So my latest purchase/splurge was this Tom Binns for Disney Couture Alice in Wonderland necklace.  This necklace is a magpie’s dream and is exploding with charms that represent different moments from the movie.  The charms hang from a whole mess of interwoven gold chains that add to the topsy turvy theme.  You can find this Wonderland wonderment at Blue Ruby for $275 CAD.  I’m a little ashamed that I paid that much for it; but we all know I’m capable of much worse shopping atrocities.

It’s been a long time since I blogged about my favourite accessory: BANGLES!  My new kryptonite is the Kate Spade website.  So many beautiful accessories so little time – and money.  Take these enameled bangles for example that are engraved with the phrase, “make a day of it” on the inside.  They come in white/gold and silver/black.  I must say I have a small weakness for polka dots.  They’re $98 US and you can find them on the Kate Spade website.

Photo’s courtesy of Kate Spade.com

One of my favourite, local jewelry designers is Shereen de Rousseau.  The Canadian born, Brazilian raised artisan creates original, truly spectacular pieces great for any occasion. The latest piece of hers that I’m lusting after is this necklace.  The Tatienne is made from hand-cut, oxidized sterling silver with a 19″ chain and costs $400.  You can find SDR jewelry online on her website (listed below) or in many boutiques throughout Vancouver.

Photo courtesy of ShereendeRousseau.com

OK so this bracelet looks a bit of a mess but when you put it on it looks spectacular.  It’s all one piece and covers about 3inches of your wrist.  I saw it in Vegas and was going to buy it, but figured I should try and buy something other than Juicy Couture jewelry.  I’m sure you’ve realized by now how obsessed I am with the line.  It was either the Tory Burch flats or the Juicy bracelet.  I figured I’d get more use out of the shoes.  But I will buy this gorgeous bracelet eventually.  It has fabric ribbons, link chains, rhinestone beading, feather accents, a sea foam enameled chain (my favourite part) and a piston clasp.  I love the clasp because it’s not used a lot these days; plus you feel safe the bracelet isn’t going to come undone. This Multi-chain feather bracelet from Juicy Couture goes for about $128 US.

Photo courtesy of Juicy Couture

I never leave the house without a pair of earrings.  I’ve left the house without my wallet, my watch, my glasses, my car keys, my deodorant, even my bra (don’t judge it’s easily done). But I’ve NEVER left without putting on a pair of earrings, I feel so naked without them.  I can only wear studs though as I have crooked piercings.  (As if I wasn’t odd enough on my own). One ear has a higher piercing than the other.  It’s very slight and barely noticeable but if I wear dangling earrings you can see it.  So studs for me when comes to jewelry and men!  If you want these I suggest picking them up in the States as Juicy Couture jewelry is usually half the price there. These delectable daisies are $42 US and are too adorable not to own. They come in white, lavender and pink and are perfect year round!

Photo courtesy of Juicy Couture

Although shoes are my first love I am also a bracelet junkie.  I have drawers full of bracelets and I still keep buying more!  I have a rather addictive personality, thank the Lord I found shopping before drugs!  These Aztec Bangles are next on my shopping list.  They are made by House of Harlow 1960 (a.k.a. Nicole Richie) and can be found at Holly Boutique in Gastown.  You can visit their website at www.shopholly.ca.  These Aztec bangles have a leather strap and a gold plated design; they come in 5 colors but you can find white and black at Holly Boutique right now for a modest $85.

OK so more House of Harlow 1960 accessories this week.  These Sunburst bangles go for $99 each and can be found at Holly Boutiquein Gastown.  I recommend getting the set, so much cuter when they’re stacked.  These are thicker than your standard bangles, which I think makes them stand out from the rest. They come in three colors gold/black, gold/cream and silver/black.  These would go beautifully with a long, flowy sundress.

In the words of Rachel Zoe, “I DIE”.  Stella & Dot jewellery is amazeballs!  I don’t even think I have to write anything; the pictures below speak for themselves.  So I’ll keep this brief. Stella & Dot jewellery is not available in stores.  You can only get their pieces through their website, saleswomen, trunk shows or hostess parties.  Stella & Dot is a company similar to Mary Kay; they have a team of dedicated women selling their products and in turn securing their own futures. It’s all about women selling beautiful jewellery while empowering themselves.  Our local saleswoman for Stella & Dot is Stacy Williams; through her you can order pieces or arrange to host your own parties.  You can also view the entire collection and shop till you drop at www.stelladot.com.

Bloom flower ring $49

Kelly cuff ~ $99                                                        Selma brooch cuff ~ $173

Garden party necklace ~ $276                       Boca necklace with bee brooch ~ $109

Sofia pearl bib necklace ~ $131                                  Gilda links earrings ~ $49

Colette necklace ~ $148                              Garden party dot earrings ~ $35

Charlize teardrop earrings ~ $38                     Stella vintage link bracelet ~ $88

Starfish earrings ~ $38                                 Garden party chandelier earrings ~ $65

Spring has sprung for Shereen De Rousseau and her new collection.  These amazing necklaces are inspired by spring with stunning shades of pink, yellow, blue and green.  The chains are made of oxidized silver and add a great contrast to the stones.  You can find the pieces below at Provide.

$400

$200

$400

$375

I’m back on the cocktail ring band wagon, you didn’t really expect me to stay off that one now did you?  The latest one to catch my eye is by Juicy; it’s called the Floral Cluster Ring and comes in at $88 US.  It’s a golden metal ring covered in gorgeous enameled flowers and clear rhinestones. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!  You can find Juicy Couture jewellery at Blue Ruby and Stone Ridge on Robson street.

