Fashion Jewelry Holiday Collection Giveaway!

Oh, there’s just something about Christmas giveaways, isn't there? When it comes to your favorite fashion jewelry, you need to be alert whenever they have special sales. Just in time for Christmas, Eternalsparkles is giving you the chance to buy your favorite jewelry for a cheaper price! Yes, for a cheaper price!

This time, for their Holiday Collection Giveaway, buyers will enjoy a discount of 10% from their total purchases. It’s a great deal, especially if you’re buying a lot of jewelry for your friends and family. By putting “DECEMBER” as the coupon code, you can easily avail of this special offer from Eternalsparkles.

But that’s not all. Eternalsparkles is being very, very generous this season. From December 1 – 12, they will be giving out items from their special Holiday collection. When you order from December 1 – 12, you’ll automatically earn an entry to their raffle. Every day during this period, at noon PST, Eternalsparkles will post the lucky winner on their Facebook.

Still thinking twice? Take a look at some of our interesting pieces for sale.

1. Jingle Bells Pearl and Golden Ring. Do you want to give a special someone a really nice ring? Well, this fashionable golden ring is just the thing for you. With a huge synthetic, white pearl set at the top of the golden band, there’s nothing that says sophistication even more. The pearl is also embraced by a cluster of clear stones set along the golden band. At $35.99, this eye-catching golden ring is definitely something. By the way, did you know this ring was inspired by Zooey Deschanel’s pearl ring? Yes, she wore this CZ ring during an InStyle party.

2. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Ruby Ring. Eternalsparkles really loves Christmas, especially with all of their cute names for the rings. If you’re looking for something less sophisticated, but more fun and eye-catching, then this ruby ring is the perfect gift. Designed with an oval ruby gem set in the middle, the ring also has a collection of small and clear cubic zirconia stone embellishments that make the ring sparkle in any environment. This beautiful ring will make a great present for any girl.

3. Kissing by the Mistletoe Golden Ring. We already have a pearl and ruby ring. Who says we couldn't have a green ring, either? This golden ring shines with its clusters of emerald crystals that are set at the top of the gold band. This ring is definitely unique because from afar, it kind of looks similar to a headband with crystals. This time, you can wear it fashionably on your finger.

4. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Brooch. Enough about rings! No Christmas is complete without a reindeer. In fact, when we were all young, we all thought Christmas began the day we would see a reindeer on your front yard. While everyone has grown out of their Santa dreams, an accessory like this brooch will still be a good gift for any child. Clear stones make up the most part of this brooch, so any kid will definitely appreciate the sparkles.

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How to Choose the Perfect Accessories for Your Wedding

Preparing for your wedding can be pretty stressful if you don’t know where to start. As a bride, it’s important that you become the apple of everyone’s eye on the day of your wedding. And this all begins with the dress you wear and the jewelry you use to accessorize your outfit. Now that may be a stressful way to begin preparing for your wedding. To help you pick out the perfect bridal jewelry sets for your wedding, here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Consider the details of your wedding – time, location and venue and even the theme If you need help getting an organized thought on what would look good, create a list of factors to consider. Among this list, you have to consider your wedding. Do you have a theme for your wedding? If you have a theme, you can start picking out your fashion jewelry using that. However, you might also want to consider the time of your wedding and the location or venue. For one, if you have a beach wedding at night, pearl earrings may not be a good idea. However, if you’re getting married in a church, pearls are very elegant.

2. Match the accessories to your dress

Most importantly, you have to choose accessories that will look good with your dress. Choose stores that can offer you many different types of jewelry. If you’re not satisfied with the choices in your area, you can also choose to look at fashion jewelry online. The best thing about looking through an online catalogue is that it will give you an opportunity to choose from different brands, designs and concepts. While you won’t be able to test them, it’ll give you an idea of what you want.

3. Prioritize your wedding band

In choosing your dress and accessories, always make it a point to prioritize your wedding band. Everyone has to see your wedding band. You and your fiance should always take some time to pick the wedding band at the same time. This way, you can see the wedding band and you can prepare the perfect dress and accessories to accompany the most important jewelry for your wedding day.

4. Rent jewelry

Wedding jewelry can be pretty expensive. But this doesn't mean that you have to walk down the aisle without anything sparkling on your neck or wrist. If you don’t have the budget to buy beautiful jewelry, you can always rent a few pieces from costume or jewelry shops. Many jewelry stores are happy to loan their best jewelry for weddings.

5. Get something borrowed and blue

No wedding is complete with a little tradition. Some wedding movies have parents or sisters giving something borrowed and blue just before the wedding. But if you really want to prepare your look for your wedding day, you can always ask to get the tradition a few days early. At least, you know what accessories will be borrowed and what will be blue and you won’t have to buy anything else for your wedding dress.

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Snatching Reese Witherspoon’s Ankle Boots Style

Reese Witherspoon is one stylish Hollywood celebrity. All of us have surely seen her grow in front of the movie and TV screens. Of late, according to EOnline, the This Means Wars actress has been strutting down the streets wearing a Rag & Bone’s Harrow booties. Reese Witherspoon looked cool in ankle boots despite giving birth awhile back.

Reese was recently spotted at the opening of the Rag & Bone flagship store in Los Angeles late October. Snatch Reese’s comfy, effortless and polished look with these 5 foolproof style tips to get her look:

Reese Style Rule # 1 Embrace your feminine side with skirts and dresses

She may not be the ultimate girly-girl but Reese certainly knows how to play her female charm. Usually photographed in laid-back skirts and dresses, she never fails to mix style and comfort by pairing these bottoms with classic flats and sandals.

Skirts can easily take on a flirty vibe nowadays. To solve this possible image issue, just make sure that you get the right length. Reese is always seen wearing skirts that fall mid-length of the upper thigh. This length will work well for every lady especially the petite ones since they can use a little few inches to the height.

