Yesteryear style with vintage fashion jewellery

There are lots of reasons for looking to the past when we’re choosing things to wear, and retro and vintage styling is as popular today as it has ever been.  Broadly speaking, anything which was produced before the 1920s can be described as antique, while clothing and jewellery dating back from between 1920 and 1980s can be classed as vintage.

As with anything old, genuine vintage jewellery pieces can be hard to find and expensive, but these days, there is a vast range of reproduction and retrospective designs which can add a touch of real old fashioned glamour to any outfit or look.  So if you’re looking for a really classic way to add glamour and style to any outfit, whether it’s for day or evening, smart or casual, why not browse through old magazines, movie posters, and photographs of the past and find something which works for you.
Head back to the 20s, wear your strings of beads long and layered for real flapper style, or tie them round your head for a superchic look, which even Princess Diana worked in the early years.  In the 1930’s Wallis Simpson taught us just about everything we know about jewellery, with her fabulous collections of precious stones. Birds, flowers, wild cats and abstract designs in brooches, pins, hair accessories, bracelets and rings, can be piled on, or worn one at a time, for a very slightly over-the-top response to challenging economic times.

The 1950s were all about the movies. Think Rita Hayworth, Vivien Leigh, Ava Gardner, red lips, big prints and even bigger hair, together with just enough bling to draw attention to a girl’s best bits. Jewellery was big and strong, and women looked a million dollars.

 In the 1960s, new materials and manufacturing processes meant the decade passed in a swirl of psychedelic colours and artificial fabrics, plastic and rubber, nylon and fake fur. Dresses were very short, and jewellery and accessories mixed up together. Anything went with anything, as long as it was shiny and bright.

If you choose to invest in a bit of vintage style for yourself, you’ll be in good company, as today’s goddesses of both the small and silver screen can all be seen channelling looks which combine the old and the new, the modern and the vintage.

Cheryl Cole, one of the current leaders of all that’s stylish has frequently been seen wearing large scale costume pieces such as the Dome Crystal ring and the crystal drop earrings which would not have looked out of place on Elizabeth Taylor, and she’s often seen with heavy strings of simple pearls very much in the style of Coco Chanel.  US ‘X Factor’ judge Nicole Scherzinger is a great fan of heavy cuff- style bangles, and  big gold statement pieces, which are almost Egyptian, and yet bring back memories of  1930s and 40s film star glamour, while style leaders such as Kim Kardashian, Tulisa Contostavlos and Jennifer Lopez are all fans of complex necklace designs which are as real a draw as any worn by Wallis Simpson or Vivien Leigh.

Whichever era captures your imagination, adding a piece or two of special vintage style jewellery will update your look by taking it back in time, and perhaps even mark you out as a style icon too.
 

Winter Warmers!

Itsnt it getting cold! I needed to buy a few winter accessories and outfits and River Island has some amazing clothes at the moment. Everywhere else seems to just have massive sales and alot of rubbish in the sales if you ask me!

I need to find a new winter coat this year. Next do have lovely coats however they are very expensive. I am off to primark as we speak to try and get a few bargains!

Wish me luck! has anyone got a bragain coat recently? xx

Amelia Lily Out of The X Factor!

What has happened in the X Factor! I have been out of the country for 10 days and already my favourite contestant is out of the competiton. Amelia Lily was an amazing singer and to be fair I really loved her fashion style alot better before they made her over! She has some great fashion rings though, especially saw a clip with a funky spider ring. I want one of those!

Who is your favourite? Who is going to win?
x

Your Favourite Holiday?

Hi Readers,

I am sorry that I havent posted on here for the last 10 days, I have been State Side!! and was lucky enough to get a deal and headed to LA. All I can say is that it was the best holiday ever! Shops and people were amazing, I came back with sooooooo many clothes and Ugg Boots of course for the Winter! Half the price over there! The above Hollywood sign was also amazing, alot smaller than I thought it was going to be, but am glad I have seen it! Needless to say have lots of clothes and gossip to share, so stay tuned!!

What is the best holiday you have ever been on? Needless to say I have the Holiday Blues now!

Belle! xxx

Trying to Find Winter Shoes!

