Yay for raucous summer prints. I’m ready!
Image courtesy of Jak & Jil
Particularly loving the coral nails + diamond ring. Of course, we’d take it even further with a couple of Sun & Sand appropriate accessories:
A lot of designers claim to have “something for everyone”. That’s aspiring to a lot in terms of range of styles and prices, and few actually manage to combine all those things. Today we present one designer who can definitely say she offers it all: Kirstie Kelly and her beautiful bridal collections!
Kirstie Kelly’s design ethos is classic femininity and quality workmanship. Beyond that, it’s about connecting a bride with what she wants – and that means she’s explored every possible silhouette and fabric. Kelly has two lines: a couture line, called “Collection One,” which is available in numerous boutiques around the world, including the famous New York bridal emporium Kleinfeld’s and other boutiques as far flung as Brazil and Denmark.
Her second line, called “Signature,” is no less imaginative in style, but can be purchased through Costco warehouses. If that isn’t accessible and budget friendly, I don’t know what is! The Signature collection travels to Costco stores around the country for 3 or 4 day trunk shows where brides can make an appointment and be fêted like a bride in an exclusive boutique.
Kelly’s got something else up her sleeve for shoppers on her website looking at her Collection One: a “borrow me” feature that allows brides to locate and borrow a dress-or-three in a sample size to try on in the comfort of their own homes with friends or family, without the pressure of visiting a store and being surrounded by salespeople. A fantastic idea, if you ask us.
Naturally for a designer of such range, Kelly covers the bridal party as well, along with bridal accessories. That’s where Amanda Pearl comes in: bridal jewels and bags are available through the Kirstie Kelly website and showroom to complete any look. If you’re in the market and in the Los Angeles area, be sure to make an appointment to check out what Kirstie Kelly has to offer.
Main Showroom: 1730 East Holly Avenue
El Segundo, California 90245
310.322.6100
By Amy Dust
For this installment of “3 Ways to Wear” I chose an Amanda Pearl Classic: Venus Pearls! These 60” strands of pearls and mixed beads can really transform any outfit and can be styled in so many different ways to create endless looks. I love wearing just a single strand with a monochromatic outfit making the necklace a super modern pop. You can also take a single strand and triple it on itself creating a beautiful tiered effect. The fun really begins when you start layering multiple 60” strands!!
Here I wore two 60” strands, keeping the look casually elegant:
For an even more relaxed look, that doesn’t require much thought, I paired one of my favorite t-shirts with a giant stack of Venus necklaces. Easy, fun, done!
I transformed this super basic shift dress with a cluster of layered Venus Necklaces and voila: easily, instantly chic!
How do you like to wear yours?
Send your photos to 3w2w@amandapearl.com and you might be featured!
Want one (or a few) of your own? Head over to AmandaPearl.com!
Our first Pinterest contest, “Dreams of Summer,” has come to an end. Thank you to everyone who played with us! We had a great time seeing how everyone would incorporate some Amanda Pearl sparkle into their summer holiday fantasies!
So it wasn’t poker, but the winner gets a pretty awesome prize–a $200 Amanda Pearl gift card. Lucky girl! And so, without further ado, a big congratulations to Sara, who showed us her perfect accessories and atmosphere for a sultry Cuban holiday. (Our Havanese mascot Fidel approves.) Here’s her board, featuring Aurora Borealis lucite, Cobalt vintage crystals, Aqua Sculpted Sparkle, and a mod Alessia clutch:
Part of what’s so great about Sara’s summer dreaming is that it’s going to come true! Sara and her husband unfortunately weren’t able to take their honeymoon as they originally planned, but in June, they’re packing up and jetting off to Cuba for their long-awaited dream trip!
Happy travels, Sara – we’re glad to help make it a little more sparkly…. 
Happy Mother’s Day, everyone! I hope you’re all getting ready to celebrate and perhaps have a nice day with your moms/kids. I’m missing mine very much–she’s home on the other coast in Seattle…
In celebration of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share this story… When I met my lovely friend Jane, who is a really talented actress, singer, dancer, and calligraphy artist (among many other things), I was wearing one of my Vintage Crystal necklaces. It sparked an excited conversation amongst two creative types, and a subsequent long running project between the two of us.
Sadly, Jane’s mother passed away last year, leaving her home full of things for Jane to sort through, which included a crystal chandelier in her living room that had been scattering glittering light over family gatherings for decades.
Sally and her sister Jane with their mom at a birthday party they threw for her, under the chandelier.
As Jane was looking for things to do with the houseful of belongings, and ways to remember her mother, and Jane’s thoughts kept coming back to all the good times they had shared around the dining table under the light of the chandelier. Unfortunately, the chandelier was in real need of some TLC–a bit of restringing, some replacements for cracked crystals, and a new place to hang, as it sat in the basement awaiting some attention.
