Fashion’s Favorite Gifts

By Paige McKirahan

Hello TalkingFashion lovers! It is finally December; since its the season of giving, we feel that there is nothing better to give or receive than the gift of fashion! If you’re one of the elves who has made a dent in their holiday purchases with our cyber sale last week, you’ve got the right idea! But if you’re like me and haven’t even came close to formulating gift ideas for your loved ones, not to fear; the perfect holiday gift inspiration is here! We have decided looked at some of our favorite fashion fanatic’s holiday gift lists and found some great ideas for the most flamboyant to the most minimalist on your list. Read on to see our top five gift ideas from the industry's finest and how you can find similar items in our store to get that quick holiday fix!

Marina Larroude, fashion director at Barneys New York, says she looking for shine this festive season.

She would love to add more sparkles to her wardrobe for the holidays; she specifically mentioned a sparkling Sonia Rykiel bag, but you can find some shimmering pieces right in our collection!

Dion Lee, women’s ready-to-wear designer, is all about giving jewelry to her loved ones. 

The talented creative claims that the only purchase she's made so far this winter is a custom jewelry piece. She finds jewelry to be one of the best gifts because of its “intimate and timeless” feel. We agree, Dion! 

Rickie De Sole, fashion director at W, is hoping for a new timekeeping piece this Christmas.

He claims that classic watches that go with everything are essential to ones outfit; this is proven by the fact that he's worn the same watch since college! He loves the Chanel Boyfriend style, and it has been the only piece that have prompted him to consider breaking his longstanding devotion to his current watch! Check out a similar style below!

Michelle Cordeiro Grant, founder and CEO of Lively, is all about vintage pieces with a story. 

Number one on this boss woman’s list is vintage scarves or other vintage accessories from secondhand stores! She loves when her gifts have a story and a well known history as it adds new depth to any classic piece. 

Tanya Taylor, Toronto-born designer, is in the market for beach-inspired fashions!

This colorful designer loves all things tropical; this ocean affintity stems from her son's name, which is palmer! Palm themed accessories and earrings are a sure to be a success under the tree this year!

To shop any of the items you see above, click on the image to buy with ease! For other gift options, head over to our collections and start checking off those items on your list!

Metallic’s Glimmering Fashion History

By Paige McKirahan

From the eye catching metallic jumpsuits of the ‘70s to the glimmering casings of the latest iPhones, metal motifs have been loved for decades across all art mediums. As we have learned by seeing all of our mother’s fashions cycle through popular revivals, the metallic trend has come in and out of the style again and again. Though there was some metallic glamour seen in the 1930s and 40s, it wasn’t until later in the century that this style truly began to shine. Starting in the 1970s, metal moved into fashion as the disco era was in full swing; in order to shine bright under disco lights, colorful metallic clothing and accessories were essential. ABBA blazed the trail with their shimmery looks and glittering performances, but this journey was stopped short before the end of the following decade when neon in the ‘80s prevailed.

Farrah Fawcett sporting a gold dress in the 1970s

(image credits to pinterest.com) 

As grungier, minimalist styles proved themselves to be on trend in the ‘90s, the early 2000s left that minimalism behind and headed towards a shining future. Both silver and gold aesthetics were the “it” styles both on the runway and in the jewelry industry. This boom happened once again in 2013 when heavy metal saturated Ready to Wear collections across the globe from Balmain to Gucci. Every color could be seen with a metallic sheen and this aesthetic was applied to everything from belts to pantsuits.

Once again, we see have this metal obsession come back into the light as these shiny styles dazzled on runway all over the world this past fall. As the trend has evolved, it is considered perfect for spring and summer looks that are fit to sparkle under the sun. But don’t think that these metal hues are just for the warm weather months; implementing darker metallic shades into a fall and winter outfit can elevate any chic cold-weather look. New Years Eve is the best time to shine and if you're looking to emulate the Times Square Ball, check out our collection for some time stopping metallic pieces perfect for any end of year celebration!

The Met Museum Presents Jewelry: The Body Transformed

By Paige McKirahan

In the wake of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s most successful fashion related exhibit since its conception (talking about you, Heavenly Bodies Exhibit!), we here at TalkingFashion we have been excited to see what was next for the art-filled attraction based in New York City. Lucky for us, the topic for their new display covers none other than jewelry throughout time; museum patrons will be able to view over 200 pieces from dated 2600 B.C. to the present. The exhibit, which is titled “Jewelry: The Body Transformed”, opened on November 12^th and will have a 15-week run in the iconic museum.

