- Feb2820180Barbara Schwartz
How She Wore It: Jillian’s Story
inI always love helping brides select jewelry to wear on their wedding day. Their excitement is infectious. And when I get to style a bride who’s a friend, the experience is even more special for me. My latest bridal styling experience involved Jillian, whom I’ve known since she was a little girl. Her mother and I have been very close for years, and as Jillian has blossomed into a lovely woman, I have been able to count her as a special friend as well.
Because she is tall and beautiful, Jillian has always looked good in any jewelry I put on her. While the times she has borrowed from my personal collection to embellish her looks as a bridesmaid were fun for me, I couldn’t wait to accessorize her for her own wedding day. That opportunity came last spring.
The Shoes Pointed the Way
As soon as she chose her wedding gown, Jillian sent me some photos. Her dress was beautiful – sleeveless with a v-neckline in front and a low back with a curved drape. The design ruled out a necklace or brooch, but the simple lines of the dress didn’t suggest a particular pair of earrings.
So, I asked about the shoes she would wear, and that gave me the answer – dark green, the favorite color of her husband-to-be. I also knew she would be wearing her long hair down and pulled to one side. In preparation for our meeting, I chose emerald Art Deco pendants as well as other long, dangling earrings for her to try.
When Jillian came over and put on her wedding dress and shoes, we started with the emerald earrings. They looked fabulous. Then we tried the others, but they all paled (both literally and figuratively) in comparison. With the emerald, diamanté and sterling earrings as the main adornment, I chose a simple emerald Art Deco line bracelet to complete her ensemble.
See How She Wore Them
As a friend of the family, I was fortunate to attend Jillian’s wedding and see her shine in person. Her happiness at marrying the love of her life is evident in this photo, which she graciously shared with me.
Here are her comments about her styling experience: “Working with Barbara was an absolute pleasure. Her knowledge of and expertise with her jewelry paired with her amazing sense of style transformed my bridal look into something very special”.
Adorning Brides Is a Specialty
I want every bride to look and feel extraordinary on her wedding day. To help brides-to-be find the perfect jeweled accessories, I’ve built a special collection of 1920-1950s earrings, bracelets, and necklaces – the TruFaux Vintage Bridal collection. Here you’ll find a beautiful selection of pieces for the bride, bridesmaids, and mother of the bride. The Art Deco jewels, in particular, are extremely popular. In addition to their uniqueness, women are drawn to the high-quality and glamour of these pieces.
- Jan162018Barbara Schwartz
Jewelry in the Movies: A 1930s Art Deco Necklace
inRead moreI love mysteries almost as much as I love jewelry. In fact, I was a dedicated collector of this genre featuring female detectives before I devoted my collecting efforts solely to jewelry. So, imagine my delight when I went to see a new production of Murder on the Orient Express,…
- Jun212017Barbara Schwartz
The Jazz Age
inRead moreIf you love Art Deco as much as I do, you never tire of seeing jewelry created in this decorative style. I’ve just returned from a research trip to New York City, where I was fortunate to see the exhibition The Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s, currently on…
- Jun042017Barbara Schwartz
Have Fun with Summery Vintage Jewels
inRead moreJune is here, the days are getting longer and warmer, and I’m bringing out my white jeans, sandals, and other summer clothes. This month is also the time to bring out summery jewelry: lighter-weight pieces in white, coral, turquoise, spring green, yellow, and other colors associated with warm weather. For…
- Jan062017Barbara Schwartz
‘Downton Abbey’ Style Earrings
inRead moreDesigned to complement the streamlined silhouette of 1920s fashion, earrings like these and other jewelry of that decade became accessories rather than ornaments of wealth. Fortunately we don’t have to dress like a flapper or Lady Mary to wear these amethyst and filigree drops today. They remain as appealing now…
- May162016Barbara Schwartz
A ‘Downton Abbey’ Style Necklace
inRead moreBorn in the 1920s, this 35-inch-long Amethyst and Crystal Bead Necklace was designed to compliment the long-waisted, slim fashion silhouette worn by the women of Downton Abbey and their real-life contemporaries. Although the clothing of that era is no longer in vogue or practical, pieces like this necklace never go…
- Jan032016Barbara Schwartz
‘Downton Abbey’ Style Finale
inRead moreAs North Americans eagerly await tonight’s broadcast of the first episode of Season 6 of Downton Abbey, many do so with some regret – this season will be the last. Viewers are anticipating the answers to last season’s cliff-hangers. For example, will Lady Mary marry again? Will Anna and Bates…
- Nov042015Barbara Schwartz
How She Wears It: Adanya’s Story
inRead moreOne of my favorite aspects of consulting was the relationships I formed with my clients, so when I started selling vintage costume jewelry I knew I wanted to get to know the women who buy my pieces. What I particularly like is helping clients build a jewelry wardrobe that works…
- Apr122015Barbara Schwartz
Art Deco Is Chic!
inRead moreAccording to fashion experts, interest in Art Deco jewelry is on the rise. Because of this trend, Polyvore (the platform I use to create outfits for styling tips) had a contest last week in honor of the Easter holiday weekend. Participants were invited to create outfits (sets in Polyvore parlance)…
- Feb102015Barbara Schwartz
Hollywood Glamour
inRead moreAs a life-long lover of old black-and-white movies, especially those from the 1930s and 1940s (Hollywood’s so-called Golden Age), I enjoy seeing many of them over and over again. The first time, I’m obviously paying attention to the plot. But in subsequent viewings, I can focus on the jewelry and…
- Jan042015Barbara Schwartz
‘Downton Abbey’ Style Encore
inRead moreWhile North American fans eagerly await tonight’s premiere of Season 5 of Downton Abbey, those who haven’t found out the forthcoming plot lines from their UK friends are wondering about the answers to last season’s cliff-hangers. For example, which suitor, if any, will Lady Mary choose to marry? What happened…
- Jan012014Barbara Schwartz
‘Downton Abbey’ Style
inRead moreCanadians and Americans are eagerly awaiting the broadcast of Season 4 of the acclaimed series Downton Abbey, which begins on Sunday night on PBS. I am sure that viewers have been anxious to find out what will happen next in the life of their favorite upstairs or downstairs character. For…