The famous chandelier...
That’s when the stars aligned, and Jane and I met, making it obvious what she was to do with some of these crystals. She would pluck some from the chandelier to bring to me in order to make some jewelry that she could wear every day and remember her mother. We worked together to devise the styles, which included a necklace similar to my typical “Lei” necklace, but that had a 2nd tier of crystals that she could add on. Here’s Jane modeling it as a single strand:
Jane at work on her calligraphy, while wearing a strand of the crystals.
We also made earrings, a lavalier-style chain necklace and a couple colors of my “Vintage Crystal Bracelet” using her chandelier pieces:
I’m very flattered that Jane trusted me to experiment with such a beautiful piece of her mother’s legacy, and really pleased with the way the pieces have turned out! Heirloom jewelry is not only full of original style, but also a great way to remember loved ones and happy times shared. I love how old materials can give newly made pieces a vintage feel–a bit of a patina–while being something that’s current and “yours”.
Would you do something similar? Have you ever changed household items into fashion statements?
“Beauty and seduction is nature’s tool for survival, because we protect what we fall in love with.”
–Louie Schwartzberg
Take a few minutes and watch this video. I promise, it’s 10 minutes well spent.
xo AP
By Malin Bogue
Over the last month, you might have noticed that Amanda’s been having a bit of friendly challenge with Laura from Blue Stripe PR. Spots vs. Stripes! Amanda’s been wearing something spotted (leopard print or cheetah print) every day, and Laura’s been countering with a different striped something every day. They’ve been tracking their spots & stripes with photos from Instagram on Twitter, tagging with #30daysofspots and #30daysofstripes. Yesterday was the 30th day of the challenge, and they made it to the finish line in grand style. (Today they’re both likely wearing all black as a palate cleansing rest from the stripe/spot fatigue!) Click on the mash-ups below to see their 30 days worth of stripes and spots.
The #30Days game isn’t over yet! We’re beginning another, and you should join in as well. (The whole AP HQ is going to play this time!) The name of the new game is #30DaysOfShoes!
Check out this shoe closet...definitely in our dreams!
The challenge of the next 30 days is meant to help stretch ourselves out of our lazy footwear comfort zone. We will all make valiant attempts to wear a different pair of shoes each day–though towards the end, we might have to swap back to our default flats instead of tripping down Fashion Avenue in 5-inch heels. We’ll also be doing some shoe stalking, taking pictures of any fun shoes we might see while out and about, to help supplement our installment of #30DaysOfShoes.
We’re starting tomorrow–Saturday, the 12th of May–and we encourage you to come play with us by using the #30DaysOfShoes hashtag in Instagram and on Twitter! If you’re anything like us, you have some really awesome shoes that sadly sit in the back of the closet gathering dust waiting for the “right occasion,” but we’ve decided that the right occasion for awesome shoes is NOW!
If you don’t already, follow Amanda and Laura on Instagram and Twitter, and search #30DaysOfShoes starting tomorrow to see what everyone is wearing. Amanda will also be compiling a board on Pinterest, so be sure to watch out for that as well. Click below to find and follow their feeds.
Amanda: Twitter (@amandapearly) and Instagram (@amandapearl)
Laura: Twitter and Instagram (@lauracwoodard)
Hope to see you playing #30DaysOfShoes!
If you can believe it, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala–the Oscars of the East–has already come and gone! This year’s iteration of fashion’s annual parade of designer eye candy was in celebration of the new exhibit, Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. (Which we here at Amanda Pearl can NOT wait to see.)
Here is our list of favorite looks from the night, and how we might have accessorized them if we’d been allowed to play stylist:
Carey Mulligan was a beacon in her Prada dress of mirrored metallic paillettes. We’d have given her a simple-but-chic ivory Alessia clutch to complement the Mod aspect of her dress.
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Though not usually a fashion risk-taker, Chelsea Clinton looked absolutely gorgeous in this red floral lace dress by Oscar de la Renta. We’d have paired it with the “Francia” roll clutch to play up the lacy texture.
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“Glee” star Dianna Agron, in a Carolina Herrera gown, was as elegant as ever. With all that floaty silk, though, we’d add a touch of edge in the form of a little bit of framed leopard:
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Emma Stone was easily our favorite of the night. Cute girl, easy hair, and a really, really fun Lanvin dress! Of course, with such a stand-out outfit (by my favorite design house – Lanvin!), she’d need one of our most stand-out crystalized Alessia clutches, the Newmar, to keep up!