If you are lucky to see the exhibition, you will be faced with an exploration of how “jewelry acts upon and activates the body it adorns” from a historical perspective. The pieces are chiefly taken from the Met collection and many portions of the exhibit pair the jewelry with sculptures, prints, and photographs in order to enhance their story. Jewelry from around the world will be organized into galleries by the part of the body they embellish starting from the top of one’s head and hair; to the nose, lips and ears; neck and chest; and lastly waist, ankles, and feet. 

After the exhibition is separated by body part, the remaining galleries are arranged thematically. The Divine Body is focused on early conceptions of jewelry and its previous link to immortality. The Regal Body will look at the use of jewelry as a status symbol. The Transcendent Body moves away from a rank-based evaluation and looks to jewelry’s historical link to the spirit world, where it was said to conjure spirits, appease gods and conjure ancestors. The Alluring Body gallery will celebrate how jewelry evokes romance and desire and the final portion, The Resplendent Body, will focus of elegant pieces designed for luxury settings. To see other magnificent pieces currently on display, head over the The Met's exhibition page. If you are looking to do more than just appreciate historical jewelry, head over to our collection and purchase a piece beautiful enough to be in a museum!

(all image credits to metmuseum.org) 

Horn and Tusk Jewelry

By Paige McKirahan 

Though there may be some controversy surrounding the use of animal materials in the fashion industry, this practice has been in place since ancient times. Decades before the presence of synthetic goods, these natural substances were the only available products that could be used in the creation of clothing and jewelry goods. What most people don’t know, though, is that these animal products typically don’t cause the death of an animal; the bone and tusks are usually taken from the animal after its death from other causes. The crafting of jewelry from horn and tusks is a longstanding tradition for native peoples, but why is this practice considered to be a sustainable one?

Firstly, these types of jewelry are organic; as the ancient crafting traditions have overall remained unchanged, they typically produce beautiful and unique pieces. Since they are naturally harvested, they will not have any chemical treatments and will be responsibly created. Horns are formed by modified skin tissue, giving the material a softer and more flexible composition. New layers of tissue are added to the base of the horn periodically, and its fibrous structure allows it to be broken down into thin, transparent sheets. Tusks, on the other hand, refer to the teeth of animals that protrude from the mouths of certain species of mammals. One of the most common types of tusks used in creating jewelry is that of ivory, which applies to elephant tusks. With a high market value, ivory is scarce and has highly desired properties regarding hardness and color. Ivory has a grainy composition, offering different surface effects and making it suitable for carving. Despite the fact that harvesting ivory now has negative connotations, we encourage the use of older ivories that were harvested safely rather than those that did harm.

To clean this type of jewelry, wash with mild soap and water on an as needed basis. Since horns and tusks are prone to splintering and are quite porous, do not leave them to soak in water or expose them to extreme temperatures. To maintain its smooth appearance, you should lightly polish your pieces as needed with jojoba or coconut oil. Looking to add some natural elements to your look? Find some of these sustainable products here at talkingfashion.

Sustainable Jewelry: Natural Stone Accessories

By Paige McKirahan

In the jewelry industry, we have been using gemstones and other types of stones for centuries as a way to add some va-va-voom to any piece. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are just some of the types of naturally occurring stones that are extremely common in accessories and bejeweled pieces. But what about a more natural approach to this sparkly fascination?

Continuing with our conversation of sustainability, this discussion of naturally occurring stones is more so pointed towards those that are of the crystal variety; crystal stone jewelry has become increasingly more popular in the past decade as more people have begun to use them for their magical and healing properties. Their natural, rough look contrasts gems entirely and offers an element of eccentricity to any outfit.

Natural stone pieces are organic and go perfectly with our desire to purchase products that aren’t detrimental to our environment. They typically are not chemically treated and boast raw edges; this gives the pieces a true from-the-Earth feel and even if the stone’s rough appearance is smoothed, they still possess a magical aesthetic with more subdued undertones. Want to add a little bit of natural healing to your whimsical wardrobe? Check out our collections!