A lot of us carry our whole lives in our purses, I myself am beyond guilty of this.  But being a pack rat becomes a problem in the summer, as those big, bulky bags don’t often compliment a light, airy dress or short shorts.  When it comes to our clothes we shed the layers and bare our skin for the summer; so why not do the same for our bags?  For the warm weather, clutches and satchels are a great alternative.  The Matterson clutch is a great option.  This colorful clutch is made of straw and can be found at Aldo for $30.  It has a flap closure with a kiss-lock and ribbon wrapped wristlet – which is great because there’s nothing worse than strap lines on your shoulder from a heavy bag!

Necklaces are a great way to add some color to any outfit.  If you feel like dressing down in a comfy t-shirt and jeans; then I recommend spicing up your outfit with a colorful necklace.  A great, affordable option is the Oppliger necklace from Aldo. For $25 this multi-strand necklace will do the trick.  It has 18 rows of chains and glass beads, perfect for complimenting the simplest of wardrobe choices.

I first saw the Valrey ring on my girlfriend, Crazy Mo.  Crazy Mo has the most amazing ring collection.  She’s always coming to work in big, beautiful, stunner’s that garner a lot of attention.  All week our co-workers have been stopping by to comment on her ring, and you can see why.  This over-sized ring is a metal rose with epoxy and rhinestones – lots of rhinestones!  For only $28 you too can be like Crazy Mo.  You can find the Valrey ring at Aldo, it comes in gold, turqouise and silver.

If you haven’t heard of Tom Binns, you must google him immediately!  Actually click here, there I’ve done the leg work for you.  Binns is a beyond talented jewellery designer.  He has been making jewellery for over 25 years and is known the world over for his over-the-top, to-die-for designs.  Last month Tom hooked up with Disney Couture and released an Alice in Wonderland inspired jewellery collection.

Now the pieces range in price from $1,000-$2,000 but are stunning!  Binns also made a more affordable 35 piece collection that ranges in price from $65-$500.  My favourite pieces are the bracelets (pictured below) they run about $180 each.  I am becoming a little obsessed with Alice in Wonderland, but can you blame me?!

Now, not all pieces are available in Canada, but I just had to show them!  The ones that are available can be found at select Blue Ruby stores.  Most of the affordable jewellery can also be found online at the Disney Store and Boutique To You.  If you have yet to see Alice in Wonderland, hurry up and go!

I’m one of those people that always has to know what time it is.  This has become problematic because it’s quite challenging to match a watch to every outfit.  I find it most difficult when I have a fancier occasion to attend.  A watch just can’t do to a dress what a bracelet can.  Well that’s all about to change; you can now have the allure of an elegant bracelet and the functionality of a watch.  I introduce you to the D:Light watch by Swarovski.

This ultra sexy bracelet is adorned with 171 crystals that are backlit with LED’s; with a touch of a button this stunning bracelet turns into a swank watch.  You’ll find no numbers or hands, just the glow from the LED’s, which reveals the hours and minutes in dotted lines. You can set it to 12 or 24hrs.  The D:Light comes in either gold or silver, for $1,900 and $1,600 respectively.

Also the D:Light is completely reversible so it doesn’t matter which wrist you wear it on. There are no batteries to replace on the D:Light either, it’s totally rechargeable.  For a three hour charge you get a month’s wear.  You can find the D:Light at select Swarovski boutiques, you can visit their website for more details.

Flower rings are everywhere right now.  I can’t go a day without seeing someone with a pretty pansy on their finger.  Since purple is my favourite color, I thought I’d share this delightful flower ring with you. I saw it at Blue Ruby (I really must stop going to this store) it’s called the Pansy Ring and is made by Juicy Couture.  This pleasing posy has a gunmetal finish, with a pave glass stone in the middle and a blue/purple enamel.  Being just over an inch in diameter it’s a definite crowd pleaser. So get into the season and pick yourself a flower – ring that is.

Surprise, surprise I bought another bracelet. I saw this gorgeous piece at Blue Ruby over the weekend and had to have it.  Made by Juicy Couture, the Elastic Heart bangle is part golden metal, part elastic cord, with the Juicy crown-engraved heart joining the two pieces.  Since I’m constantly wearing a black hair elastic on my wrist, I figured I should upgrade to something a bit prettier.  Like most Juicy pieces this bracelet is subtle with a punch of attitude.  You can find the Juicy elastic heart bangle at Blue Ruby for $65.  To view other pieces in the Juicy collection visit www.juicycouture.com

Spring is in full bloom at Pour La Victoire.  Colorful opened-toe shoes as far as the eye can see for their SS2010 collection.  Pour La Victoire means ‘for victory’ in French and you’ll definitely be winning the fashion battle with these sexy shoes!  Launched in 2007 by designer veterans Jay Adoni and David Giordano, Pour La Victoire seeks to redefine what a designer shoe should be.

PLV shoes are inspired by European fashion –  Marie Antoinette is said to be a muse for the designers.  Each shoe has it’s own French name to add to its European flare.  Adoni and Giordano wanted to revolutionize the fashion world and give women a unique way of expressing their individuality.  The believed women’s shoes needed a new concept and their high-quality, comfortable, fashion forward designs were going to do it.  Prices run $150 and up but are well worth it.  These shoes are made with premium soft leathers and are carefully crafted in Brazil.

But don’t take my word for it celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Rachel Weisz and Alexa Chung have all been seen sporting fabulous PLV heels, boots and sandals.  Not to mention the collection has been featured on Gossip Girl, Melrose Place and The Hills.  You can find Pour La Victoire shoes at Eden boutique and Atomic Model in Yaletown and Oliver Barrett in West Vancouver.

You can look for a hand bag collection coming this fall by the boys and if it’s anything like their shoes they’ll fly off the shelves!  For more information or to squeal over their SS2010 collection visit www.plvstudio.com.