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Styles for Prom 2008: How to Choose Prom Jewelry

Pulling together your prom look is a lot of fun…you've probably been poring through magazines and talking with your friends about prom fashions for months. If you're reading this article, good for you! You're one of the few who truly understands that finding the perfect prom accessories is just as important as finding the perfect prom dress. Every fashion diva knows that accessorizing isn't supposed to be an afterthought! Accessories can make or break your look, and prom is like a high school version of the Oscars®. So before you walk down that figurative red carpet, you need to seriously think about your entire ensemble. I'm here to help…

I've been in the fashion industry for a long time, and over the years I've learned a thing or two about accessorizing. As a buyer for a leading pearl jewelry store, I've spent years scouring the globe for new jewelry trends, meeting cutting edge jewelry designers, working on new pearl and gemstone jewelry collections, writing a style blog, editing countless fashion articles and being interviewed by myriad fashion reporters. By far, my favorite activity is advising brides about bridal jewelry, and the very rules I apply to my bridal clients work equally well for promgoers.  

Before I spill my rules for accessorizing, I want you to consider the look you're after. It all starts with your prom gown. Think of it as the base upon which you'll layer the rest of your look. Before you go dress shopping, consider your personal style. How would you describe yourself?  Are you trendy, sporty, fun, fresh, funky, romantic, cutting-edge? Into vintage? High-fashion? Whatever your style, think about how you want to portray that at prom. Got it? Good. Next, think about what styles look good on you. Do you have great calves, a killer clavicle, a swan neck, toned arms, luminous baby browns? Think about what you want to highlight. Your personal style coupled with your personal figure-flattering considerations will guide your dress shopping. For example, if you're cutting-edge and want to highlight your killer calves, choose a bold, short sheath dress. If you're romantic and want to show off your great shoulders, choose a pearl pink strapless gown with an empire waist. Lucky for 2008 promgoers, the choices are endless. This year, the most popular prom dress is short, long, tea-length, full, sleek, sequined, and simple. It's subtle, jewel-toned, sparkly, muted, romantic, gothic, ghetto and retro. It's sleeveless, strapless, plunging and high-necked. In short, anything and everything goes for prom 2008. What fun!

OK, now that you've got your dress, you're ready to add some sparkle. At last, here are Amy's rules for flawless prom accessorizing:

1. Accessories should complement, not compete. When it comes to fashion, knowing how to accessorize is uber-important. If you have a gorgeous prom dress but pair it with gaudy accessories, guess what? You're entire look will fall flat. Go too far and you'll just look tacky, scale back too much and hel-lo Plain Jane. How to accessorize perfectly? Consider this rule of thumb: Simple dresses carry off bold, statement-making jewelry. Busy dresses require subtle jewelry. Sleek dresses sans embellishments are like blank canvases. They can carry off funky, diva-inspired jewelry, like a giant cocktail ring, gobstopper-sized mother-of-pearl beads, a wide cuff or chandelier earrings. If you love bling, wear a simple dress as backdrop and go to town. Conversely, in-your-face dresses speak for themselves. They're a focal point, and prom jewelry shouldn't compete. Keep accessories simple by choosing pearl studs, a pearl pendant or a diamond tennis bracelet (real or fake). The trick is to pull your look together without overwhelming it. Remember, though, rules are meant to be broken. If something works, it works, no matter what the rules say.
2. Don't be too matchy-matchy. Last year, prom gowns were all about metallics and jewel tones. Whether you decide to go with one of these gowns this year, or another bold color, don't match your jewelry to your gown. There's nothing more boring than an emerald green dress with matching emerald jewelry. Trite! Instead, choose pieces in a complementary color. Think how pretty that green dress will look with yellow gems…or how fab luminous lavender pearls will look against a shiny metallic gown. Remember how fabulously Marcia Cross' huge turquoise earrings set off her white dress at the Emmy's? Cameron Diaz pulls off the trend well too. If you're not sure how to get the look, read fashion magazines for inspiration.
3. You can have too much of a good thing. It's one thing to have great accessories. It's quite another to overwhelm your look with unnecessary bling. Look in the mirror. Do you notice your accessories first? Your dress? Your hair? You should notice YOU. You don't want your jewelry, or anything else for that matter, to overpower you. Pick one or two standout pieces-like chandelier earrings and a cocktail ring, or earrings and a cuff, but don't do a bold necklace and dangle earrings. You don't want to be all about the jewelry.  
4. You get what you pay for. Unlike your beautiful prom dress or those gorgeous dyed shoes, jewelry is something you can wear long after the last prom song has faded. If you're going with classic accessories and you've got a little money to spare, it's okay to splurge a bit on, say, a timeless piece like a white pearl necklace. (Try round freshwater pearls; they're gorgeous and affordable.) But beware trendy pieces. They're fun to wear, but have a shelf-life that's shorter than Paris Hilton's skirts and are so not worth the investment. Spend enough on trendy pieces so they won't break during the fast songs, but don't overspend on something you won't wear again. A big faux emerald cocktail ring probably won't be in fashion forever, but good quality classic pearl pendant or pair of diamond studs will stand the test of time.