Reese Style Rule # 2 Put on a pair of sunnies

It’s very rare to see Reese out and about without a pair of sunglasses. This could be a Hollywood thing that celebrities enjoy doing when the paparazzi are lurking around but she has managed to stamp this style as her own. Reese often wears dark oversized sunnies in different shapes.

Sunglasses never go out of style. This means that you can wear a pair in any season as long as the sun is shining. In choosing a pair, make sure that it flatters your face shape and highlights your best facial features. Keep in mind that sunglasses are not just accessories but they can also protect your eyesight. Make an effort to find a pair that suits your features and provides protection.

Reese Style Rule # 3 Oversized cover-ups are sexy and comfy

With clothing pieces getting more complicated and skimpier day by day, Reese stands out from the crowd with her effortless look. She has given the slouchy sweater a new image – baggy clothes are not tasteless after all.

In wearing the oversized style, make sure that the other pieces in your look fit well. This style works well when you wear tight jeans or body hugging dresses. Big sweaters and cardigans keep your look modest and effortless. Adding on statement accessories like necklaces and cocktail ring can add fun to your look.

Reese Style Rule # 4 Spruce up your outfit with a scarf

Livening up your outfit is not only about adding a couple of bling over here and there. Other clothing pieces like cardigans, vests, jackets and scarves can kick your look up a notch. As for Reese, she’s great at spinning her plain looking attire by putting on scarves with interesting patters, colors and designs.

When shopping for a scarf, make sure to take a look at the material as well. Keep in mind that there are ones made from light materials while the others are made from thicker ones. Light scarves like sarongs are great for summer and spring while scarves made from heavy materials like wool are best used when the weather is extremely cold.

Reese Style Rule # 5 Denims never go out of style

Reese proves that she’s surely a southern babe with her collection of denims which is not only limited to pairs of jeans. She has been seen around in chic denim dress and comfy button down tops among other styles.

Soften denim pieces by pairing them with feminine footwear styles like wedges, sandals and ballet flats. Skip the boots if don’t want a cowboy look.

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Chriselle Lim on Finding the Booties For Your Body Shape

Styling your boots with your body type never seem to get the right wedge boots for you? You’ve probably been disregarding the shape of your body when looking for trendy pairs booties. Contrary to what many of us believe, mastering your body is not only necessary when picking dresses, tops and jeans. Knowing your shape also makes your the lovely Cinderella in a perfect pair of booties.

Chriselle Lim of TheChriselleFacor has 15 tips on how to wear booties in physique-flaunting says:

1. Picking a pair boots with a pop of color instantly makes any pair of classic boots look modern. Get this through a patterned design or elastic sides
2. A little bit of heels gives your calves a slimmer look. Not to mention they make you a few inches taller b
3. A tapered shaft elongates your legs in a wonderful manner
4. Pointy or narrow-edged shoes create a streamlined look
5.When wearing minis with ankle boots, make sure to get the right skirt length. It’s all about proportions. Keep your skirt above the knee to continue the length of your legs
6. Wearing fitted bottoms with ankle boots are great for curvaceous babes. Skinny jeans and fitted pants create a streamlined look. They work wonders in blending your look into one
7. Boots with thick and sturdy heels are a must for ladies with an hourglass body type. This footwear balances your feminine curves with a tougher feel
8. Putting on a pair of statement boots is the easiest way to spruce up an outfit whether it's in a basic color or a plain ensemble
9. Vertical zippers make your legs appear longer
10. A two-tone pair will give your shoe an ample amount of dimension
11. Get a pair of boots with an arch at the ankle. This seemingly unnoticeable feature actually allows your legs to create a continuous line
12. A cone-shaped heel is feminine. Look for this in masculine-styled boots to soften it up
13. Getting the right height of a knee-high boot is the ultimate key to pulling off the look
14. Look for booties that are tighter around the ankle to bring out your shape
15. When tucking in pants into your boots, it is best to wear skinny jeans to highlight the shape of your lower body and do away with a sloppy look

BONUS TIP: Like a little black dress, a black pair of booties is essential for every chic lady

Dressing well and looking good is not as hard as you think. Gaining a personal consciousness of your body is the key to being comfortable in any outfit. Love your body by wearing pieces that salutes your style and individuality.

Check out Chriselle Lim on Finding the Booties For Your Body Shape video HERE:

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5 Best Looks of Emma Watson

Gone are the days when the little girl who played Hermoine Granger was just adorable, but awkward. Today, she’s the lovely and smart woman who also played Sam in the Fall movie of Stephen Chbowsky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. As a true icon for struggling actresses everywhere, Emma Watson is one of the most inspiring people. She’s like Natalie Portman all over again! But besides that, she’s also a fashion icon.

Check out some of the 22 year old actress’ best looks.

In this outfit that she wore during the promotion of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Watson shines in an Erdem blue and white dress with eccentric neck details on sheer fabric. Appropriate for her age, Emma Watson is definitely as sophisticated as she is fashion forward. Because she already had neck details, she opted not to wear a necklace, but instead pulled her hair back and accentuated with enamel-looking fashion jewelry on her ears. Her arm bangles were also pretty good accessories for sophisticated outfit. Hot or Not? Definitely hot.

In this outfit that Watson wore at the premiere of Perks of Being a Wallflower in London, she struts her stuff in all Dior – both shoes and outfit. Although Emma is a little too short to pull off the model look as opposed to how the model handled this look on the runway, she was still able to bring elegancy and sophistication in this outfit alone. She toned down her accessories in this outfit too, wearing only a silver barely-noticeable necklace and round earrings. Very elegant, Ms. Watson, very elegant.

