With jewelry this season trending toward low-key matte, japanned and antiqued metals and colorless stones (more on these trends to follow in future postings), there is a countervailing trend bound to put a smile on even a curmudgeon’s face. This look employs bright gemstones in eye-popping mixes of color.
In their most outrageous styling adaptation, these colorful jewels add another layer of whimsy to wild mixes of hues, prints, textures and styles, resulting in the brightest, “funnest” looks hitting the stores and the streets. Faceted stones provide the most flash, but cabochons, carved stones and beads are in evidence too, along with jewelry rendered in plastic, fabric and even leather used in creative and sometimes unexpected ways.
Glamour magazine’s editors throw up their hands, in a manner of speaking, in the November 2009 issue, relinquishing style decisions to the readers: “Bored with your wardrobe? Been there! Here to the rescue are new fashion combos, complete with crazy details. Check out our examples-inspired by the supersize imagination of artist Jeff Koons, whose work appears in this story-but then, by all means, make up your own!”
Illustration: From Glamour, a mélange of bright pieces including earrings and bracelet from House of Lavande, ring from Kate Spade New York and necklace from Tarina Tarantino.
Nothing says that bright, multi-color gemstones are solely for the wildest mixes of clothing. Indeed, Lucky magazine’s take on this trend is surprisingly restrained. Even though the editors chose colored pave as one of only four jewelry styles profiled in “The Lucky Fall Jewelry Guide” published in the magazine’s November 2009 issue, the one photo showing jewelry worn by a model is a close-up that has her wearing two bright rings next to each other on the fingers of one hand, and clothing that appears dark and unembellished.
Illustration: Whether rendered in multicolor sapphires or crystals, jewels such as these shown in Lucky magazine can add wonderful color and dazzle to any ensemble. From top, earrings by M.C.L. by Matthew Campbell Laurenza, at Bergdorf Goodman; earrings from sorrelli.com; ring from guyandeva.com, and necklace from sears.com.
If for some reason you consider all of this exuberant color so much falderal strictly for the under-30s, take a peek at the stunning jewelry from the Paris couture season featured in the November 2009 issue of Elle magazine. Is it possible to look at these pieces and not smile?
Illustration: Faberge rings from its first High Jewelry collection since 1917, Les Fabuleuses.
Illustration: A brooch from the California Reverie collection of Van Cleef & Arpels.
Illustration: Pendants and ring by designer Victoire de Castellane for Dior.
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