Here are my top 3 earrings for staying on trend and looking stylish for summer!

Butterfly Garden Brass Earrings – We Dream In Colour, $270

These are not your mother’s hoop earrings. Gone are the days of delicate little silver circles being the epitome of bold earware. And bamboo hoops, despite numerous attempts to resuscitate them, are dead as well. The brass hoop however, is alive and well, and this is a trend I love. The great thing about these earrings is that you can play up an outfit with a floral pattern or bring some playfulness to a monochromatic outfit. As I mentioned in a former article, brass earrings are most ideal when they incorporate sterling silver or surgical steel where your ear might touch. The Butterfly Garden Brass Earrings are no exception, and have sterling silver posts. These earrings get an A+ for not having to choose between beauty and practicality. Also save 30% by ordering them from this link!

Salento Black Earrings – Bibi Marini, $270

These moody, witchy earrings put me in the mind of lunar eclipses and starry nights. I could see myself wearing these and roaming a beautiful gothic cathedral. The Salento Black Earrings contain sterling silver posts, 24k gold plated brass and interestingly enough, silk thread. I love the way the black crystals sparkle, it really adds a level of animation and sophistication to earrings that could otherwise be entirely metallic. These are true day-to-night earrings, in that, you could play them up for a casual brunch or wear them to a nightclub. These earrings are true headturners and will make a darkly romantic impression for summer.

Kinetic Petal Doré Earrings – Anissa Kermiche, $305

Is it odd that these earrings make me think of genealogy? The Kinetic Petal Doré Earrings remind me of a family tree, if you happened to come from a long line of carelessly perfect looking flower petals. They look vaguely molecular and also put me in the mind of chemical compounds. If I could use just one word to describe these earrings it would be futuristic. These earrings are on a whole other level. I love the way the 18k gold plated brass petals hang like a mobile above a baby’s crib. These fresh and contemporary looking earrings will definitely make you catch someone’s eye. 

Which of these three pairs of earrings would you get to liven up your wardrobe? Are you feeling the florals or eyeing the moody hoops? Let me know in the comments below!

Image Credit: Anissa Kermiche, Moda Operandi, Bibi Marini

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These Alaia heels have everything that you would want in a shoe. They’re a beautiful color and they’re minimal while still having a bit of personality. These sandals can be dressed up or down and I have the earring pairings that will help you do either!

Here are my top picks for beautiful earring pairings to compliment these cute Alaia suede sandals.

Stick Agate Drop Earrings – Betsey Bensen, $247

What I like about these earrings is the ability to take your outfit in an entirely different direction. The seller describes the color scheme as a “milky mix of lavender and white with a few touches of rust.” The rust color, in my opinion, is very complementary to the dusty pink in the suede sandals. The elongated shape of the earrings seems classy and demure. I also like that these earrings are bordered in sterling silver because that ties in with the metallic studs on the sandals. I would wear these earrings with a lavender miniskirt and a white peasant blouse for an airy bohemian vibe.

Enchanted Hoop Earrings – Lele Sadoughi, $198

Every girl remembers the iconic line from Mean Girls: “On Wednesdays, we wear pink!” If those words were somehow made into a pair of earrings, these would be the earrings. I’ve been daydreaming about these hoops for a while now, so of course I wanted to share them! The hand swirled acetate  reminds me of marble because of how creamy and streaky it is. I love how the earrings almost seem ombre or transitional, the way they go from pink to off-white. Pairing these earrings with the studded Alaia sandals, you could transform the whole concept of your outfit from muted to bright and playful. I would pair these earrings with a pastel pink dress and matte silver nail polish, for a super feminine and cheeky look.

Coral and Blue Lagoon Crystal Earrings – Les Néréides Paris, $198

Blue isn’t the obvious choice for a pair of dusty pink Alaia sandals. But taking a look at these earrings and the bright and sultry pops of orange, aren’t they kind of adorable? These earrings make a statement in more than one way. With the silver studs on the sandals and the yellow gold plating on the earrings, this is a fun and bold way to mix metals. I also love the small floral details at the base of the earrings which have the tiniest little mauve flower buds. The knotted leather strap on the Alaia sandals are vaguely nautical to me and I feel like these earrings with the clear burst of coral and blue bring that theme full circle. I would wear these earrings with a breezy sundress and a pair of cute sunglasses.