Elegant as always, Emma Watson ups her look in another Perks of Being a Wallflower premiere event. This time, donning an Armani dress that famously became the object of wardrobe malfunctions, Watson appears to be unfazed. Her simple, romantic dress perfectly highlights her fair and porcelain skin. Her red lips were her only accessories that day and it worked perfectly in her case.

Despite her recent wardrobe malfunction in the Armani dress, Watson looked ready to show a bit of skin in this Brood dress. Despite the dress’ slightly toilet-papery look, Watson still managed to look just as beautiful as in her other outfits. Styled to hang right up to her neck, Watson chose to keep her hair down and her chestnut hair blended well with the white color of her dress. The upside about her outfit? That really cool ring she dons on her finger!

Color-block is in! At least, if you look like Emma Watson. When it comes to wearing color block dresses, it is important to check first if the dress you’re wearing is actually fitting for your skin tone and your overall outfit. Sometimes color-block dresses are fun to look at, but when you wear them, they can be a disaster. In this Peter Pilotto dress, Emma Watson looks young and hip. Red and yellow accentuate her fair skin and she adds a little funk to her outfit by styling her hair up and wearing Tom Ford glittery shoes. Very appropriate for her age?

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How to Look Like Alison Di Laurentis in Pretty Little Liars

Gone are the days when everyone’s favorite bad girl used to be Buffy, the Vampire Slayer. Today, several bad girls make up the list – Katherine Pierce of the Vampire Diaries, Blair Waldorf and Georgina Sparks of Gossip Girl and many more. While Blair and Georgina have both shared the spotlight enough for being people’s favorite fashionable bad girl, it’s time to take a look at the new rising star bad girl of today – Alison Di Laurentis.

Who doesn’t want to look like her? So, for those who want to attain the look of our pretty bad girl, here’s a few tips on how to get it.

Choose elegant, but noticeable fashion jewelry to accompany your outfit. Everyone knows that the pretty, but technically dead bad girl chooses her jewelry carefully. She’s never gone out without a good set of jewelry. A little tip though – before you choose your jewelry, make sure to choose your outfit first and not the other way around. If you do, you might end up choosing the wrong set of jewelry for your outfit. And according to Alison Di Laurentis, “that’s not gonna happen.”

Get those big, bouncy curls. If there’s a type of hair style that Alison can definitely carry, it’s those pretty neat curls that she’s always seen wearing. Nothing looks hotter on our favorite dead bad girl. For those of you who won’t be able to handle blonde curls, I’m sure Alison would be proud to see you in brown or even black curls. And if your hair doesn’t exactly go back to straight easily, you can always wear a wig. After all, Alison has a thing for variety and wigs.

Use false Lashes and girly makeup. There’s just nothing that makes Alison a better bad girl. Although she doesn’t really look anywhere innocent, her huge, dark, fake lashes and girly makeup always make her seem like any normal kid. Even Aria has better eye makeup than she does. But if you really want to achieve Alison’s look, use false lashes only for the upper lids and play it up even more by drawing a thick liner over the lashes. The lower lashes, on the other hand, have more subtle liners.

For your makeup, use feminine colors like pink, brown and yellow to bring out the innocent look.

Now you can look just every bit as innocent, sophisticated, interesting as Alison does. Did you know that the actress who plays her is only 16 years old? Yeah, well, that’s a shocker.

So, have you found your “Alison” in you?

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5 Best Gifts for Men

When a woman celebrates her birthday or any other occasion that warrants gifts, you can get them just about anything. From flowers, chocolates, expensive fashion jewelry, clothes to personally-made cards, date nights and even slideshows – they’d love it. However, when it comes to buying gifts for men, things are a little more complicated.

You see, you cannot give men flowers. They don’t have the same effect on men as they do on women. Chocolates, well, you can give them, but I doubt they’d be considered as much of a gift as they do to a woman.

If there are gifts for women, there are also gifts that men would love to receive.

1.Gadgets

What man doesn’t love gadgets? From Plasma televisions, to Apple Mac Book to Apple IPhones, a man will truly love it once he opens up his gift. You can even watch him as he opens his present and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the look on his face once he sees what’s inside. Expensive? Probably? But when you see that bright smile he has after he receives his dream gadget? Priceless.

2.Specialty rings and pendants

There’s just something about specialty rings and pendants that make a man so manly. For some fashionable men, wearing rings that state who they are or who they come from give them a really good sense of pride. And we all know how important pride can be sometimes. Special rings from the Navy or Marines can make a man beam with pride. There’s nothing like a piece of jewelry to show off what they’ve done for their country. It will help them know how proud you are too.

3.Outdoor Equipment

If you happen to have a boyfriend, husband or brother who loves the outdoors, then anything that they can use outside will definitely be appreciated. Bicycles are usually very expensive and some of the best can be hard to find. Good tents are also appreciated because the best are rare. Backpacks, GPS, passport holders, cooking sets are all things that they can use while out traveling. Since many of these outdoor equipment can be quite expensive, if you give it to them as a gift, they’ll definitely thank you.

4.Wallets

This is the simplest out of this list. Wallets are common as a gift for man. But did you know that most men are really specific about the type of wallet they want? They’ll never admit it, but really, they want a very good wallet. It’s probably a boy’s thing, but the better the wallet you have, the bigger your earnings. If you do get them a wallet, make sure you get the one that they can’t stop looking at in the mall. It might be their current dream wallet.

5.A Car

Ah. Boys will be boys. Nothing makes a man happier than brand new, spanking clean wheels for them to take to work. And if those wheels just happen to belong to a fiery Ferrari or a Bentley, you’ll enjoy looking at their Cheshire Cat grin for the rest of the year.

So, have you given any of these to a man yet? How did they react?

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The Top Most Expensive Shoes in the World

Don’t know what to do with your money? Do you have so much cash that you’ve been dreaming of spending it recklessly on the first thing you see at the mall? Well, if you’re truly looking for a way to spend your money, you might want to take a look at these. After all, even if you buy a set of wholesale woman’s shoes, or even one of your favorite shoe brands like bamboo shoes, you’ll still never make it to the cost of these gorgeous pairs of high heels.

