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The Right Earrings & Necklaces for Your Hairstyle |
| Author: The Short Hair Diva |
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Date: November 2002 |
Introduction
Greetings, my loves! The
Diva is busy, busy, busy this season—getting you ready for those
all-important holidays! By this time, you may have already picked out
your holiday outfits, shoes, and even Christmas gifts. But, as the
Diva knows—accessories can make or break your look. Let’s talk
about the essentials: earrings and necklaces. Last year’s old
“Less is more” fashion is SO over. The holidays are coming, and
it’s time to glitz up.
Earrings
If you have long, medium, or short hair, do pay attention to your
earrings. As always, do your homework, and know your own facial
shape, and what hair styles look good on you. If, for example, you
have a round face, you may want to rethink those round hoops, or
button earrings. These will just accentuate the roundness. If you want
to wear hoops, choose some that are slightly oval, elongated, or even
square or triangular. This will add some length to your face. (As for
button earrings—please!! The last time I saw button earrings Lois
Lane was wearing them on a date with Superman.)
How about if your face tends to be long, and you have long hair?
For the holidays, you may want to choose an updo, or a simple and chic
chignon or French braid in the back. This leaves those shell-like
earlobes tantalizingly exposed! Give your face some dimension with fun
glitzy rhinestone clusters, chunky CZ dazzlers, sparkly beaded
dangles, diamond cut gold or silver drops, or the new single-earring
shoulder-duster—a French hook with an inch or so of crystals, beads,
or chains attached.
That old saying about short hairs wearing small earrings is just
fashion past-history. When your hair is short, you can get away with
all kinds of earring mayhem!! You can sport tiny, twinkling studs,
“huggie hoops,” large hoops, doorknockers, leverbacks, French
hooks; really, my dears—the sky is the limit. As always, celebrities
and movies have a great deal to do with our fashions, so keep an eye
open for the hot trends there. And those of you who love daytime TV
(the Diva is, of course, speaking of soap operas, not that odious
Jerry Springer) will note that many fashion trends come from the
daytime divas. Watch and you will see that larger, chunky, and more
ethnic jewelry is back on the fashion forefront.
Necklaces
Necklaces are the Diva’s favorite accessory, next to rings and
men. You can have a wide variety of them and wear them one at a time,
or cluster a few together for a unique and dynamic effect. Some
popular necklace choices, lengths, and materials are these:
·
Chokers: chains, beads, ribbons, or lace that lie
closely around the neck; anywhere from 14-18”. These days thick gold
or silver collars or mesh Omegas are very popular, with or without
slides or enhancers (more on those later). Beaded chokers with a
variety of clasps are great, and the classic, simple, and utterly chic
black (or whatever color you favor) velvet ribbon is always
eyecatching. You can make your own velvet choker easily: buy a length
of velvet ribbon, any width you like, and measure it to fit your neck.
Make it long enough so that you can turn the cut ends over and
whipstitch them closed. Sew on a hook-and-eye clasp or a simple snap,
and ta-dah! You are ready for the ball, Cinderella!
One year
at the Academy Awards, many of the actresses had lace chokers sewn
around their necks. And of course, if you have the bucks, do go for
that diamond collar!
-
Create
a more textured-looking choker by doubling up any long necklace
you have. Drape the doubled-up necklaces around your neck, and
clasp the end loops with one of those nifty necklace clasps (many
stores carry them—check craft stores, jewelry-making supplies,
or jewelry stores) for a new look.
-
Classic
gold or silver chains of any length. In the 2000’s chunkier
chains are more stylish.
-
Pendants,
slides, or enhancers worn on chains, pearls, ribbons, or beads. A
pendant is simply an ornament of jewelry allowed to hang free on a
necklace by means of a bale on top. A slide is another ornament
made to be worn on an Omega necklace or thick chain; there are one
or two places on the back where a chain can slide through to hold
it in place. An enhancer is a pendant with a clip on the bale.
This makes it easy to snap it on a beaded necklace or pearls.
Pendants and enhancers can hang at any length. Slides are meant to
be worn choker length.
-
Pearls:
always in style! You can choose choker length, 14-16”, princess
length, 18”, matinee length, 24”, opera length, 32-24”, and
the Diva’s own personal favorite, rope length, 40+”
Speaking
of pearls—and the Diva does love pearls—you can create different
effects using different lengths:
-
You
can wrap a necklace a few times around your wrist to make a lovely multi-strand
bracelet.
-
A single strand can be connected to a matching single strand bracelet to
make a longer necklace.
-
Opera length pearls can be wrapped twice around your neck for a
double-strand effect.
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A choker can be worn along with a princess and/or matinee for a romantic
look.
-
A 50" rope can be worn wrapped 3 times around the neck to produce
an elegant triple-strand effect. Remember Jackie Kennedy and
Barbara Bush!
Now
that you have a bit more earring and necklace savvy, don’t be afraid
to put on your wildest and best for the holidays. Remember that
earrings and necklaces mainly flatter your face, so make sure they
make a suitable frame for that gorgeous face of yours!
All
the best, sweet things!
The
Diva
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