I have been trying to find some really funky platform boots or wedges for the winter. I dont know if any of you saw eastenders last night but I loved Amiras Platforms. They were extemely high but thought she looked like such a rock chic, especially with her Biker leather jacket. I actually purchased a cropped leather jacket recently from New Look and am now on the hunt for some new shoes. I dont think you can ever go wrong with Asos shoes. I have found the below two pairs which I love. Not sure which to go for! What do you think?

Black Acorn Boots - £65.00

Irregular Choice Bun In The Oven Lace Up Wedge Clog Boots - £149.00

Belle xx

X Factor THE FINAL 16

I am a huge fan of the X Factor and love the new judges. If you missed the show below are the 16 hopefulls, 1 of which will be winning the title of 2011 X Factor winner!

THE BOYS - Mentor Gary Barlow

James Michael
Marcus Collins
Frankie Cocozza
Craig Colton


THE GIRLS - Mentor Kelly Rowland

Amelia Lily
SophieHabibis
Janet Devlin
Misha Bryan


THE GROUPS

2 Shoes
Nu Vibe
Rhythmix
The Risk


OVER 25'S

Kitty Brucknell
Johnny Robinson
Goldie Cheung Replaced with Sami Brookes
Jonjo Kerr


I am so routing for Frankie & Amelia! They are so talented! who do you think is going to win?

RINGING THE CHANGES WITH CELEBRITY STYLE

You do not need to wait for the man to come and pop it on your finger to wear a ring that you will love eternally. If you find ‘the one’ – and by that we mean a ring – it will be the finishing touch on a perfect outfit and make your hands look ultra-glamorous.

Your ring is a representation of you. Some designs are to signify beliefs – such as a fisherman’s ring or a Russian wedding ring. Some are rings to remind you of a memory or a special person – and of course the ultimate expression of love, is the diamond. But sometimes you just want it to say ‘I’m fabulous’ and complete your outfit.

Costume jewellery these days uses a huge variety of materials. There are so many choices for any type of look; crystal, cubic zirconia, glass and semi-precious stones are all used to give the appearance of the real deal. The metals used include gold or silver plated brass, vermeil or sterling silver, but the most interesting are the ones by the more creative of the designers which are experimenting with plastics, acrylics and wood. Not only will the ring draw everyone’s attention, but you won’t be able to look away either.

Cheryl Cole knows that people are always fascinated by her ring choice – the press is obsessed over which finger any rings are on due to the drama surrounding her marriage. Seeing as even her hands are talked about, she gracefully distracts attention from whether or not there is anything on her ring finger and to some statement rings that deserve being discussed! Cheryl proves how personal rings can be when she designed her own ring with the word ‘promise’ engraved into it.

Pixie Lott has a style which is a mixture of cute and individual – seen with rings that range from Gothic silver to hand-made scrabble letter rings – which then took over the nation as a craze. No matter how out there, Pixie will try it and undoubtedly pull it off. Her fingers sparkle with crystals combined to look like diamonds, roses and ruby-coloured glass – showing that you do not need to stick to the generic styles and can go as crazy as you like!

Kim Kardashian’s hands have also been talked about constantly over the last few months, especially after her marriage to NBA star Kris Humphries. Despite having the best engagement and wedding rings in the business, Kim does not shy away from costume jewellery and goes for statement rings. If you are not into the bold style that she chooses then you can also find imitations of her more understated wedding ring for a good price.

Style icons have helped to get costume jewellery as popular as it is, showing that no matter what the price, as long as it looks fantastic then anything goes. This has been the theme throughout history, from the art deco period into the styles we get in modern times. We now have so many types to choose from, be it a unique ring that only you have, or one that everyone seems to have and adore, or even one with a deep personal meaning to you.

Whatever style you are going for you will be able to find imitations at an affordable price, so you can feel like Elizabeth Taylor, Coco Chanel or even the Duchess of Windsor, but without the huge price tag. Even the late Princess Diana’s engagement ring is available to you without having to marry into the family.

You can be your own fashion icon and do not need to copy anyone else, so embrace the individuality trend that Cheryl, Kim and Pixie have taken upon themselves and accessorise in a way that will show exactly who you are, and stand out from the crowd.