JEWELRY ENVY: BUBA LONDON

2011-09-27T02:00:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon what may be my new favorite jewelry! Buba London is comprised of Euan McDonald and Lesley Silwood. Their gorgeous jewelry, handbags, and home goods have been inspired by inspirational exotic cultural colors and shapes of Goa to the florescent glamour of Ibiza’s Techno scene. International flavors which compliment each other to create a unique fashion experience. All the bead work is done by hand in Delhi India where they combine many of the techniques in unusual ways and apply them to unusual materials with a challenging and fresh approach. The use of crochet and whipstitch as a main form of construction (as apposed to sewing machine) has become their signature.

Truly amazing work.

all images via Buba London

MENS JEWELRY, SOUTH AFRICAN STYLE

2011-09-25T14:58:00.001-07:00

Designer: Stiaan Louw, Photographer: Simon Deiner Photo taken at London Fashion Week 2011 VFS

During London's Fasion Week 2011 The Ubuntu International Project was showcased. Basically the project is developing, promoting and exporting a new South African design led aesthetic that fuses the techniques and traditions of South Africa with South African contemporary fashion in order to create a unique South African high-end Heritage Brand.

"Three South African designers, Stiaan Louw, Heni Este-Hijzen and Laduma Ngxokolo of MaXhosa Knitwear made their debut at the Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London Fashion Week in September this year and the showcase is intended as the start of three year program aimed at nurturing and promoting South African talent on the international stage. “The reason we chose these three designers is they represent the new South African look that is coming through,” says Errol Hendrickse of Ubuntu. “Within their work traditional influences are evident along with a particular heritage aesthetic that translates as a brilliant new fresh aesthetic".

Along with the the amazing clothing the jewelry was exquisite! I love the rough stones and colorful threads on the men. Tell me would you or would you like your man to wear jewelry like this? I'd love your thoughts.

Designer: Laduma, Photographer: Simon Deiner Photo taken at London Fashion Week 2011 VFS

Designer: Stiaan Louw, Photographer: Simon Deiner Photo taken at London Fashion Week 2011 VFS