At No. 5:

Valued at a very affordable price of only $1.6 million, these ruby-red high heels from Stuart Weitzman were taken out of the famous movie “Wizard of Oz.” Sophisticated, elegant and designed especially for those with a love for diamonds, these brilliantly sparkling stilettos have a red insole, complete with red satin for the upper soles and invested with oh, just about 642 Burma rubies. Not impressed yet? Apparently, these shoes also contain a half pound of platinum with a total carat of 123.33. Definitely a pair to include in your collection, right? Although these babies were scheduled for a release in 2003, things got pushed back due to the war in Iraq. Instead, they were put to display in London and Tokyo for the eyes of Wizard of Oz lovers and those who dare drool at the windows.

At No. 4:

Made from a collaboration between Stuart Weitzman and Eddie Le Vian, who is a high-end designer for jewelry, expectations for this pair of shoes was pretty high. Designed with silver leather with an ankle strap similar to a royal necklace, this pair of evening sandals is definitely made to meet its price. Not only is the ankle strap encrusted with 16 carats of tanzanite drop, it also comes along with 28 carats of diamonds over 185 carats of blue tanzanite gemstones. Even the toe strap is bordered by tiny diamonds to complete the design. Sounds fabulous? It is and for only about $2 million.

At No. 3:

Of course one of these shoes had to be Cinderella’s. After all, she started the trend of sparkling shoes – even before everyone heard of sparkling vampires! Made out of Italian leather, the ankle and toe straps are made into lacelike designs from 565 Kwiat diamonds over a platinum setting. The right shoe contains a silver, 5 carat amaretto diamond, pretty rare, because the diamond alone costs over a million dollars. Since the 4 inch heels are also made to be clear, they disappear on the red carpet, leaving the diamonds to shine over everything else – possibly even the wearer herself.

At No. 2:

Inspired from the earrings worn by the late Rita Hayworth, this pair of shoes is made out of satin, with an interesting maroon (rust) color, embedded with a selection of gorgeous rubies, sapphires and diamonds inside the ruffle design over the toe. This pair of shoes costs $3 million, but unfortunately for those who can’t find other ways to spend their money, these babies are not for sale. They were made especially for Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, daughter of Rita Hayworth herself.

At No. 1:

Seriously! What is it with Dorothy that everyone wants her shoes? In 1989, the son of jewelry designer Harry Winston, Ronald Winston opted to celebrate the anniversary of Wizard of Oz in a very expensive way. In 2 months, he designed a pair of slippers that houses 4600 rubies, closely resembling the shoes from one of the most famous classic films. As if 1350 carats of rubies wasn’t enough, he also put 50 carats of diamonds to put this pair of shoes in its own category. And at a price of $3 million, surely Dorothy’s laughing somewhere over the rainbows.

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Superstitious Jewelry – Believe it? Or Not?

Some pieces of jewelry are worn because they are given to them by a special someone. Some wear fashion jewelry because it’s currently in trend. And others are worn because the bearer believes that it will benefit them to wear it.

Do you believe that a piece of jewelry can give you luck? Do you believe that your ring will help you and your fiancé last forever? Do you believe that this pendant given to you can help you win the competition? If you do, then you’re definitely one of the superstitious who wear jewelry because it will benefit you.

Here are some jewelries and their superstitions:

Cross necklaces and pendants

People wear crosses because they believe it will bring them closer to God. They believe that it will protect them. Commonly, when they’re worried about something, you’ll see them kissing the cross or holding it out of fear. A cross gives them the calming they need, every time they feel afraid, worried or stressed about something.

Stars

For those who aspire to be better, a star is their symbol. A star, to them, gives them the luck they need for a go-see, maybe an audition. As long as they see that star, they feel less nervous and more confident about themselves, because they believe that this will help them to achieve their dreams.

Circles

As a symbol of eternity, circles are commonly used by couples to cement their love for each other through jewelry. Rings, as their symbol of love during marriage, is also in the shape of a circle. According to old beliefs, if a couple wears a circle on their finger, it will bind them forever. Unfortunately, this superstition must’ve been used all out, because even with the rings, too many people have ended up divorced. But then again, doesn’t superstition only apply to those who believe?

Pearls

Unlike the earlier 3 mentioned in this article, pearls have a more negative effect. According to superstitious beliefs, if you present pearls to a friend, you’ll end up attracting bad things to them. Pearls, which are in the shape of a tear, bring tears. This is why brides have to be careful not to wear pearls during their wedding. Otherwise, they’ll end up sad for the rest of their lives.

The evil eye

In the Mediterranean countries, the evil eye jewelry (any type of jewelry with an eye as the design) is worn on a baby’s wrist or ankle to protect them from the eye of the devil. According to folklore, the eye of the devil mainly affects babies because they have nothing on their minds just yet. If the baby is affected, this condition will result in emotional upheaval, diarrhea, crying and even the death of the baby.

There are many more pieces of jewelry that have long lost myths, folklore, traditions and legends. Some may believe it and some don’t. While others dwell in scientific beliefs, there’s no harm in knowing about these superstitions. After all, you might be able to use them one day for your protection.

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Vintage Fashion Jewelry? Hot or Not?

From simply being the celebrity stylist to the reality TV show that made her a hit, Rachel Zoe is definitely more than just the fashion icon she was known for. And now, even with a baby, she’s still expanding her empire by adding a new line to her long list of accomplishments: luxury fashion jewelry.

