Style Stud: Chloe + Isabel

March 20, 2015.Reading time 3 minutes.

If you haven’t noticed by my rants, my Instagram feed, my tweets, and if you recall my picture tour of my bedroom, you all are well aware of the fact that I’m a huge whore for jewelry. I’m not talking like Elizabeth Taylor diamonds or anything (they make me nervous), but straight up costume jewelry is my idea of heaven. My mom tells me my grand kids, if they happen to be girls, will be super pumped about my addiction, but the idea of having kids let alone THEIR kids playing with my jewelry makes me break out in hives. So … moving on!

You can imagine how thrilled I was to meet the lovely people over at Chloe + Isabel. I live for getting the opportunity to meet new jewelry brands and the people behind them, while getting a real-time, up close and personal experience with the product. What can I say, I like to get intimate with my jewels (not in a weird dysfunctional way, freaks, calm down).

With me, packaging is everything. And opening my package from Chloe + Isabel did NOT disappoint. I actually opened it with my mom peering over my shoulder as she is just as much of a jewelry whore as I am (apple doesn’t fall far, am I right?). It went a little something like …

Mom: OMG is that a bird cut out?! What! Give me that! :::hangs felt bird on cabinet:::
Mom: Holy crap, are you wearing these pieces tomorrow?!
Me: No? :::barely even opening the box:::
Mom: Good because they so go with what I’m wearing. They are mine.

So yeah … I had the products for about two seconds before the got confiscated by a woman who plans out her outfits, and irons them, days in advance. Love ya, Ma.

The packaging is too cute, the perfect thing to send to a friend for a birthday or just a little “happy happy” as my crazed family likes to call random gifts. It comes with a little inspiring note on the packaging, which hey, we all could use whether you want to admit it or not. And my favorite was that my bracelet came in a little tiny tote-like bag, that I just wanted to squeeze out of not being able to control how cute it was (I’m a freak, I get it).

So even though my mom stole my jewelry, once I get it back from her (if I ever do, she’s got a fierce grip), I’m really excited to style these eclectic pieces. There is truly something for everyone, so no excuse not to buy yourself a little treat … because it’s Friday, it’s officially spring, and it’s God damn snowing, for crying out loud.

Big thanks to Jen over at Chloe + Isabel! She’s your go-to gal. Tell her Life Sucks In A Strapless Bra sent you.

Style Stud: DYLANLEX Necklaces

June 6, 2014.Reading time 2 minutes.

I think I need jewelry rehab. Specifically my vintage jewelry obsession. It is starting to get comical. Every weekend I somehow acquire two more pieces … I just can’t help it. They are so affordable. And unique. And sad … sitting there in the vintage shops, all lonesome. Looking at me with those sparkly puppy dog eyes. I just HAVE to rescue them, right?! So yeah … I’m pretty much the cat lady of vintage jewelry.

But that is neither here nor there. What I do want to discuss is Dylanlex. The jewelry line that is making me drool all over my iPhone since I discovered them on Instagram. I mean … this collection is straight up necklace porn. It’s delicious. It is everything.

If I had to describe the perfect piece of jewelry for someone to buy for me, I would send them to this site (hint hint for all you ladies and gents just dying to win over my heart … ehhh?!) Hmm a $10 vintage necklace or an $800 rad piece of Dylanlex art. You know what, I’m THAT crazy about this line that I would contemplate living out of my car for a week with my cat with no food just to be able to afford one. Yep … that crazytown obsessed.

They are just … so beautiful … I mean … it’s just … I can’t. Just check it out. These bad boys have left me speechless … talk amongst ya selves.

Ps. There is a necklace named “Jagger” … which I assume is after my most favorite person on the planet. I’m in lerve. Hearts are in my eyes.

Meet My New Obsession: Compliment.

February 27, 2013.Reading time 4 minutes.

I’m a firm believer in putting yourself in other people’s shoes. Why? Because you have no idea what is going on behind the scenes. You think you may know … but in reality, you have no idea. Think of all the shit you keep bottled up. If only life gave us an electric yellow emotional Post-it to slap on our foreheads so we can write things like, “yeah … just broke up with boyfriend … Back. Off,” and have everyone leave us alone. ::Sigh::: But alas, it has not been invented yet.

