Swarovski for the Holidays and a Happy Birthday!!!

First, I want to wish a Happy Birthday to my younger sisters (twins) who turn 50 today! If you don't have a least one sister, you don't know what you are missing. Sisters are the touchstones for who we are; they are our past, and good sisters are our encouragement for our future. So a big Happy Birthday - and a cliche, but it's true nonetheless - you're not getting older, you're getting better!

I've been working on Custom Jewelry this week, but some new Swarovski caught my eye (I made the mistake of opening the package) and I just had to do a little with it. I've been know to get Swarovski shipments and leave them untouched until I had the time to work with the crystals, since when I open any Swarovski crystals I am immediately entrapped by its sparkle.
The first Swarovski that really caught my eye in this package were the Galactic pendants (shown at the top). But, I thought, why use them as pendants when they would be so much more striking and beautiful as earrings? So that is what they ended up being (also a picture of the pair at the bottom of this post). The Galactics have wonderful movement and of course, their sparkle is gorgeous. Perfect for these oddly shaped crystals are these modern looking earwires from the Karen Hill Tribes, so that the result is a very modern earring. I put them in the Holiday Gift Ideas section.
Below the Galactics are earrings made with Swarovski's new green opal crystals. It is a great Christmas green.

Alexandrite Swarovski crystals in their changeable colour are featured in these Swarovski crystal earrings. These earrings have earring posts made of sterling silver; these domed posts are great if, like many of us, you have unsightly holes from years of wearing dangling earrings.
The earrings below are created from huge 12mm bicones, then hung from sterling silver earwires with a flat diamond shape on the front. They are wonderful for a holiday party.
Below those is another picture of the Galactic earrings from the first picture in this post. Most of our other Swarovski crystal earrings can be found on the website in the Austrian Crystal Earrings page or on our Swarovski Bridal Jewelry page.

I hope that everyone is getting on with his/her Christmas shopping. I'm trying to order a few things online, trying to get a head start this year! I adore shopping online, avoiding the crowds, aching feet, and that long drive from this small Arkansas town to Memphis (where most of the Christmas shopping in this area is). While I like people, it's sometimes much easier to keep the Christmas spirit intact when you don't have to circle mall parking lots 3 times to find a parking space scrunched next to someone who is probably going to dent your car or wait for a salesperson who decided to go to lunch just when you were ready to pay for 15 items that you've painstakingly shopped 4 hours to gather together.


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A peek at the Shop they call Top

It's a funny thing, press previews for collections going into high street stores seeing as the nature of the high street is that everything is so fast moving that what they predict will be hitting stores might not make it all the way, might drop at different times or something else might take its place. However, in the case of Topshop, I guess a press preview of what is to come for AW08-9 seems to make sense in that it is a high street brand like no other, the mags need to shoot the stuff and for the New Yorkers awaiting their shiny new Broadway store to open on October 9th this year, this will be even more relevant for them as to what will be in store.

Yesterday was the Arcadia AW08-9 press day which encompasses ALL Arcadia brands but in reality everyone was jostling around in the Topshop area inspecting everything and taking many a snap. I sort of ended up feeling a little sorry for the Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Evans etc. areas which were more technically spacious but that neon TOPSHOP was alas too much of a draw.

So onto what we can expect. First thing that hit me was the MANY MANY pieces, inspired by Miu Miu SS08. For the Kirsten Dunst in Miu Miu ad lover, you shall be able to fully indulge in much tutu/harlequin/double skater skirted/top hat action. There's just a bit of a time delay, that's all...

Black sequin alert! On a frou frou skater skirt. Well, the BLK SQN robot me has to say yes to that.

There will be a few boob-focused bodices in tops/dresses...

See a bit of Prada AW08-9 in the sleeveless coats and texturised metallic knitwear? It's both shiny and matt at the same time...

A bit of exaggerated knitwear that can be quite hard to find on the high street. // More 'Kirsten Dunst would so wear this' dresses...

Sheer is still about and it comes in loops on a top and really delicate and fine grey lace.

Softer takes on the tuxedo in the form of a jacket with ribbed knitted sleeves and tuxedo jacket lapels on draped cotton top. Yes to both.

I love this print they have developed for a few pieces. This tiered cape is one of those directional items that may not make it all the way but I hope so for the sake of my Little Women fantasies.

The shoe section was where I started really inspecting things properly seeing as I seem to acquire Topshop shoes at a rate of about a pair a month....

Fringe pom poms , velcro straps and the mega platform will be abound.

Chunky shoes encasing the ankle...

Gold and black contrast effects and the descriptive theme of 'fierce' is still running through...

Heels are both chunky and spindly thin. The ones on the right are quite possibly the highest Topshop shoes I've seen yet.

The colour palette is fairly neutral throughout the shoes but these ones on the left pop a bit and it seems Topshop also heard my praise about cut-out platforms...

The standout accessories included this belt and this hardcase spherical bag, both real statement pieces.

I know a few of you will be loving the bows and there are necktie options as well as the headband. I sneakily tried on a sort of hat/headband amalgamation....

Jewellery wise, it seems I'm feeling the Topman stuff more than the Topshop stuff.... I was questioning whether they had tacked on the wrong label as I'm not sure how many guys out there would wear multistranded necklaces such as these....

Over at Topshop, the YSL influence kicked in and the key theme was 'multi-stranded and heavy'.

In conclusion.... well... there is no clever/smart conclusion other than I know there'll be a few Topshop entries on my bank statement (and on your's?) but then again that's no big revelation...