Hello Darlings,

When it comes to jewelry I am as clueless as it gets. It can be said that I suck at accessorizing. I am just too intimidated by costume jewelry, too obsessed with pearls to even bother wearing them because of a fear of going overboard, too reluctant to mix silver and gold jewelry, too nervous to look like a walking freak-show, too scared to wear fake as not to look like a phony. In one word, I am CONFUSED! I adore collecting jewelry but I never really know how to put it to a good use, in a way that could transform a look from drab to fab. In order to tackle such a dilemma, I went ahead and decided to turn to professionals and gather some visual inspiration.

" A woman's relationship with her accessories is important and elemental. Because, your accessories... tell the world who you are." - Nina Garcia

This is my first attempt at trying to lean how to wear jewelry in a way that truly does make a statement. Hopefully this little 101 to jewelry is going to help me overcome my fear as well as inspire you to either face your fear as well or to try something new. It's not possible to know or be inspired too much! S0 shall we

Here are some of suggestions from my favorite fashion books by Nina Garcia... as some of you might notice, I adore her books They are very useful!

As according to Nina Garcia...

" The key to accessorizing is to keep it personal and keep it tasteful. To make it personal, wear something that means something to you. And to be tasteful, make sure you don't go overboard. Limit it to one. Too much of a good thing can turn into a bag thing very quickly."

Something to Chose from...

♥ Bangles

• For bold, wear big designs from wrist to elbow.
• For glamor, wear an armload of thin 18K gold bracelets. You should stick to no less than six. Mix inexpensive and real if you'd like. It's good to go vintage here.
• For fun, look for odd-colored Bakelite ( very rare but beautiful material produced in the 20's and 30s) from the flea market or cheap Indian bangles.
• For a little glitz, thin bangles of small pavé diamonds add fun and sparkle.

♥ Brooch

• An accessory that allows you to show off your creative side. Find ironic designs and large, interesting pieces.
• Put them in your hair, on your hats, on unexpected places on your clothing.

♥ Charm Bracelet

• A very personal piece that is wonderful to start when you hit a milestone. So that it will remind you of those specific years.
• Consider having several charm bracelets and giving each one a theme, or have one charm bracelet and gradually build on it.
• This is a great item to shop for vintage and looks much more authentic when come of the pieces are new and some are old.

♥ Cocktail Ring

• The cachet of a cocktail ring is not about the cost. It's about being bold, daring and adventurous.
• The bigger and bolder, the better.
• Faking it is fine...wearing a piece of costume jewelry is almost better than wearing an expensive heirloom.
• Be dramatic. It is meant to make a statement, start a conversation, and represent a piece of you personality.

♥ Cuff

• Try mixing precious and semiprecious cuffs on one arm.
• Consider mixing them in with your bangles.
• Throw a cuff on each arm.
• The four classic materials are: ebony, silver, lucite, and wood.

♥ Diamond Studs

• They are perfect everyday earring, as they add a bit of sparkle without being obnoxiously in-your-face about it.
• Color: the most value white diamonds are colorless.
• Cut: refers to how skillfully the diamond has been faceted, not the shape.
• Clarity: imperfections on the surface are called blemishes, and internal fractures are called inclusions.
• Carat: the measure of the diamond's wright. One carat equals 200 milligrams.

♥ Pearl Necklace

• You have to be creative and don't let them get too snooty.
• Wear them with paper-thin tank top or thick biker chains.
• They can be real or they can be fake.

♥ Statement Necklace

• As with the cocktail ring, the necklace should be big, and need not be real.
• It's best with a plan backdrop.Sometimes, too much is simply too much.
• The beauty of owning a collection of statement jewelry (real or fake) is that they let you wear your standby LBD time after time. Your look will never get tired when coupled with the right statement necklace.
• A good statement necklace is your ultimate "quick change" item.

♥ Watch

• Watches have become pure fashion items and should serve as statement pieces rather then timepieces.
• You can go really feminine and high-end and get a diamond cocktail watch.
• You can go trendy and get the newest plastic watch from Prada or Swatch.
• You can be a classicist and get a timeless silver design. Or you can opt for a man's watch.

From all types of jewelry my favorite go-to pieces are a man's watch and diamond studs. Those are two pieces that I simply cannot live without. However, I am dying to find the perfect cocktail ring...but it seems to be like a mission impossible! In the meantime, I am still getting used to the idea of "investing" in jewelry as most of my collection is made of gifts and carry lots of sentimental value.

What about you....What are your must-have pieces? What are your everyday or can't-live-without jewelry?

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P.S. By the way, I must share with you the great selection of jewelry and watches that are offered at ShopNBC. You can checkout their latest products at the ShopNBC Facebook page! Also don't forget to enter my CK Beauty Giveaway!!!!

Be back with outfit photos shorty...

Wishing Everyone a Beautiful Weekend!!!

With Love...

Marta

Source: fashion gone rogue; Nina Garcia Books