Jewelry Trends for 2012

"Metallics, especially in gold, silver and bronze, are always a trend that never goes away," says Roseanne Morrison, fashion director of the trend-forecasting Doneger Group in New York. "Now that nobody can afford the real gold and silver because it's so expensive, costume jewelry like a thick gold bracelet is a nice alternative."

Dillard's spokeswoman Melissa Merriman says the trio of metallics has gained popularity this season because they can instantly update an outfit whether it's classic, glam, vintage or even rocker chic. "They also can be easily paired with bold or neutral colors, patterns or solids without being distracting."

Beyond gold, silver and bronze are what Shannon Davenport, an editor with Stylesight, a New York-based fashion-forecasting firm, says are the "in-between" offerings of rose gold, champagne, gunmetal, pewter and for added pop, colorized metallic.

And Karen Tweedie, a trend expert with Kohl's, says anything that shines will be an important fall and holiday trend, "including apparel in lurex and lamé fabrics, sparkling statement jewelry, metallic accents on handbags and shoes."

Metallic accessories are trendy, Morrison says, "because there is a whole new interest in minerals, especially in copper and bronze. It's of the moment. It's modern, it's subtle, it's very interesting, and women are responding to this newness, such as a gold heel on a shoe or bronze hardware on a handbag."

Ditto for exposed zippers on garments, a big trend a few years ago that Morrison says is "coming back with a vengeance" in the fall: revealing ritzy statement zippers that will look like jewelry on dresses, track suits, trousers and more in - take your Olympic medal pick - gold, silver and bronze.

Ken Downing, Neiman Marcus fashion director, says metallics, particularly in the Olympic medal colors, continue to be popular in fashion because of their versatility. Many of the season's accessories, he says, "are designed with a mixed metal message."

In addition to adding instant glamour, metallics "truly go with everything," Downing says. "They are the great equalizer. They look great with black, neutrals, color and print and are a constant in fashion."

While the choice of metal is a matter of personal preference, he says "golds, silvers and bronzes are equally chic ... and go effortlessly from day to night."

Morrison says because there are no fashion rules anymore, "metallic sparkle is perfectly fine for daytime as in a shoe or bag."

"People don't dress so rigidly anymore. Why not wear a gold sparkle sweater with a pair of jeans and accessorize with a bronze belt and a silver bag?"

Stylesight's Davenport also is for mixing it up. "A pair of silver jeans with a vintage tee or a gold satchel bag for daytime is a great way to work in some shine in an unexpected way. They're all great right now."

But she cautions that the trick to making it work is to "make it look effortless and not like super-formal eveningwear - that's what's fresh right now about the look of metals."

mquintanilla@express-news.net

Caring for Buttons

Buttons that took a LOT of care!

The Victorians certainly treated their clothing (and buttons)differently than we do!

Above are three buttons in different materials. The top one (next to the dime) is made of brass with a design sitting on a card backing. Often buttons were made which were never intended to be washed and, although we would never think of doing so now, if the garment was to be washed then the buttons would be removed and restitched on again after the garment had been laundered. Can you believe that?!

The button at the bottom of this photograph has a celluloid centre with brass rim, again, not really a button I would want to wash. 

These speak of a time when the lady of the house probably had servants to perform these tasks for her ... equally a time when clothing was not laundered as often as it would be now. 

The third button is brass with a floral design and would have discolored over time so would either have been polished while a garment was laundered or while on the garment using a slide plate protector between the button and the fabric.  

I complain when I have to sew a button on my clothes!

Enamel Buttons - Exquisite!

Enamel buttons

Enamel buttons are colorful and exciting to look at.  I try my best to find enamel buttons, which are rare.  They come in many shapes and sizes and fall into several different types. 

Here’s a little information about the different types of enameling.  There is cloisonné enamel, painted enamel and champlevé enamel.  Cloisonné enamel is the technique of laying powdered glass over a metal base (copper, silver or gold) which is then heated so that the glass melts forming a smooth transparent surface, in this method, flattened wires are laid to contain the enameled design.

Painted enamel is achieved by mixing powdered enamel with oil and applying it with a brush to areas of the background design. The background layer is fired before the next layer is applied and an image is built up in this way to form a beautiful picture. Dating to around the end of the 15th / beginning of the 16th century, this method has led to some most beautiful miniature works of art.

Champlevé (literally means 'raised field') enamel dates back to around the 12th century and differs from cloisonné in that no wires are used to form the design, instead the design or pattern is set in low relief on the object, in other words, on buttons the pattern or design is likely to be moulded in the manufacturing process before the enamel is applied. The design is often finished off to make the edges sharp before the enamel is filled in and fired, afterwards being filed or planed to the level of the metal design edges.

Japanese buttons

Satsuma buttons

Satsuma ware has that distinctive crackle which cannot be imitated and was produced over an extended period. Buttons like this one, with a self shank and backmarked 'Japan' (hand painted) probably date to around the middle of the 20th century but many similar could well be considerably older.  Many Satsuma buttons are highly pictorial with scenes of Japanese figures and life. 

Button Charm Strings

Charm Strings are strings of unusual buttons and they were became a fad. From the 1860’s until around 1900 young women collected buttons and stitched them onto wide, black elastic bands called “charm strings.” To start, one would first tie a string to a larger button called the “touch” button. It was customary for young women to exchange buttons from their garments with loved-ones and sew the souvenir onto the band. An extravagant “friendship bracelet” indicated a well-loved woman. For single women, it was believed that there had to be a thousand buttons on the string before Prince Charming would come and claim his lady love.  Here’s an example of a modern day Charm String using buttons from many ages.

Charm string

More great sit

Victorian Buttons

At one time buttons were fashioned individually by hand by skilled artisans.  Buttons were very costly and were a sign of high fashion.  In the Victorian period, the cost of production was lessened by the adoption of mechanical processes. Instead of being ornamented by hand, they were stamped out in dies with the desired pattern.  

     Metal button producers began to produce buttons using brass, jet, ivory, iron, tortoiseshell, pearl, bone, horn and glass.

     I set each one of these pieces of art in a custom sterling silver clasp and string them with gemstones and fresh water pearls.  Visit my website http://www.jewelrywithapast.com and see the finished product!

Dunedin Art Harvest

I had a great show in Dunedin, Florida at the "Art Harvest."

Here are some photos from the show!