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The Met Gala definitely is not the time to play it safe, and Chloe Sevigny never ever disappoints on being willing to make a gutsy fashion choice and then own it! But instead of that plain satin handbag, we’d have chosen the coral Alessia clutch to accent her Miu Miu geometric mini dress:
What do you think? Let us know who you thought knocked the Met Ball out of the park on the red carpet! Marc Jacobs certainly deserves an honorable mention for his lace shirtdress, non? (Oy.)
(All red-carpet images are from Harper’s Bazaar.)
If you’re in NYC and want to see the show, get on over there. The exhibition is up, now through August 19th. All the details are here!
I’m loving the color combination of Grey & Fuchsia these days, especially for weddings. Grey is soft and chic and a good base for just about any color combo, and Fuchsia gives a beautiful and energetic jolt, as well as a nice theme to follow with flowers. Here is a little Grey & Fuchsia “Wed-spiration”. What do you think?
Photos by Craig & Ava Sanders - Fine Art Photography, as seen on StyleMePretty.com.
Photos by Craig & Ava Sanders - Fine Art Photography, as seen on StyleMePretty.com.
Thematic dessert display.
Click above images to see the rest of the shoot and credit info!
What’s your favorite color combo for wedding decor? Let me know!
A while back I was waxing on about all the ways to tie a scarf, with big plans to take a stab at mastering at least some of the ways. I haven’t been so good about it (at all), but maybe I just needed a daily directive:
Once #30DaysOfSpots is over, maybe I’ll start #30DaysOfScarves?
Gilda Grace, in the heart of Austin, Texas, is not a typical boutique. Stepping through the doors is more like stepping into a beautifully-appointed home where someone very interesting and well rounded lives. It just so happens that you can browse through everything and buy what catches your fancy!
Gilda Grace mixes art, furniture, decorative vases and throws, clothing, jewelry, and accessories in a succession of rooms that unfold on a succession of floors. The atmosphere is that of an elegant and dynamic home rather than a static department store. Fashion is the focus of the merchandise, and Amanda Pearl can be found among a smorgasbord designers from around the world, but Gilda Grace is an ideal place to go for any woman for whom you need to find a gift (including yourself, obviously!). The eclectic mix and helpful stylists are sure to inspire you, or ferret out exactly what you want–whether it’s a handbag, a throw pillow, or some chocolates. There’s even a library, as well as a funky garden that can be used for parties and events.
Another highlight is the top-floor, by-appointment-only bridal salon, as well as Gilda Grace’s custom design service for the pieces you know you want, but can’t find or create yourself.
The bottom line: kind of like how Austin is the funky outlier of Texas cities, Gilda Grace is an intriguingly different place to shop and see how pieces might fit into your home or your life. Go step down the rabbit hole and see what you find!
1818 West 35th Street
Austin, Texas 78703
512.407.8433
Mother’s Day is coming up, so we present to you a gift guide full of classic pieces and colorful spring accessories to put a spring in the step of any mom. Our moms spent years shopping for us, so here are a few ways we might return the favor:
Amanda Pearl understands that half of the excitement of receiving a gift is getting a beautiful package to unwrap and wondering what is inside. When you purchase a special piece from Amanda Pearl, your item will come in a luxurious cream logo box or bag. If you specify your purchase as a gift, we’ll embellish the elegant package with crisp grosgrain ribbon to really make it something special.
Wouldn’t your mom like one of these? Or maybe you want to order one for yourself… (No judgments here!)
Now through Mother’s Day, get 20% off your order, using code ILUVMYMAMA at checkout!
It’s Friday! We’re almost to the weekend, and we have some good news for you. We’ve extended the due date of our “Dreams of Summer” contest on Pinterest! That means you have more time to daydream about where you wish to go, and what fabulous things you’d like to adorn yourself with, eat, drink, listen to, etc. Put it all together on a board on Pinterest (see our “how-to” and rules HERE) and you could win a $200 gift card for anything you want on AmandaPearl.com!
Here’s some of my summer dream:
Check out my full board on Pinterest by click the above image, and check out some of the other submissions HERE.
Mother’s Day is coming! She’ll love you so much more if you ply her with jewels and bags next weekend. To help you out, we’re offering 20% off your order–now through Mother’s Day. Just enter code ILUVMYMAMA at checkout! If you act fast, you could even take advantage of our complimentary ground shipping, and still get it there in time.
"No thank you, honey. I'd rather have jewels from Amanda Pearl..."
Need help deciding on what to get her?
You can’t go wrong with oversized colored pearls…
Or a “Venus” strand of aqua stones and silk thread covered rounds:
How about a pair of earrings that she can wear day OR night?
Or a clutch that she can use from now through fall?
What are your picks for mom this Mother’s Day?
