Sooo, now that you’ve all had a few days to scour the fashion trend reports, critiques, and the who-wore-what reports. Now what? A big let down? Non, we say! Now you take those looks and own them for yourselves in affordable, everyday-wearable ways. How? Hm. Well, of course Sonia is here to help! Check out these trends, which seem to be the favs of starlets, and see the Sonia B. Designs jewels (click the photos for more info) that offer you an opportunity to wear them… without having to take out four mortgages, hire a body guard, or—worst of all—wear them for one night then return them (like those poor stars must do…)

Oversized earrings

The gorgeous Rachel McAdams went over the top with oversized earrings

Bring the look home with…

Beautiful but wearable drop-style leaf earrings by Sonia B. Designs. $1,218

Blackened metals

Amanda Seyfried went for the modern drama of blackened metals against her fairy tale dress

Sonia B. Designs "Wing" earring is so perfectly on-trend with an oversized silhouette and blackened gold with diamonds. $1,330

Button-silhouette earrings

Charlize Theron, stunning in purple, was one of so many stars who chose a subtle on-ear style earring

Sonia's pretty topaz and diamond earrings are the perfect real-world interpretation of this trend. $1,456

Jewels for your hair, waist and anywhere else!

Diane Kruger (click here) best illustrated the strong trend for jewels in the hair (aka, brooches in unexpected places!) But the concept easily translated to other interesting brooch placement!

Mariah Carey went for flattering sparkle at her waist

Sonia's amazing blue and yellow sapphire gold brooch works in the hair; on the waist; or absolutely anywhere! $1,008

What to do about that pestering ex-lover, catty best friend or string of bad luck that sometimes follows you? Why, cleanse yourself from those evil omens… stylishly, of course! The Evil Eye, a 3,000-year-old ancient talisman, defies evil forces, according to Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures.  (It also, happily, looks pretty fabulous on a bracelet or pendant!)

Our 18k gold Evil Eye pendant with diamonds; $756

The Evil Eye, or Lucky Eye, originates in Turkey, where tradition holds that the bead amulet absorbs all negative energy and breaks when it is full. Like many cultures, the Turks believe that negative energy and envy directed toward someone can cause them harm; hence, the reason to sport the Evil Eye symbol. Case in point: musician Britney Spears was spotted wearing evil eye bracelets after her nervous breakdown that was plastered all over the media. Now: check out her rocking body, her cute boyfriend and her rise back to booming career success–should we all take a hint?

If you need a little good luck—or good style—check out our Evil Eye bracelets and pendants…  enticing to the eyes, but scary to all things evil.

Our 18k diamond and ruby Evil Eye bracelet, $434

Our brooding 18k yellow gold sapphire and diamond bracelet, $728

Our 18k gold, sapphire and diamond evil eye charm/pendant, $602

We’ve all had those moments of shopping frustration, haven’t we? When we find the perfect bag… but in the wrong color; the most wonderful shoe, but in the wrong size; or the most gorgeous jewel, but only in, say, yellow gold (when all you wear is white metals). Sigh. It’s enough to ruin the most ardent shoppers’ excitement.

Trust me: as a lover of fashion, I completely relate! So, thought I’d share a little tip (something that many don’t realize about Sonia B. Designs): we offer the ability to create exactly the jewel of your dreams! Sometimes that means taking a piece and creating it in your favorite gemstone; sometimes it means customizing something in the metal of your choice… but it can even mean you commissioning a truly special, unique, one-of-a-kind creation. We’ll take your ideas, create a sketch, send it for your review, and alter according to your feedback… making sure it is exactly, p-r-e-c-i-s-e-l-y everything that you desire. Here is an example of a gorgeous custom-created ring crafted for a client, illustrated through the stages of my sketches (and the design variations offered to the customer), up until the stunning final ring! (You can see more examples of our custom work on Sonia B. Designs’ Facebook page here.)

The final ring

... and from the side

PS: you needn’t order an enormously expensive piece to have it customized to your specifications… if you find anything at Sonia B. Designs that you love but might love a bit more in a different metal or gem, just let me know!

It’s been a long time in coming but, at last, the statement-necklace trend has hit mainstream. And, while we love all jewels, it’s refreshing to see gorgeous necklaces in the news. The beauty of the necklace is its versatility… whether long and layered, or collar-length, it looks beautiful sparkling beneath an open-collar blouse or suit, paired with the hot trend of asymmetrical necklines, or accenting a simple shift. Fine jewelry should be timeless… and this is, indeed, a timeless trend!