Which pair was your favorite pairing with the Alaia sandals? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Naga Ring with Diamonds – John Hardy, $1695

This ring reminds me of a cartoon I watched as a kid called “Xiaolin Showdown.” I think it’s because one of the lead characters Kimiko had blue eyes. I really love the blue sapphire eyes on the double-headed dragon. I love that the dragons have scales as well, I feel like that makes the ring that much more playful and unique. The design itself is not altogether dissimilar from an ouroboros (or a dragon eating its own tail) but instead the dragons share a diamond accented disk. I like that the ring features 18k yellow gold and I also appreciate that the scrolls motifs are hand carved. I think that this engagement ring would be a conversation starter to say the least and that is why I had to include it on my list of uncommonly beautiful sculptural engagement rings. Currently, if you sign up for their email newsletter you can get 10% off of your next online order!

Pear Sapphire Twine Ring – Fraser Hamilton, $2070

I love the hue of pear-shaped center stone and the matte finish of the gold. (It’s no secret that I love blue sapphire engagement rings.) It seems topsy-turvy that the designer put the sapphire sideways, but in a way I really like it. What’s super eye catching about this ring is the spiralized band, and how the ring seems to be frozen in a state of motion. In Fraser Hamilton’s signature style, this ring contains two hands that delicately hold the green sapphire. My favorite view of this ring is the back view, I feel like you can see how everything comes together and you also get a greater idea of the intricacy of the ring. Oddly, I like how you see the fleshiness of the palms from the back view, I appreciate the level of painstaking detail the artist put into the ring and it would be a lovely addition to any jewelry box.

 Madame Roland Ring – Anissa Kermiche, $2314

When I was a child I loved Susan B. Anthony coins. Something about the weight of them in my small hands and the golden color seemed opulent and rare. This ring reminds me of a Susan B. Anthony coin in the best possible way. The Madame Roland ring is from the Liberté, Égalité, Feminité collection and is named after the French salonnière, Madame Roland. I like that the sculptural part of the ring depicts a woman who altered history. According to the designer, the diamonds that border the ring represent “the seeds planted by Madame Roland for the growth of the French Revolution.” You can learn more about Madame Roland here. As a person who loves history and loves yellow gold, this ring speaks to me personally as a beautiful mixture of museum quality artwork and modern style. I could spend all afternoon marveling at it’s uncommon beauty and if you love this ring as much as I do, pre-order it here. 

Let me know what you think in the comments below, would you opt for a sculptural engagement ring instead of a traditional one? What’s your unique engagement ring style?

The post The Untapped Gold Mine of Uncommon Engagement Rings appeared first on handfulofmia.

Pave Eye Sweet Leaf Crown Inlay Necklace – Jacquie Aiche

I really like this necklace. The eye reminds me of the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, which were prominently displayed on a billboard in Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby.” Many people analyzed the work and thought maybe the eyes symbolized the eyes of God, overlooking the valley of ashes.

I can’t tell you Jacquie Aiche’s exact intent was when she was crafting this necklace but I love the pave white diamond detail and I love the metal choice of yellow gold. Also it’s pretty quirky that the eye looks pretty serene and it’s bordered with marijuana leaves. Sans the leaves, you can get a necklace that is pretty similar for thousands less. Jacquie Aiche’s necklace is priced at $6750 but this Evil Eye Necklace is only $30.

Evil Eye Necklace – BlissBelleDesigns

This necklace is being sold for over $6500 less than the original Jacquie Aiche piece. The evil eye necklace can be purchased with a 16, 18, or 20 inch chain. All of the metal hardware (chain included) are 14k gold filled. For just $30, this necklace is extremely reasonably priced. It will add a mysterious vibe to your otufit without you wondering how all of your money went mysteriously missing.

Star Duster Earrings – Colette

What I love about these earrings is the color scheme, the silver and the black together. (If you want this particular pair, you have to select “Multi-Colored Gold.”) These earrings are set with 3 carats worth of conflict-free black and white diamonds. 

I’ve always really liked things that look a bit sci-fi and futuristic, so these earrings really caught my eye. They actually reminded me of an old Disney movie, “Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century.” I remember in that movie the characters were living on some spaceship and had these gray metallic outfits. So that same gray and “living in the galaxy” sort of vibe is what I got from these earrings. They’re actually from Colette’s signature Galaxia collection. They’re priced at $22,500, which is a year’s tuition at some universities and the cost of a decent car. However, I found a pair that I think really echo the color scheme and the same extraterrestrial energy and they cost phenomenally less.

Tickle II Long Earrings – Karolina Bik

The Tickle II Long Earrings are a beautiful alternative to the Star Duster Earrings. And I think they would be just as fitting on the ears of a heroine in a sci-fi movie. You get the same gray and black tones and the same dangle style that will allow for movement. (In order to get this exact color scheme you have to select “top:silver/bottom:black” in the dropdown menu.) These affordable earrings are priced at a cool $100 and will leave you with your college tuition money still in your account.

Would you wear these jewelry dupes? Do you like these wallet-friendly alternatives better than the originals? Let me know in the comments below!

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