Check out this beautiful shoot on StyleMePretty.com, featuring some of our Vintage Crystal necklaces from Gabriella New York Bridal Salon, all layered up. Just how I like them!
Photos by Jana Williams Photography. Click images above to see the full shoot and credits.
Get your own Amanda Pearl Crystal Necklaces HERE.
Welcome to MAY! Now that the “May Flowers” are beginning to arrive, we can really begin to get in the mood for springy/summery florals. We love May for its more peaceful weather (hopefully), inviting us all to cocktail out of doors, and to begin plotting our summer plans. And of course, this month is dedicated to EMERALDS, the gorgeous stones that Elizabeth Taylor wore so well:
Who first beholds the light of day
In spring’s sweet flowery month of May
And wears an emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and happy wife.
-Tiffany & Co pamphlet on birthstones
c. 1870
You might be a little grossed out by the seafood, but I was pretty wowed by these images from the Summer 2012 issue of T Magazine. Fascinated by all things “under the sea”, and a wannabe mermaid as a child, I’m loving the below look (minus the fish, etc.) with the scaly paillette covered gown and dripping pearls. Get a similar look by layering up our Venus Pearl necklaces, wearing some at the full 60″ length, others doubled, some tripled…
(HERE‘S how I once wore it over a beaded gown.)
How do you prefer to wear your pearls?
Today’s SHOP post comes to you from the City by the Bay. It’s San Francisco’s Circle & Square, an accessories emporium in the neighborhood of Pacific Heights, well known for its cafés, shopping, and the beautiful ocean views that make it the envy of every househunter in the state.
Circle & Square was founded in 2007 by Bunny Touby Fayne, joined in 2011 by business partner Tracy Albers. The motto for their store is “fiercely creative independent style,” and the bags, jewels, and other accessories (including Amanda Pearl!) found therein are inspired by their travels and chosen from the collections of designers, both new and established, who strike them as making interesting art. Circle & Square was, in fact, named for the French art movement “cercle et carré” which in the 1920s stood for the transformation brought to art by new abstract artists thinking about form in new ways. In addition to brilliant fashion, the store has beautiful hand-bound books and ceramic vases and other objets d’art that make sure you’re covered if you come in looking for a gift, no matter for whom!
San Francisco is famous for being crazy about sustainability, new talent, expert artisan craftsmanship, and quirky uniqueness in style (Amanda Pearl can identify with a lot of that!). Circle & Square combines the best of all these obsessions: most everything is handmade and many pieces are unique or limited edition. As the owners say, “the universe awaits us,” –so why waste any time on anything uninteresting or less than perfect?
Circle & Square are now online as well, so you can check it out even if you aren’t in San Francisco. Lucky you! And not that we’d ever want you to lose you from this blog, but it deserves a mention that Bunny and Tracy have a great style blogger as well, and are definitely worth a read for more accessorising ideas. Recently, Bunny’s been urging everyone to be bolder about mixing in bright colors with their winter blacks… Most of us could stand to take a page from her book.
…
344 Presidio Avenue
San Francisco, California 94115
415.409.3440
If you’re as addicted to Pinterest as we are, we highly recommend you hightail it over there and play/enter our new Pinterest contest for your chance to win a $200 Amanda Pearl gift card, good for ANYTHING on AmandaPearl.com!
The theme is “Dreams of Summer”. We stare out the window sometimes and dream of being fabulously dressed in some far away, exotic place, and we invite you to dream with us! Here’s how to enter:
1. Create a board called “Amanda Pearl – Dreams of Summer”.
2. Repin the contest image from this blog post (above) to the board.
3. Pin your favorite Amanda Pearl accessories: At least 1 handbag and 1 piece of jewelry, but feel free to pin as many as you like!
4. Dress it up: Pin what you’d wear with it (dress, sandals, etc.), where you would wear it (pictures of your locale of choice), anything else you like to complete the atmosphere you’re imagining (are you listening to a favorite CD? have a tropical drink in your hand?)
5. Email a link to your board to pearly@amandapearl.com, and you will be entered!
Feel free to make multiple boards, if you are dreaming of making multiple stops. Going on a “world tour”? Pin away!
When we get your entry, we’ll repin it to our own contest board, so you can check out the competition. The contest will run until Sunday, May 13th, and we’ll announce the winner on Monday (to offset any Monday blues), highlighting the winning entry on the blog (we’ll also email the winner).
Happy daydreaming & happy pinning!
Here’s your Daily Dose of Cute:
All together now…. “awwwwww!”