Amy Drescher Hourigan is a fashion and style writer and accessories buyer for www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at ahourigan@moonriverpearls.com, and visit Amy's Style Café at http://www.amysstylecafe.com./

What’s Hot for Fall: The Season’s Top Jewelry Styles

As a fashion columnist, style blogger and jewelry buyer, it’s my job to know what’s hot each season, and what’s destined for storage (or Goodwill). The fall 2007 season is no exception, and it promises to be an exciting one fashion-wise. I’ve talked with accessories editors, walked endlessly around wholesale jewelry shows in , scoured fall’s top fashion magazines, and read dozens of influential fashion blogs. The result? A wealth of information that I’ve distilled down to five must-have jewelry looks for fall. Some trends, like pearls, are carryovers from other seasons that are still going strong. If you don’t already own pearl jewelry, invest in some decent pieces; when it comes to the classics, you can’t go wrong buying quality jewelry. Others trends are new, which means you can have fun shopping for and experimenting with different styles—but don’t spend a fortune unless the trend has major staying power or you absolutely love it.

Grab your Birkin bag, your charge cards, and follow me:

Chunky, bold pieces: Big hardware and bold finishings are all the rage for jewelry this fall. Statement-making pieces, such as oversize cocktail rings, cuffs with metallic details, chunky Lucite bracelets, necklaces with feathers, enamel brooches and gobstopper-size mother-of-pearl necklaces, all complement key fall 2007 looks, including menswear-inspired fashions, bold, geometric prints and patent leather. A word of caution: Splurge here only when the piece in question is jewelry you can’t live without. Pieces with big personalities aren’t always in style, and the feather look certainly won’t have major staying power. Keep in mind that for every designer jewelry style with a price tag, there are plenty of high-quality affordable pieces that are just as pretty.

 Jeweled watches: A watch with ultra-feminine details, like diamonds or pearls on the face or a delicate wristband, is a terrific contrast to the season’s tailored menswear look. The juxtaposition of the masculine with the feminine—a slim watch with a man’s tuxedo jacket, say, is very sexy. But avoid pairing a menswear-inspired look with a man’s watch. Too much of a good thing is overkill. And spend wisely here: There are many excellent watches that will set you back thousands—fine if you can afford the investment—but you can also get a durable pearl watch or CZ-encrusted watch for under $100.   

Long chain and pearl necklaces: One style that hasn’t lost its appeal due to its unerring ability to ratchet any outfit up a notch is the layered necklace trend. All over the runways and fashion magazines, long chains with gemstones or pearls, when paired with shorter pendants or pearl strands, draw the eye up and down the outfit and really pull a look together. Experiment with different lengths, depending on your stature and your outfit’s details; multiple length chains go especially well with fall’s paper bag waists and drop waists but not so great with fussy necklines (some of this season’s styles sport big, floppy bows at the neck). Consider adding at least one chain with pearls or a strand of pearls. This fall, the pulled together, ladylike look is back with a vengeance. Think gloves, hats and tailored silhouettes—all pearl-friendly styles.

Stackable bangles: Wide or thin, silver or gold, the more bangles you can stack on your arms, the better. For interest, pair different sizes and different metals or materials (Lucite and wood cuffs are hot), with contrasting shapes and styles, like thin silver or gold. If you can’t get away with wearing stackable bangles, (the jangles get on your co-workers’ nerves, for example) a single bold cuff is a sexy alternative. Patent leather and gemstone styles are popular right now. You can spend a lot or a little here: Cuffs and bangles go in and out of style, but have enough staying power to warrant collecting them for future trends.

Big hoop earrings: Chances are, you already have a pair of oversize hoop earrings in your jewelry box. If so, it’s time to break them out. Big hoop earrings are great with fall’s geometric patterns; they’re about the only jewelry you can wear that won’t compete or overpower some of today’s bold styles. If you’re going to rock out with the season’s little black leather jacket or patent leather look, plain silver or gold hoop earrings keep the look simple. Simple hoops are also great when the rest of your outfit sports this season’s feather, fringe or fur detailing. If you’re going a little more subtle in your outfit, hoops with gemstones look sweet and add interest. Carnelian hoops, aventurine hoops and pearl hoops are feminine and fun. The sky’s the limit here; you can get hoops for as little as a few bucks, or you can spend thousands. Just make sure they’re not too heavy or your piercings will get irreparably stretched out. Ouch!

Now that you know what look is hot this fall, go forth and shop! But keep in mind that some styles have gone the way of ‘80s legwarmers. These looks are over. Give them away or store them in the event of a future comeback:

• Skull jewelry
• Pendants with the wearer’s initials
• Oversize chain jewelry with designer logos (aka “bling")
• Stackable rubber bangles

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of ’s Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion and lifestyle writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.

• Previous Posts:

• Styles for Prom 2008: How to Choose Prom Jewelry
• What’s Hot for Fall: The Season’s Top Jewelry Styles
• What Celebrities and Other Fashionable People Will Be Wearing this Season: Summer Fashion Trends
• Celebrity Bridal Jewelry: How to Look Like a Celebrity Bride
• Bridal Jewelry Checklist: Choosing Your Wedding Jewelry
• What Jewelry Should I Wear to My Wedding? Bridal Jewelry by the Seasons
• Prom Trends 2007: Top Prom Jewelry Looks
• What Celebrities and Other Fashionable People Will Be Wearing this Spring, Plus Trends to Avoid

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