I, for example, have been feeling a little blue these past few weeks, for reasons I will not disclose here because the electric yellow emotional Post-it has yet to be invented. But when I got my very first jewelry delivery from Compliment this week, all of a sudden it was like I got sparked back into the glorious land of unicorns, sunshine and baby kittens.

I came across Compliment and immediately was drawn to it simply because of Melissa, the founder and creative director, and her lovely skill for crafting handmade (no two pieces are exactly the same) fashion-forward jewelry, as well as her theory that, “sometimes people around us could use a boost … something to uplift. Something to build them up. One easy way is to give them a sincere compliment.”

So I opened my little brown Compliment box only to find a beautiful piece of jewelry accompanied by a simple typed note stating, “You Are Marvelous.” Each box had a different compliment, and each one put a bigger smile on my face. Why? Because it was something special, something different, something so unexpected, yet uplifting. It is very easy to go buy a friend in need a card, bottle of wine, even a piece of jewelry from his/her fav store. But to send them something original from Compliment with a short and sweet note letting them know how fantastic they are … well, that is the right kind of medicine to help anyone in need.

Nowadays everything is so damn competitive and literally at an 11 at all times. I swear I blame the reality TV :::shaking fist::: Everyone is yelling, at each other’s throats, talking shit, spreading rumors … OY. Enough … instead, acknowledge a friend/family member/co-worker/ frenemy in need and send them a little something with a reminder that everything is okay. That they are bad ass and important in this world. Acknowledge them … because sometimes that is all it takes. A little something special and a nod that they are recognized.

So I insist you check out Compliment. I’m a sucker for fantastic packaging … and this rocks. I’m also a huge fan of the punctuation in the names of the jewelry. Period. Seriously. So thank you to Compliment and Melissa for making my blues fade away a bit!

And you know what … I am marvelous … dammit!

For more information on Compliment, tweet them @ShopCompliment or visit their website!

Taking Off The Bling

November 1, 2011.Reading time 4 minutes.

If you don’t already know, I have an affinity for shiny things, especially accessories. I’m mildly obsessed and find walking into the accessories section of any store an extreme pick me up. Walking through an oasis of costume jewelry and glitter might be better than Prozac, just sayin’.

But, unfortunately, with so many options, it is quite easy to do a little thing called “over accessorizing.” I recently was talking to a man at a bar and he was commenting on how you can tell how old someone is by how many accessories they are wearing, and I gotta agree with him. I look at pictures of myself from freshman year of college and I’m wearing like 14 necklaces, 5 rings and a flashy belt. What … Why? Well, because I was trying to be Carrie Bradshaw … in fact sometimes I still am … truth. It was my way of making my outfits “crazy” and “outlandish.” But really it just turned out like an not cohesive hot mess (story of my life).

This man, perhaps an accessory angel from the Gods, also gave a glorious piece of advice that I felt compelled to share with all of you. AHEM. Before leaving the house, take off ONE piece of jewelry, that is if you are wearing more than one piece. I live and die for statement jewelry, like a big chunky cuff or a huge obscene ring that goes up to my knuckle, but there is no need to wear both at the same time.

Sometimes I feel like we forget the point of accessories. Yes, sometimes I plan an outfit AROUND a specific piece of jewelry I want to rock … but TECHNICALLY their purpose is to accentuate an outfit, you know … make it pop. Yes, of course if I’m wearing a fabulous piece of jewelry I want people to comment, but when you have the earrings, the cuff, the belt, the pin, the five rings and hair clip … it turns into crazytown. People will be less compelled to comment on your look and be more compelled to gossip around the water cooler about how so and so forgot to take her meds today and put on her entire jewelry box.

So here is my challenge to all of you fantastic readers, before leaving the house, take off ONE piece of jewelry, just one. I started to do it and even though you aren’t getting the “BOW!” factor, your look will make a turn from crazytown to chic. Still wear that statement cuff, stacked bangles or numerous pairs of pearls, but ONLY wear that. If you must, match it with a very subtle necklace. But honestly, we are all way to fantastic to walk into a room and have people think we are some teeny bopper … or even worse, an over the hill teeny bopper trying to re-live her teeny bopper days.

So as hard as it may be, give one piece of your bling a day off.