This is Kanjoro, one of the completely adorable, super-smart and really friendly orphan elephants recently rescued by the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. In March, some of DSWT’s staff found Kanjoro, only 18 months old, emaciated and being eaten up by predatory worms after his tail was bitten off by hyenas. They were able to bring him back and after de-worming and many bottles of milk, has regained his strength and is able to join the other orphans at the sanctuary–who as you can see, have welcomed him with lots of love! Kanjoro will now get to grow up safely with other elephants under the care of the staff and some of DSWT’s “ex-orphans”: babies who the DSWT rescued but have now grown and range further away into the bush, but who often come back to socialize with the younger elephants. When the babies grow up, the “ex-orphans” help to show them the ropes of becoming more independent.
If you want to learn more about their work or simply check out more great stories accompanied by lots of elephant photos which will bring a smile to your face, check out the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust’s Facebook page. You can even sponsor one of their orphans, and track its progress as it grows! One of the great things about elephants, as one of the most intelligent large mammals on the planet, is that they are really social and have recognizable personalities. Thus, the DSWT’s updates are always full of individual stories, like a big family newsletter.
And, obligatory fashion mention, you can also support the DSWT & Kanjoro with an Amanda Pearl Kenya Clutch, of which 20% of the proceeds go to the cause!
xo
Are you having a quirky garden wedding, or looking for an easy way to add a bit of whimsy to your bridal look? Even with a really simple, classic bridal gown, I love the idea of skipping the crystal tiara, and adding these little beauties to soften the edge:
They even come in COLORs, as seen in “Bridal Guide” (Also available in Blue):
What do you think? Would you wear butterflies on your wedding day?
How about to switch up your reception look?
A blog featuring beautiful, curious, off the beaten path design and aesthetics, curated by Los Angeles based designer Tamar Barnoon.
A few cases in point:
Palm Springs home of Emily Summers
Painting by Werner Knaupp
"Inspired Light" for a 1960's Vegas casino set
Pop of color
Shel Silverstein
Check out Tamar’s blog HoneyedFigs.com to see more!
Our newest Muse in the series, Natalie Portman, is not only beautiful and talented but also intelligent. Born in Jerusalem, Natalie moved to the States with her family when she was a little girl, and later attended Harvard University. She began her career in acting after being discovered by an agent in a pizza parlor at the ripe young age of 11. It didn’t take long before her career blossomed, turning Natalie into a renowned and highly sought-after actress. Some of our favorite films of hers include “The Professional”, “Closer”, “Garden State”, “Darjeeling Limited” (did you catch her?–more in the accompanying short “Hotel Chevalier”) and, of course, “Black Swan” (for which she won an Oscar!). Shaved head or flowing locks, Natalie is always a picture of elegance.
Happy Earth Day, readers!
A brief history: The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, after the idea was mooted the year before at a San Francisco conference of UNESCO, the United Nations body that deals with global environmental issues. How appropriate, as San Francisco is the city of Saint Francis, the patron saint of ecology! While Earth Day was originally a US-based event, it’s now celebrated in over 175 countries, and many communities expand the idea to an entire Earth Week of environmentally-focused events.
There are a million and one ways you can celebrate Earth Day. Here’s the Amanda Pearl guide:
-Walk to work if you can (Amanda does!)
-Eat local, and recycle (Amy’s lunchtime favorite, Just Salads, will give you free toppings if you reuse your takeaway bowl!)
-Create less waste (Malin is finally going to get a proper mug for her Starbucks trips!)
And, of course, accessorize in an eco-friendly way! Check out the “Eco” section of the Amanda Pearl website for fashion specifically created with sustainability in mind.
Twine & Beaded Rounds Bracelet
What are you going to do to celebrate Earth Day?
Jeffrey is one of our favorite boutiques, settled on West 14th Street in New York City. Founded in 1999, it’s one of the originals in the area, credited with helping start the trend which has culminated with major labels such as Alexander McQueen and La Perla all fighting to have locations in the same block. Anyone in Atlanta is lucky too, as Jeffrey has an outpost there as well!
Photo by Youngna Park
New York Magazine raves about Jeffrey as the king of cool when it comes to shopping–an in-store DJ can often be found mixing tunes in the background, and nestled in the middle of the shoes, jewelry and accessories is a peaceful planted fountain. The merchant mixes established and up-and-coming designers in both women’s and men’s wear, so nobody needs to be drumming their fingers impatiently while you have a look at the display of Amanda Pearl!
Jeffrey has the best of everything–shoes, bags, accessories, and clothing. While the shoe section is definitely an eye-catching standout, if you needed a complete outfit for almost any occasion–a casual day out, to date night at the theater–you could walk in to Jeffrey and find everything you need. For people who might get frustrated with a giant department store, Jeffrey is the perfect solution: a neighborhood spot with pleasant ambiance and a friendly staff, and yet still a large, well curated range of options. If it’s something you should be seeing, chances are that Jeffrey will have picked it out, and in the process culled away anything that wouldn’t warrant your time or attention. While the salespeople are happy to let you browse peacefully uninterrupted, they are also trained to act as personal shoppers for clients, to make finding what you want and need as easy as possible.