Image Credits @ Neiman Marcus

This time, her line of costume jewelry is vintage-inspired. Consisting of cuffs, statement rings, earrings and necklaces, she’s divided each into different collections. The collection is inspired out of different decades. The first is from the Old Hollywood glamour in 1920’s, while another inspires the 1970’s fashion. The third collection, on the other hand, consists of fashion from the 60’s with its shapes and colors, while the fourth collection, otherwise called the Knot, features intertwined, artistic pieces.

These luxurious jewelry can be bought at around $140 for a chain bracelet, up to $650 for a tassel-end necklace at 54 inches.

One of these pieces, a gold and black collar necklace is similar to those worn during the time of Cleopatra. At $595, the piece is outlined with gold bars, black quartz at the sides that connects to the glittering Pave Swarovski crystals. This necklace is definitely fashion-forward, despite the fact that it was inspired from fashion from the past.

Another piece at $325, also included in her jewelry line is a wide statement bracelet, also in elegant gold. Accentuated by a somewhat tribal figure (or what is called a Love Me Knot), shining with white Pave Swarovski crystals at the hinges, the cuff bracelet sure looks like a piece worn by an ancient goddess.

Her line also includes earrings, one of which hangs by black quartz rings, which holds onto a gold plated, glittering handle with Pave Swarovski crystals and connects to a red quartz (from afar looks like ruby diamonds!) square piece ($250). Absolutely gorgeous!

The collection will be sold at Neiman Marcus, one of the shops that Rachel Zoe had gone to, even as a child. Now that the luxury jewelry company will be supporting the stylist’s fashion line, the celebrity stylist is even more excited. In support, Neiman Marcus will also be hosting a video and a tab on Facebook, just to help people shop for Zoe’s new line. This video was also posted in Zoe’s Facebook page.

The final verdict?

Rachel Zoe is definitely one of the best designers and stylist in the world. With her long list of accomplishments, this line will surely do well.

Filled with style, personality and elegant colors that complement each other like green, red, gold, ivory and black, decorated with diamonds and crystals, the line is promising for those who enjoy fashion.

Unfortunately, while the pieces are definitely interesting and stylish, the price tag will be a bummer for many. Fans of Rachel Zoe will save up just to get one of these beautiful pieces.

So yes, vintage jewelry – definitely HOT!

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How to Save Money When You Buy Shoes

Who says you need to rich to buy a lot of shoes? Well, technically, yes, but there are also several other ways to buy shoes without having to spend an arm and a leg for it! If you’re just addicted to shoes as Princess Mia, then you’ll definitely enjoy these tips to help you save money.

Get coupons and discounts

First of all, coupons and discounts are the best ways for you to buy shoes for a cheaper price. It’s easy to get coupons, nowadays. Even online stores offer coupons, especially for their prized loyal customers. Stay on alert for the latest discounts at your favorite store. If your favorite online store happens to have an email subscription, subscribe to it so that you can be updated whenever they have discounts on various pairs of shoes. Trust me, the more updated you are, the luckier you can be with getting the best shoes at a cheaper price.

Buy shoes on wholesale

Everything is cheaper when it’s bought in wholesale. If you’re willing to buy those affordable wholesale womans shoes because they are cheaper than retail, you can sell your extra pairs. Or if you have friends that are also shoe-addicts, team up to buy a 6 pair pack at your favorite wholesale shoe store. The more you have, the bigger the possibility of you getting a discount. And if you decide to sell the rest of the shoes, you can eventually earn more and buy more shoes with your profit. It’s a win-win situation!

Wait for the end of season

The end of a season is where most shoe stores end up having to sell the old stocks at a cheaper price. Although buying at the end of a season will cause you a little delay in the fashion industry, if you get those gorgeous ankle boots at half the price, you’ll still come up as a winner. Unfortunately, when it’s the end of a season, it’ll also mean that the best items will be out of stock. You might be lucky to still find some pretty pieces on sale by the end of the month. Still, common pumps and sandals will always be available by then and you know, these styles never run out of trend.

Buy secondhand shoes

If your most-desired pairs are out of stock or way too expensive, you might want to check out garage sales instead. Your neighbor might have some of their old shoes that they never get to use anymore. If your neighbor happens to be a friend and possibly stinking rich, you might even get some brand new-looking pairs of shoes at half its price at the store.

Sometimes, people also buy shoes that they never actually wear, maybe due to the wrong size or they just figured out that they don’t really like the style for them. You’ll be lucky to find these types of shoes, especially if you’ve been scurrying through various garage sales. Don’t worry; this is not the time to be shy. Hard times, smart measures, right? How about you? Where did you get your cheapest pair of shoes?

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Would You Eat Chocolate Shoes? Yes, Please!

Chocolate is just one of everyone’s biggest addictions. Heck, there’s even different types of chocolate nowadays – almond chocolate, dark, white, even those with jelly and some type of hazelnut inside. Delicious? Definitely.

Chocolate is also available in different types now. From chocolate frogs, to M&Ms, gold bars and even coins, it’s almost possible to create chocolate in different designs!

However, shoes? It will definitely cause you to stop, right? Chocolate shoes? Almost impossible. At least, we thought so.

But not today.

Zapato now proudly presents their deliciously pretty chocolate shoe collection.

Yes, there is in fact, a shoe collection made out of chocolate.

Targeting women especially with shoes and chocolate, just two of their biggest addictions, I bet this collection will even intrigue everyone more than how Kristen Stewart is doing at the moment.

With this pretty collection, I wonder if this will cause people to buy wholesale womans shoes! Pun intended, of course.

Featuring 20-centimeter shoes made out of mouth-watering white chocolate, this collection is hand painted, with 11 designs for everyone to appreciate. Each design is apparently named after a woman. This collection aims to point out a woman’s shoe shopping process where most of the time, choosing the style of your shoes would highly depend on your personality.

Chloe, the chocolate shoe colored black and grey represents sophistication and elegancy. Claudia, on the other hand, is similar to the elaborate pieces of costume designer Cecil Beaton, as seen in “My Fair Lady”, a classic musical.

