ACCESSORIES

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no stranger to the jewelry department at Zara and H&M.  There’s nothing more than a couple of faux gold chains, a la Madonna’s “Music” video, an oversized cocktail ring and ridiculous hoop earrings to turn a Saturday night into something sassy.  And with prices almost always under the cost of a coffee for a piece of gold plated heaven, I don’t cry when I come home at 3 A.M. and discover a rhinestone or two missing.  But, when you chalk up five years of booty shaking and five years of the ubiquitous flying hoop that has a shoddy back, the figures stack up, and makes me wonder if my discount designer ways are screeching to an eventual halt.

If the thought of trading up for something substantial – and pricey – has your head spinning like a disco ball, here are a few things to consider. 

Do you love, love, love it?
A diamond may be forever, but one in a trendy setting may leave you yawning come next May.  Classic, statement pieces – a pair of diamond or pearl studs, a well-tuned Swiss watch, a delicate gold chain and pendant – endure and never go out of style.  Of course, if your look is more Gwen Stefani than girl next door, by all means, pursue a piece that satisfies your wardrobe and your wallet.  Regardless of your image, test driving the waters with a replica never hurts.

Can you afford it?
This is an honest question.  We here at The Vogue City are all about being babes on a budget, but sometimes, there are things that are worth investing in.  Solid, well-made jewelry is one of those things.  Going broke for bling is never hip, however.  Check your balances and your lifestyle, and remember that your student loans from Sallie Mae are not on par for a bailout by Obama. 

Is it well made?
Let’s scream it together from the top of the Empire State Building:  quality and price do NOT always correlate.  If you’re about to plunk down some serious cash for a bauble or two, consider using an appraiser, or someone with experience buying jewelry, for a second opinion.  I was shocked to find out that my sister’s engagement ring was insured for more than the cost of my college tuition, but that’s the way the bridesmaid crumbles.

Sparkle and shine:  is it best when it comes from within or from a flash of the hand?

-Karyn Polewaczyk

I unpacked my summer accessories last weekend – sayonara, North Face – and came across a bevy of lightweight, airy scarves that remain in my drawers year after year because I’m eternally lost on how to wear them in the middle of a 95 degree day.  Rumor has it that Miss Thing, Anna Wintour, always wears a Hermes scarf (or at least that’s what ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ would have us believe), whether it be around her neck, wrist, or interwoven through a purse or belt loop.  I figured, if my fairy godmother can pull it off, well, so can I.  (I hope.)

The first attempt was actually unintentional but highly successful.  I was headed to a fundraiser and stuck between two tube dresses that weren’t quite ‘cocktail attire’ friendly.  I folded a cotton muslin scarf that my uncle sent me from Paris (printed with a map of – you guessed it – Paris) around my waist, but it wasn’t quite right.  I moved it to my neck, but it competed with the statement necklace I wanted to wear.  And so it was settled:  I re-folded the scarf and wrapped around it my chest, bandeau-style, and created an entirely new dress in a single knot.  I was impressed with my creativity – and so were people who thought it came like that from the store.

A few weeks later, I had a lunch date downtown and a serious case of bedhead.  I threw a silk scarf into my hair, prairie girl-style, but it didn’t quite cut it – tufts of unruly hair poked out and were not consoled by even the strongest pomade.  I knew I needed to distract my man from the hot mess atop my head, and so I took the same scarf, rolled it into a twist, and beaded large, chunky cocktail rings between knots on the scarf, wrapping it back up and placing it around my neck as a choker.  The result?  He paid the tab and told me I looked beautiful.  Then again, it was his turn to pay.

What are your favorite ways to reinvent your scarves and breathe new life into tired accessories?

-Karyn Polewaczyk

One of my favorite childhood memories, aside from the time my mother discovered I gave my sister a haircut the day before our family photos, is the time spent cruising JCPenney for a lunchbox to start off the new school year. 

While first grade’s My Little Pony theme and second grade’s Monet-esque pastel patchwork boxes were inspiring, nothing quite held the clout of my third grade box of choice:  New Kids on the Block.  A fluorescent orange trophy, my NKOTB lunch box had, as TVC readers of that era may fondly recall, the right stuff.  Danny, Donny, Jordan, Jonathan and Joey accompanied me on the school bus each morning; each afternoon, I’d open my plastic snack case to the tune of a turkey sandwich, apple and Thermos of skim milk.  Little did I know in 1990 and at eight years old that the reusable lunch box would remake itself into a fashion statement and symbol of green nearly twenty years later.  (And there I was, thinking my double-stacked slouch socks were cool.)

British designer Anya Hindmarch caused a supermarket sensation in 2007 when her $15 “I’m Not a Plastic Bag”reusable shopping tote went on sale at London’s version of Trader Joe’s, Sainsbury’s (oh, how I love me some Sainsbury’s), selling out within fifteen minutes flat.  The same, relatively unremarkable canvas bags later appeared on Ebay for $300 to $400 a pop.  Since I’m Not Impressed with labels alone, I like Whole Foods’ variety of reusable totes, which sell for $8 to $12 and are made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste.  (Note:  Anya’s totes were “limited edition,” meaning that if you want her seal of approval, you’ll have to spend $900 or more on one of her couture bags.   That’s eco-unfriendly, if you ask us.)

If handles aren’t your thing, this strappy number from Target’s Nexxt line, $15, will do just fine.  Comprised of nylon and fully insulated, it does a better job of keeping things cold, including miniature boxes of chardonnay that are perfect for lunchtime sipping in the shade, away from the guise of your overbearing boss who wants to know if you’re willing to work on Saturday yet again.  (We kid, we kid.  Sort of.)

Whether you’re a lady who lunches or simply want a more subway-chic way to carry last night’s leftover macaroni from point A to point B, a reusable lunch sack is a fashion “do.”

-Karyn Polewaczyk