If you’re in the area, be sure to drop in. This one is definitely worth a browse!
3500 Peachtree Road N.E. 449 West 14th Street
Atlanta, Georgia 30326 New York, New York 10014
404.237.9000 212.206.1272
Just in time for the turn of the weather, this installment of 3 Ways to Wear is all about one of our favorite chic accessories with a fun beach twist: the Shell Lei! Today intern Malin’s friend Alexandra, who is all about classic, old-world chic elegance, shows how to do layering for all occasions with Cowrie and Limpet shells, and how to translate vacation-vibe jewelry into the big city.
3 shell leis + Ray Bans + classic button down = Ready for ice cream in Central Park
Cowrie shell lei + Limpet shell lei (worn as a bracelet) + little black dress + great view = Time for cocktails!
A simple shell lei + stripes & some colorful jeans = Easy chic for a morning coffee date
How do you wear your Shells?
Send photos to 3w2w@amandapearl.com and you might be featured!
Get some of your own HERE.
♥
xo – AP
By: Amy Dust
Everyone’s favorite, the classic Roll Clutch… and I’m going to show you how to make it practical for everyday use! Not your cookie cutter evening handbag that can only be worn once, this fabulous clutch is much more versatile than one might initially think.
I’ll be honest, I’m your typical bag-lady, always schlepping yoga mats and giant totes filled with useless items Mary Poppins style, but it was surprisingly easy (and freeing) for me to let go of it all! I took on the challenge and am prepared to amaze you all with where I’ve worn my Darjeeling Fuchsia Roll Clutch.
Date Night: I took this clutch with me to see Phantom of the Opera with my boyfriend on our one-year anniversary.
Sunday Afternoon Stroll: Walk through Central Park and explore the surrounding museums without having to lug around a giant bag full of things that you weren’t really going to use anyways!
Special Event: Perfect for Weddings and Black Tie Affairs; I took mine with me to the School of American Ballet Workshop Performance. Hint: let the roll clutch rest vertically on the table while dining… art for everyone to enjoy and a good conversation piece!
Leave your Speedy at home Ladies, this clutch will be your new “have-to-hold” accessory!!
If I saw this dress on the rack, I would certainly keep moving… There’s nothing about it that I would normally be attracted to. Seeing it on and in action, however, I’m sort of in love with it. It’s such a beautiful and romantic choice for a beach wedding, with the airy materials, sea grass embroidery, and mermaid-ish silhouette.
Dress by Tadashi Shoji. Click to see more images on StyleMePretty.com
What do you think? How would you accessorize this one? (it doesn’t need much, eh?)
Maybe a feather and pearl comb?
And a “gold scales” brocade clutch?
By Malin Bogue
There’s a new project afoot in the AP studio – Amanda is adding “decorator” to her trove of titles! Hopefully you’ve had a chance to see some of her previous work in hand-painting silk in things like the Afternoon Sunset Roll Clutch and the Villea Pearl bag. Yummy colors, right? Just now she’s been applying the same technique to a larger canvas to make a one-of-a-kind throw pillow. An Amanda Pearl first!
Amanda made this pillow upon special curation by RAREculture.com, in support of Housing Works’ “Design on a Dime” benefit, which returns to New York City from April 26th to the 28th this year. Design on a Dime is a large pavilion show where over 50 renowned interior decorators will be creating room vignettes with new merchandise, the contents of which will be sold off at 50-70% retail pricing to support Housing Works’ “Get a Room” project. ”Get a Room” provides essential services and shelter for low-income and homeless New Yorkers facing the challenges of living with HIV/AIDS. Housing Works has been carrying out its mission since 1990, and on the back of the funds raised by last year’s Design on a Dime event, this spring they’ll be opening a new sustainably-designed residence in Brooklyn. If you want to get some design inspiration, some new pieces to spice up your own home, or just help out the cause, visit the website to purchase tickets!
AP is really glad to help out this cause. …and you never know what this might be the start of! Get your tickets now for the VIP Opening Night Reception on Thursday, April 26th! (You can also join in just to shop during the free public sale from April 27-28th.)
New Romantic: Hair Jewelry!
Here are some Amanda Pearly romantic options:
What do you think of jewels for the hair?
One of my favorite parts of creating a new collection is when I get to bring the full look and story together for the photo shoot. After all of the months of culling and distilling inspiration, creating a story for my muse, and of course the accessories that are a part of that story, the world I have created comes alive with the model and photographer, the fashion looks we choose, and of course the hair and makeup. What has been in my mind all of those months becomes a reality!