For the rather girly-girl types, Keiko, among the 11 designs, is pretty in pink, decorated with dotted blooms. Sophia, is also pink, simple, but looks as if it has higher heels. Anya and Isabel are colored red, striking and representing those who are bold and confident. Angelique is bright yellow with a few flowers near the tips, perfect for use on a summer day. Katrice and Daphne are also both yellow, but simpler, better for use at an office or maybe to an interview.

Tara is in bright green colors, deliciously interesting because it even has those tiny fringes that makes it all the more too pretty to eat. Bianca, in peach colors, has folds that look elegant and ready for a party.

Yes, each style definitely represents the personality of a woman. And since women can never have enough shoes, who’s to stop them from owning all?

These delicious shoes can be found at Sinfully by Makati Shangri-La, at 2nd floor, Greenbelt 5, Makati, Philippines.

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How to Display Your Jewelry the Extraordinary Way

Are you a little tired of using the common types of jewelry display? Or do you just not have enough budget to buy those effective acrylic body forms? Well, even if you don’t have enough money to complete your display, it doesn’t mean that you have to delay the opening of your jewelry store or booth. In fact, this opens up a lot of windows for your creativity.

You see, in order to attract more people to your store or booth, especially during an Expo, you have to come up with an engaging display that will allow people to see your jewelry in a different light. Now, normally, people would use a wide range of display trays, towers and boxes. They’d even stock up on body forms just to accentuate their pieces. But if you cannot have these, you will have to resort to a different method of displaying your jewelry.

How? With a little creativity, these accessories may be able to give you an advantage over the usual trays and towers.

Make use of a sala chair

Image Credits to Snapretail.com

Weird? Maybe. But in fact, these soft, comfortable sala chairs can easily garner a lot of attention, especially because it’s not common to have it display pieces of jewelry. If you have special brooches or pendants for display, you can easily hang them on the chair or use a push pin to stick bracelets and earrings onto the chair. Catching the attention of customers? Check. Beautiful pieces of jewelry? Check.

Use a mannequin or a sewing body form

If you don’t have a body form especially for displaying jewelry, use your mother’s old mannequin or that sewing body form that you thought you’d never use. Make sure you clean it up first or at least wrap it with some clothes so it doesn’t look too awkward. Besides being able to hang some pieces of jewelry on a sewing body form, you can also stick pins easily onto it, thus, you’d be able to hang earrings, brooches and even bracelets on it.

Clear glass items

The good thing about glass is that it allows you to see through it. There’s an elegancy about it that will make you curious, and it won’t cost you more than your Mom’s special china or cocktail glasses to display it. Best used for huge, statement rings and even engagement rings (because glasses have been known to be used to present rings), prepare a simple, but elegant display using the cocktail glass. Put your best ring inside and prop it over a Styrofoam or small mattress so it doesn’t sink to the bottom. Decorate the surroundings with similar rings and top it over an aesthetic cloth for an elegant, finished look.

Image Credits: Snapretail.com

Stuffed toys

Toys are also good displays for jewelry. However, be careful not to stick anything into a stuffed bear, otherwise, you might get into trouble with a few parents. Instead, if you’ll be using a teddy bear, prettify the teddy bear by using a few pieces of jewelry. Not only will you garner a lot of appreciation from kids, you’ll also get a lot of oohs and ahhs from the crowd. You can also use a similar display like this stuffed octopus here. Since it has 8 arms, you can easily display bracelets. What a cutie!

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3 Jewelry Display Ideas to Attract Attention

When you put up a jewelry store, it is important that you give it everything you have – your capital, hard work and time and even your creativity. Having creativity and being business-minded in the jewelry business is essential so you can easily attract customers to your jewelry store.

While the pieces of jewelry are surely a major attraction to customers, you have to admit that it’s actually the jewelry display that will first and foremost catch the attention of your target customers. Without a good, attractive display, you won’t be able to make your first connection with your customers. In order to do this, making sure that your display is both attractive and functional is just as essential as the pieces you’re selling. Here are some ideas you may want to use for your jewelry store.

Keep your celebrity inspired jewelry in front

Everyone knows how celebrities affect fans and wanna-be-celebrities. If Selena Gomez comes out in this beautiful piece of jewelry, every die-hard fan would end up buying the same jewelry. And now that famous stars like Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton and Kate Hudson have offered their own jewelry lines, there’s a possibility that you can use this angle to attract more customers to your shop. If you arrange your jewelry store to display all celebrity-inspired jewelry at the forefront, you may be able to target and attract the fans of these celebrities to your store. Of course, you’ll have to think of an effective display before making this happen. Have a good theme to your display too, so it won’t be too obvious that this is partly a marketing strategy.

Use big displays that will showcase the jewelry well

Do you have those big displays that look like actual wrists, necks and ankles? Well, if you don’t, then it’s time to get one. Apparently, these types of displays may be the most expensive, but they are also the most effective when it comes to connecting with customers. People like to see how a piece of jewelry will look on an actual hand. While you can’t force them to wear the jewelry at first look, you may be able to attract them if you can showcase the pieces of jewelry already on the specific body part. If you have enough capital, you can also invest on a gorgeous set of wooden jewelry display. The closer it looks to a human body part, the better the connection with your customers.

Blend display colors with the colors of your jewelry

Choosing the color and theme of your jewelry display is also critical to attracting customers. If there is a specific season coming up, you can use the colors to match the season and gain appreciation from customers. But if its regular season, you have to be careful in match your theme’s colors to your jewelry. For example, putting a red necklace over an orange background is not going to garner you any points from a customer. Not only does this two colors clash pretty bad, orange is too bold of a color to use as a background. Keep your display simple and elegant so it won’t outshine your actual jewelry.