It ‘s interesting to see the trend develop… from the red carpets and runways… To the news (Michelle Obama, especially, helped drive this!):

 

But, regardless of the source, we love–and agree wholeheartedly!–that the “statement” necklace has become this holiday’s “it” list accessory. GlamChic advises to “stock up on statement necklaces”, while Marie Claire (and others) have been promoting the trend throughout the year. During this holiday season, however, I especially noticed MSNBC‘s coverage of the trend, and Style.com (that Vogue-driven online powerhouse), included statement necklaces among the top must-have items this season… Their example: a crystal and silver-plated bronze version for $1,740.

A pretty piece, indeed. But, as all jewelry lovers know, those plated items have a limited shelf life. Sooooo… I offer up a favorite Sonia B. piece–entirely in precious materials like sapphires and white gold (for $300 less than the bronze-plated necklace!). Here is a necklace that is in the moment and on-trend but, crafted in 14k white gold and gorgeous rose-cut sapphires, designed to last a lifetime to last a lifetime (or more!):

 

In the words of Coco Chanel:

“La mode se démode, le style jamais.”

Or, as translated by another fashion icon, Yves Saint Laurent:

“Fashions fade; style is eternal…”

And, if anyone defines and personifies the meaning those famous quotes, it is a woman I, myself, have long held as a personal style icon: Catherine Deneuve.

Catherine Deveuve in the early days: Belle de Jour

Deneuve’s style is truly eternal… it has spanned decades and defied the idea that only young woman have allure. She has aged gracefully and gorgeously, proving beyond doubt that women of any age can be beautiful, sexy and stylish… simply by being confident and embracing who they are. What a beautiful message in itself, non?

A big reason why Deneuve has remained a style icon is because she not only embraces the changes that come with age, but she also understands that fashion is not something to which women should ever be a slave, but it is a flexible tool at their disposal to make them look and feel fabulous… if they use it correctly. What complements a young woman may accentuate the negatives for a mature woman. And, what looks amazing on a mature woman sometimes looks just silly on a teenager. Here is a perfect example:

In her youth, Deneuve favored draping pendants to highlight her decollete

Today, Deneuve wears collar-style necklaces that bring the eye up to (and give light to) her beautiful face

While Deneuve’s is a classic beauty who needs little “help” from fashion to make herself looks stunning, here are some of the ways she uses jewelry to her advantage… along with some pieces that would do the same for any mature woman (just click on the photos of the jewelry for detailed info). And, please do let me know what you think!!!

Deneuve is sophisticated cushion-shaped gem earrings

My smoky quartz and diamond earrings in 18k gold. $910.

Sparkly earrings that sit on her love highlight her flawless features

My diamond, aqua and marlambo earrings in 14k gold. $518

Lest anyone think "mature" is "boring", see how she wears these fun hoops (Love!), appropriately, without a lot of other "flash".

My Sterling and CZ hoop earrings. $98

"Button" shaped earring are trendy today and, when worn with an updo like this, SO complementary and ageless

My green tourmaline, sapphire and diamond floral button earrings in 18k gold. $1,316

Fall is such a magical time of the year: the happy return from summer vacations, the crisp feel of autumn in the air, the reacquaintance with your favorite boots and sweaters, the anticipation of the holiday season ahead… and, of course, all the GLORIOUS fashion on the runways in New York, Milan and Paris.

I must confess, while New York is my home, Paris is where my heart is… so I’ve especially delighted in the recent runway collections in the City of Light. And, while the news is abuzz (enough, already!) about poor Lindsay Lohan at Ungaro, I’m personally abuzz about the collection shown by my favorite fashion house, the forever classic and stylish Chanel.

Ahhhh, Karl Lagerfeld: You’ve again worked your magic–creating a spring 2010 collection that manages to be entirely current, yet never losing sight of the vision and style of Coco. Further, I adore your use of jewelry to complement your clothes. Si parfait!

Here are some of Chanel’s beautiful runway looks… paired with some of my jewelry to help you create the looks for yourself (just click on the jewelry photos for details and how-to-buy info):

My 18k quartz and diamond necklace

Love this look, which is easily created with a brooch

My stunning aquamarine and diamond brooch

Love the layers!

My layered necklace in sterling silver and amethyst

Fabulous bold cuffs

My bold sterling cuff with gold accents