When it came time to shoot our Spring/Summer 2012 collection, one big question was, what beauty look should she have? The look at the beginning of the shoot was meant to be more polished and cocktail ready, but slowly it would become a bit more undone. Ultimately our girl would end up at the beach (fantastically speaking, of course). As always, my inspiration was a little retro–I’m still not tired of graphic, winged liner, and love a good bright LIP.
The inspiration for my SS12 beauty concept.
I gathered my beauty inspiration and conspired with our über-talented makeup artist, Jennifer Nam. Together, we looked at each look we were planning to shoot (clothes/bags/jewels), and decided on clean, tan skin, a wash of Aqua on the lids, and a bright Coral Red lip.
Alessias
Shadow palette
Jennifer at work.
I was ecstatic with how it turned out, and was anxious to try it out for myself. Unfortunately it was the dead of winter–what a buzz kill. But now it’s SPRING, and I can’t wait to start to play with washes of color!
The final look. (At the end of the shoot, when she was "at the beach" and quite undone.
What do you think?
Below is a list of the cosmetics Jennifer used to create this look:
EYES:
Chanel liquid eyeshadow in Delta #90
Chanel Quad Reflets d’Ombre
Maybelline Eye Studio in Sapphire Siren
M.A.C eyeshadow in Aqua
CHEEKS:
Chanel Sheer Illuminator in Sunkissed
Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin
Shu Uemura Blush in M Peach 44
LIPS:
M.A.C Lipliner in Spice
Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in Exotic
Chanel lip gloss in Neon
Click HERE to check out Jennifer’s tumblr, showing some of her other work. She’s amazing!
You’ve seen our “Look of the Day“, and our “3 Ways to Wear“. We even blended that one up yesterday on Facebook to show how each member of the team would wear the same necklace, and the results were pretty interesting. I love to see how everyone interprets Amanda Pearl accessories, because there are a million ways to wear them, and they can be applied across so many styles!
Amy, Malin and I span in age from 22-30+, and each have our own distinct styles when it comes to fashion, but still often gravitate towards the same pieces from the collection. Here we each put together “our look” around one of our favorite clutches: the TESS Cork “Le Tout”.
Amy, Operations Assistant
Malin, Intern
Amanda, bosslady
What do you think? How would you wear the “Tess” clutch?
What if you matched your wedding bag to your bouquet?
Just a thought… What do you think?
We’re sufficiently into spring (at least into the “we-really-want-it-to-be-spring” period), but still stuck enough in winter, for me to be caught daydreaming about THE BEACH. The beach incorporates SO many of my favorite things–the sea, stripes, seashells… Let’s just take a moment to appreciate a few of these things…
Palms:
The Sea:
Searching for Seashells:
Relaxing to the sound of the sea:
Waves:
Happy umbrellas:
Floating:
Surfers:
Sunsets:
Sunny shades:
Stripes:
Sandals:
… to go with my Snake Cork Clutch:
Suits:
Good vibes:
The blues (the happy kind):
What’s your favorite thing about the beach?
Pastels!
Not to worry, Amanda Pearl’s got you covered:
Check out what else we have in store for PASTELS for spring…
HAPPY APRIL EVERYONE! We’re a month ahead of the curve, with March showers bringing April flowers (what will happen in May, I wonder?!). April brings brighter afternoons (finally!), a break from the deep chill, and my favorite–cherry blossom confetti! I feel in a perpetual state of “party time”, with cherry blossoms flying through the sky, or littering the sidewalks–post-ticker tape parade style. The other thing we have reason to ogle in April? This month’s birthstone–DIAMONDS!
“She who from April dates her years,
Diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears
For vain repentance flow; this stone,
Emblem of innocence, is known.”
-Tiffany & Co pamphlet on birthstones
c. 1870
You are cordially invited to the
#SheafferLiving #SpringStyle Twitter Party!
When: April 12th, 8-9pm EST
Where: Twitter
Why: To chitchat with our stylish panel about accessorizing for spring!
My beautiful mini Sheaffer pen--the perfect purse sized (and most glamorous) little pen.
The panel will include moi (@amandapearly), designer Liz Lange (@LizLange), The Fashion Office (@FashionOffice), and Zappos.com’s stylist team (@ZapposStyle)
The event will be hosted by chic Sheaffer Pens (@Sheaffer_Page), and moderated by Mindy Lockard of Gracious Girl blog (@TheGraciousGirl). What a group!
We’ll be talking about spring trends, COLOR, and more, and would love for you to be part of the conversation. We want your take on spring style, and what you’ll be shopping for and wearing this season. You can follow the whole conversation with the hashtags #SheafferLiving and #SpringStyle.