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Do-It-Your Way: Get 16 Different Looks with One Sweater

I found an interesting YouTube video by Coolirpa. She showed how to wear a single sweater in 16 different ways. Here’s how you can make a plain piece of sweater interesting. I’m sure you can wear these styles for any of your bamboo shoes.
 

1. Normal sweater 
2. Tube top Wear the sweater over your head then make sure to let the neck line rest over your chest by bringing your arms out from the hole. Tie the sleeves together at the back for that added design.
3. Halter top With the same process as the tube top, just tie the sleeves together behind your neck 
4. Bondage dress Insert your legs through the neck hole to wear it with the hemline resting on your chest. Then create a cross with the sleeves over your stomach and tie the ends at the back for that fitting look. 
5. Cropped halter top With the same process as the bondage dress, bring the neck hole up to your chest to get the sleeves up. Then tie sleeves behind your neck to create halter strap. 
6. Skirt Wear the neck hole of your sweater down to your waist. Wrap the sleeves around your waist to accentuate your mid section 
7. Crisscross halter top Wear the sweater as a tube top with the neck hole resting on your chest. Then, knot the sleeves together in front and twist it before bringing it up and creating the halter strap. Adjust the sleeves over the chest area to get the perfect look. 
8. Loose jumper halter top Bring the sweaters neck line down to your waist and tie the sleeves up to your neck. Make sure to pull the body of your sweater downward to have the perfect loose fit. 
9. Cross back jumper dress Wear the sweater as you would do for a tube top. Then, bring the sleeves to the back and make a little cross. Once this is secured, just bring the sleeves to the front. Connect this part to the neck line of your sweater with a safety pin. 
10. Extended cross back halter dress Wear this look as you would its shorter version in number Make sure to pull the body down a little to complete the fully extended look. 
11. Loose tube halter top Wear the sweater upside down again. Make sure that you’ve created a stable tube top with the half of your sweater that’s resting on your chest. 
12. Mini sweater With the right side up, wear the sleeves first. Then wear the neck line up to the top of your rib. Let the excess body of your sweater plop around your neck to get a stylish look. 
13. Scarf Wear the sweater on the right side but keep it up to your neck only. Leave the sleeves hanging around your neck or you can tie them behind to look like a real scarf. 
14. Around your waist 
15. Over the shoulders 
16. Bonnet

Can’t get enough? Watch the video here.

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Steps in Choosing the Perfect Gift for a Daughter

One of the best gifts I know I can give my daughter is a piece of jewelry. She just loves jewelry – necklaces, bracelets, even anklets. Unfortunately for me, every teenager changes their likes every now and then, sometimes depending on the current trend and sometimes, it just depends on their own style. So while I’d love to give my daughter a piece of fashion jewelry as a gift, I don’t know whether she’ll like the piece.

However, after a few years of watching her fashion style change, I realized a way to get her the perfect gift without having to ask her.

First, well, since she’s a teenager, she always ends up subtlety hinting what she wants even if she doesn’t know it, which is a good thing for me. I don’t always have to guess whether or not she likes something. Whenever we go shopping, I watch her closely, because every time we pass through the jewelry items at the store, there’s always that one piece that will get her attention, although she doesn’t exactly stop to take a look at it. Here’s the hard part – sometimes, she doesn’t really like the piece and she’s just looking at it. So, how was I supposed to know that right?

Second, I check out the style magazines she reads. Teenagers love to look at stuff on magazines because it contains everything currently in trend. I know I’m technically not allowed inside her room, but when she’s in the family room looking through magazines, I always make it a point to check it out as well.

Third, I watch her current style. Since I let her wear almost anything she likes, I take note of the kind of clothes she wears, what jewelry she asked to buy before and what kind of jewelry she likes to wear now. I also make it a point to watch the latest trends in fashion jewelry, just in case there’s something new there that would fit her tastes.

The thing is, daughters may be hard to impress, but they’re not impossible at all, especially if you watch them closely. No matter what I give my daughter, she may not wear it all the time, but I know she’ll appreciate it.

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How to Wear High Heels Minus the Pain

I know what you’re thinking. I’m kidding, right? Well, I can’t blame you for thinking that, after all, high heels is technically equivalent to pain – most of the time. Anyway, after much research and a lot of practical studies (check my currently blistered feet), I finally found a way to lessen the pain of high heels! No, I’m not joking nor drunk.

In fact, I’m 100% serious and I can tell you how to lessen the pain in wearing those absolutely painful, but definitely gorgeous pairs of high heels.

Tip #1. Wear some thin socks in your shoes. Yes, technically, you’re cheating the fun out of wearing high heels, but at least, you’ll get yourself an extra pair of comfort if you add thin socks to your soles. Bye bye blisters!

Tip #2. Before you buy your shoes, especially those discounted wholesale womens shoes, make sure to feel the inner soles of the shoes to see if it is soft. These soft soles help to lessen the pain of your feet, especially during your first days of wearing it.

Tip #3. When you’re walking, train yourself to step your heels first on the ground, before your toes. Naturally, people tend to walk the other way around, their toes first, before their heels and this causes your body to put more weight on your toes, when the weight should be balanced between the heels and your toes.

Tips #4. Choose the height of your heels carefully. Now, this is important. You see, if you cannot walk in 5 inch heels, you shouldn’t be walking 2 blocks in them, because of course, your feet will hurt. If you happen to need the heels for work, make sure to only pick a pair of shoes that you’ll feel comfortable walking in.

Tip #5. If you have soft and sensitive heels and toes, before you wear your new shoes, put on some band aid on any commonly blistered areas. Since you’re breaking into new shoes, help yourself avoid the pain by placing secondhand protection on your skin – even before the blisters happen. While band aids aren’t exactly the current fashion trend, at least, you can avoid blisters during the first days of wearing your new shoes.

