Bay Area Fashionista

2011 Fine Jewelry Trends: Rose Gold Jewelry

 in General Fashion / Jewelry / Trends  tagged fine jewelry / pink / rose gold / spring 2011 by

The Paris, Milan and New York runways gave the fashion world a glimpse into the jewelry trends for spring 2011. Although the trends on the runway were more in the “costume jewelry” category, fine jewelers do look for color trends and ways to make precious metals and stones integrate well into the apparel trends. With bright colors and patterns making a mark on spring fashion during the runway shows, fine jewelry designers have followed suit with either dainty pieces that will not overshadow a bold print or color, or with statement pieces that signal an end to economic distress.

Rose gold has been slowly increasing in popularity over the past few years, and with Pantone declaring “Honeysuckle” or bright pink to be the “IT” color for spring and summer 2011, rose gold has made a bigger spike in popularity for the upcoming seasons.

Rose gold works well with cool toned colors such as blue and it also blends well with purples and pinks. Rose gold also works well with shades of brown, which makes it a good precious metal choice to pair with neutral toned color palette which is another trend from the spring 2011 runways.

While casual jewelry is trending in silver, bronze and black metal, fine jewelry is trending towards rose gold; this is not to say that white metals and yellow gold are not important, they are, but rose gold is making a bigger mark in fine jewelry this season than in past seasons.

Rose gold is being shown in both polished and brushed fine jewelry styles; brushed rose gold being the more trendy style for spring and summer 2011.

Bay Area Fashionista’s semi-precious and precious stone color picks for rose gold: Smoky quartz, pink stones, red stones, purple stones and clear stones. 

Happy New Years and goodbye to tired trends

 in General Fashion / Trends  tagged new years style / spring 2011 by

Happy New Years! Thankfully 2011 is on the horizon and a new set of fashion trends will greet us on store shelves in January. What are the fashion trends from 2010 that you are happy to see end? Which trends are you looking forward to investing in for spring? Here is a short list from us, enjoy!

Bye-bye 2010!

1)      Jeggings: They were only cool for about 24 hours. Then, the people who bought them looked in the mirror, freaked out and threw them away. Thank goodness!

2)      Torn Jeans: Someone, somewhere, thought it was still 1986 and tried to bring torn jeans back into style, thank goodness this trend failed. Torn jeans now become dust cloths. Goodbye!

3)      Fur Handbags: Now tell me this, why does a handbag need to be made from fur? Oh, just to tell the world it was expensive. Well, a fur handbag tells the world the owner kills animals in order to carry around her car keys. Dusty and on the clearance rack. Ick.

4)      Minimalism: As much as we like simplicity, we’re more bored now than we were in 1994. Bring on the bling bay-bee!

5)      No eye-liner: Thankfully the red lips and no eye-liner eye look never made it off the fall 2010 runway. Consumers know an ugly look when they see it. Three cheers for eye-liner!

Hello 2011!

1)      Rocker Chic: Studs, motorcycle jackets and black leather are back so download some Van Halen, throw your BBag on your shoulder and get ready to rock out in 2011!

2)      Bright Colors: With the end of minimalism, we can live in candy colored frocks that put smiles on people’s faces. Happy colors=fabulous!

3)      Florals: Floral patterns are everywhere and let’s face it, flowers are happy, calm, innocent and cheeky; love it!

4)      Slouchy Hobos: Slouchy and soft hobo handbags are all the rage for spring 2011. They are relaxed and understated. Perfect to pair with bright colors and patterns. Go for a neutral beige, white, black or tan.

5)      Big jewelry: Shoulder duster earrings, double cuffs and big necklaces. Look for opaque stones, cabochons and natural cuts.

Happy New Years and stay fabulous 

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Stay fabulous and warm on New Years

 in Bay Area Fashion / General Fashion  tagged holidays 2010 / loro piana / new years style / outerwear / winter 2011 / wraps by

New Years Eve is an evening when many Fashionistas find themselves attending a semi-formal or formal event where keeping warm just is not on the agenda. Most party attire does not offer long, warm sleeves; rather, they bare the shoulder or provide little coverage in the form of a short sleeve. For an evening such as this, a wrap is in order.

The one type of cover up Fashionistas should have their closets, or invest in for New Years this year, is a black formal wrap. A formal wrap is an easy way to keep warm and not hide your entire outfit underneath a large coat. If you have a black wrap in velvet, silk or cashmere buried in your closet, then you are all set for keeping warm this New Years Eve without sacrificing your fabulous outfit. If you do not already own a wrap that works with your holiday attire or is basic black, then it is time to go shopping.

There are several classic yet festive wraps on store shelves right now that will also make great investment pieces. Iiana Wolf has a sequin silver and black wrap that is perfect for New Years and can easily be an investment piece for years to come. Gucci has a festive black or lavender animal print wrap that features fringe on the edges. Loro Piana has a wool scarf that features animal prints. Although not a formal wrap, the Loro Piana wrap can easily be worn for a semi-formal event and with any pant outfit.

The thing to look for in an investment wrap is longevity and quality. Wraps should be classic and in a color that you know will integrate well with your current wardrobe. The quality should also high since a wrap is on the outside of your outfit, it will be the first impression someone has of your ensemble. Look for quality wools, velvet and smooth silk. Happy shopping, Happy New Years and have a fabulous night  

LoroPiana

Loro Piana wrap from the winter 2010 collection. Photo courtesy of Loro Piana