We hope you can join us! Even if you can’t, you can still tweet @AmandaPearly and let us know what you’re looking forward to most for spring…
We introduced the Pearly Program HERE a couple of weeks ago, but incase you missed it, or haven’t gotten around to signing up yet, go go go! It’s definitely worth your while.
If you haven’t heard, this is our new sales commission program. If you generate sales for Amanda Pearl by spreading the word about our products, you’ll earn 15% commission on those sales and your friends and family will get a 5% discount on what they buy. This is all tracked by your very own coupon code entered at checkout on our website. For all the details, take a look at the blog post and the Pearly Program page. If you’re ready to go, get in touch with pearly@amandapearl.com to request a sign up for, or if you have any other questions!
The Pearly Program is really accessible for anyone–whether you’re a student, a businesswoman, or a mother (or all of the above!). You can put in as much or as little time as you like, whenever you like–we’ll keep track of everything and make sure you get your rewards. If you really really love it, you can make it a full-time job. Sell $20,00o of AP merchandise a month, for example, and you’ll end up earning a very respectable $48,000 a year. You can also fit it in around your life, however, selling a little bit here and a little bit there, and earn some extra cash to begin treating yourself to those wish list items you’ve been eyeing. That doesn’t sound too bad now, does it?
By Amy Dust
Imagine Amanda Pearl and Vintage jewelry having a love child. You’d get Jemma–one of our Spring 2012 handbags!
This Limited Edition, where every piece is actually one-of-a-kind, is fitted in the ever-classic “Kelly Clutch” shape, making it perfect for day and for night. Just remove the chain strap and voila! You get an oversized envelope clutch.
The bag itself is crafted in a graphic black and white tweed fabric dubbed the “Digital Tweed” and is lined in Moiré. The real centerpiece, however, is the not so centered upper left corner that boasts a cluster of sparkly vintage treasures. Each bag is designed around the different brooches and sparkly pieces that Amanda herself has scoured through flea markets and vintage stores to find.
Insider tip: check back soon for more on the topic of “Vintage Baubles”…
By Malin Bogue
If handbags could be said to have virtues, one high on the list would definitely be versatility. There are a lot of Amanda Pearl bags and jewels that we think can be styled for day or evening, business or party, vacation or city. We’ve already introduced you to the Kenya Clutch in its natural scenery, and last week talked about the great work that the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust is doing to help preserve habitat for elephants in Kenya, which this bag supports (20% of the proceeds go to the Trust). Here are 3 ways I like to use the Kenya Clutch–because of its size and its casual-chic design. It’s really adaptable!
The "Nagwaya" Kenya Clutch, inspired by the Samburu warriors.
Of course, you can fit everything you need for a fun day out and leave your bigger bag at home!
The Kenya Clutch in Brown Kuba Cloth.
It’s a great way to organize inside a large tote, to save your headphones from getting tangled, or to save you from having to dig through to find a pen. (Otherwise, they always make their way into the furthest crevice when they sense you’re looking for them!)
The "Panthera" Kenya Clutch, inspired by the big cats of Kenya.
Keep your makeup (or jewelry, or other accessories and essentials) handy when you go away on a day trip or for the weekend!
What’s your favorite way to use a Kenya clutch? Other than “for looking great,” or “for showing the elephants some love,” of course…
The dress. Arguably one of the top three of the most important decisions a bride has to make (yes, after the man and the ring.) Flipping through the bridal magazines, one can see loads of gorgeous (and some scary) dresses. Looking at the wedding blogs, we see gobs of gorgeous real-life gowns. After a while, they tend to blend into a string of strapless white. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that). Zzzz….
When I saw this bride, I woke right up. WOW. I love this dress. What I really love is the frilly, flowery, lacy shrug over top. As we all know, I love convertible items–pieces that can totally transform the simplest of things. Or, in this case, put this perfectly beautiful strapless lace dress totally over the top into gorgeous-ville. Woah.
As long as we’re going there, why don’t we add this:
What do you think?
See more photos from this wedding on StyleMePretty.com
Me thinks Anna would like our Sculpted Sparkle necklaces…
What do you think?
The next MUSE in the series is another wide eyed pixie named Audrey. This time it’s the elegantly quirky Audrey Tautou, who broke onto the world’s radar and created a classic icon in one go with her performance as the title character in “Amélie“. She has gained fans and acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, but she remains firmly grounded in her home, saying, “at the end of the day, I am a French actress.” We loved her in “Amélie”, of course, but also “Venus Beauty Institute”, “A Very Long Engagement”, “The Da Vinci Code” and “Coco Before Chanel”. Of course we also love her chic and shaggy pixie ‘do.