Okay, so basically, we’re practically cheating on avoiding the pain in wearing high heels. But at least, by taking note of these tips, you can wear your shoes without worrying, right? Right? Oh well. At least I don’t get to suffer through painful blisters. What about you, high heel lover? Do you know of any way we can avoid pain while wearing high heels?

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The Vera Wang Wedding Gown Curse – Really Now?!

Since Vera Wang divorce with Arthur Becker went public, news articles on the supposed curse of her wedding dresses began to sprout left and right. A couple of days back, Mario Grauso, the president of Wang’s company said: Vera Wang and Arthur Becker have mutually and amicably agreed to separate. They remain devoted parents to their two daughters. The news is just plain sad – I mean I’m always saddened by any spilt up because I’m a hopeless romantic. You know that – I believe that love, fairytales and a happy ever after can come to life if you work hard to keep a relationship afloat. Love is truly a splendid thing.

Anyway, this fanfare took the spotlight when some people took notice of the number of celebs who wore Vera’s gowns on their big day and ended up in Splitsville a couple of years after. Some of them are Jessica Simpson, Sophia Bush, Jennifer Lopez, Avril Lavigne, Mariah Carey (with Tommy Mottola), Heidy Klum and most recently, Kim Kardashian.

It’s not fair! I love Vera’s gowns and I dream of actually walking down the aisle in one of her gorgeous wedding dress. Not everyone of her clients went down to Splitsville. Khloe Kardashian, Victoria Beckham, Ivanka Trump and Chelsea Clinton all wore her wedding gowns and are still happily married today.

I do believe that the success or failure of any relationship, or marriage for this matter, is solely dependent on the commitment and love the two people share. It should never be about the gown or the house or even the social status that they have. If they want to make things work – they would definitely fight to be together. I remember reading an online post about an old woman who was asked why she and her husband stayed together for a very long time – her answer was pretty short and simple. She said it was because they fell in love at time when broken things are fixed – not thrown out. Challenges will always be present in every corner of our lives – it’s a fact! We better accept it and work our way around it.

As for the Vera Wang wedding dress that I’m dreaming of, I’m thinking hard about it. Not that I’d be needing it soon but I’m not really bend on spending that much on the big day. Might as well save money for the family.

I might trade the glorious gown for a beautiful summer dress and a pair of bamboo shoes. I guess that would be a better match for the sunset beach wedding that I’m dreaming of.

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How to Make a DIY Jewelry Display

Did you know that it isn’t that hard to create a creative jewelry display? I thought it would take me several brain aneurysms first before I could create one that can truly sell my pieces. If not a brain aneurysm, I’d have to drown in debt first just to pay all those expensive display trays. 

Good thing, I discovered that I can actually make a do-it-yourself display without having to sell my kidney. 

First, I had to think of a creative theme for my jewelry. Since I like nature and I have a thing for the color combination of blue, green and brown, I wanted to build an effective jewelry display that will focus on just that, plus the elements of nature. 

Now that I had a theme for my display, I needed to set up my materials first. I took some blue lace curtains and green fabrics from my house (luckily, I still had them). I also had to look for old plywood that I can turn into star risers and towers. I’m also pretty skilled in a little carpentry so I could easily make my own towers. However, while making my second star riser, I ended up running out of materials so I had to resort to using books instead. After painting my star risers, I was ready to set up my jewelry booth.

Using the fabrics, I spread them out over the table with the lace fabric decorated over the stretched out green cloth. I placed a few antique looking wood on the sides and used the books to create different heights. The star risers I placed in the middle. Since I also liked the common, but generally attractive acrylic hand and pendant boards, I spent some money on a piece each and surrounded the star riser with the ready-made jewelry display. Just to give the display a little more design, I took some pieces of branches from an old Christmas tree and added it to the design, near the wood, giving it a forestry look. To finish off my decorations, I also made sure to add some soft LED lights to emphasize the colors of all jewelry pieces on display. 

Through this DIY display, I didn’t have to spend much. How about you? Which type of display for your jewelry is your favorite? Did it take you as long as I did to create yours? 

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A To Die For Nicole Richie Stint

I’ve never been a fan of Nicole Richie. Well, my mom loves her dad! And I love her dad too. Lol. I’ve never really seen her as a fashion icon but I love what she’s doing right now. I’d die and go to fashion heaven if I can be Polyvore’s guest editor for a month like Nicole Richie! She will be the first celebrity guest editor for this site.

Do you know what Polyvore is? "Polyvore is the web's largest fashion community site, where users are empowered to discover their style and set trends around the world. With over 15 million monthly unique visitors, Polyvore's global community has created over 44 million sets that are shared across the web. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, Polyvore is funded by Benchmark Capital, Matrix Partners, DAG Ventures, Goldman Sachs, and Vivi Nevo (NV Investments).”

In simpler terms, Polyvore is an online community where you can post a collage of outfits complete with inspiration and other things. Now you don’t have to be in the photo just to flaunt your desired look.

I’m actually not into this site yet, but I’m loving it! I might start pretty soon so I can post and look for more photos of pretty wedge boots. Yes, I’m still not over them. Lol.

Going back to Nicole Richie for Polyvore, she’d be starting of with a “What’s In Her Bag?” set to reveal the contents of her Balenciaga tote. She has a good mix of beauty essentials and luxury labels inside her bag. Nicole has a lip balm, bobby pins and a couple of sunglasses which I think, should be staples in every lady’s bag.

Nicole Richie is definitely as busy bee. With this guess editor stint, she also has two fashion brands under her belt – Winter Kate and House of Harlow 1960. She’s also set to launch her fragrance line on September. Her clothing collection for Macy’s will be launched just about the same time.

I love Nicole Richie’s life! Can we trade?

I've got a question. If you could trade lives with a celebrity for a day, who would that be?

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