My Weekly - 20th June 2009

Taylor & Vine were very pleased to have one of their products (Pink & Black Wooden Bangle)featured in this week's My Weekly magazine (on page 19).

Jewellery Trends - Summer 2009

Summer is finally upon us and we are seeing a real mix of different styles & looks both on the catwalk and on the High Street including;

Western - distressed denim, fringing, checked shirts, floral skirts and dresses

Nude & Natural - floaty see-through dresses & tops in nude & light colours with frills, ruffles & fringes

The Clash - Bold & Bright colours in Lime, Tangerine, Shocking Pink and Mango all worn together - the more the clashing the better

Boho Chic - Natural fabrics, floral patterns and anything with a "back to nature" feel

Style & Fashion magazines are full of looks that put all these themes together, complemented by bold accessories such as metallic statement necklaces, big chunky rings, oversize earrings & bangles and cuffs in vibrant colours. At Taylor & Vine we have put together a range of costume & fashion jewellery that complements this season's wide spectrum of styles - offering a capsule peices that can we worn across multiples looks and will transend across the season into Autumn.

A small selection of products from Taylor & Vine is featured here. See the full range at http://www.taylorandvine.com/

How to pick the right jewellery for your face shape

Do you get overwhelmed by the choice of accessories when shopping? Do you buy statement jewellery pieces that suit your personality but not perhaps your face shape? Would you like to know how to look current, stylish and harmonious.

The following article by Award Winning Image Consultant - Fiona McClurg-Welland from Style2You provides some tips on how to chose the right jewellery for you face shape.....

Although the accessories trends for Spring/Summer ’09 are for big belts, shells and every kind of African detail imaginable, the jewellery arena has seen chunky wooden bangles, huge flower necklaces and jangly silver earrings back with a bang! Where do you start when looking for pieces that express your style and uniqueness?

In the same way that colour analysis lets you discover the most harmonious shades for your individual characteristics, makes you look younger and radiate wellness, wearing suitable accessories that harmonise with your face shape will enhance your facial features and maximise your impact. So, let’s look at jewellery...

As you’ll see from the face shapes graphic, there is a mixture of angular and contoured shapes. You could do the lipstick test to find out what the external line of you face is - look into a mirror and draw the outline of your face with lipstick then stand back. Does it resemble an oval or a round shape? If not, it may be square, rectangular or even diamond? A triangular shape and inverted triangle are less common but do exist. The external shape gives us an overall impression which we can then compare, or combine, with the internal lines to guide you to the best shapes of accessories to wear near your face.

Take a ruler and hold it horizontally over your eyebrow area. Are your brows more angular and go in a straight line or are they quite arched and therefore contoured?

• Holding the ruler vertically running down your nose, do you see two lines either side of the nose or is yours more contoured and rounded perhaps?


• Then, finally holding the ruler over your mouth, do your lips seem quite thin and straight (angular), or are they fuller and more contoured?

You will now have identified whether your face shape and features are more angular or more contoured. Mine are contoured as I have a round face and soft, shaped features. Combine this with my colour direction being cool, light and muted, so my jewellery tends to be cool, silver based metals with rounded beads or details in blues, pinks and greys with some green. I know to avoid golds and coppers and warm tones of beads and square shaped designs as these do not create visual harmony for my personal image.

Examples of shapes/designs for angular shapes and features:Angular chain links, Squares, rectangles, triangles, diamonds, 3D shapes, zig-zags, crosses, bars, stars, cut stones.

Examples of shapes/designs for contoured shapes and features:Curved chain links, round hoops, ovals, swirls, shells, buttons, hearts, scrolls, pearls, flowers, pear drops.

You can try other options if your skin is sensitive to metals – leather thongs are used on which you can attach a pendant dropper...brown is best for warm skin tones and black or grey for cool skin tones.

To elongate a short neck, wear a long length or drop pendant will help draw the eye upwards in a vertical line. Likewise, avoid choker styles if you have a double chin as it will just accentuate this!
For the fuller-figured woman, eye-catching earrings and a necklace will draw attention upwards towards your face, distracting others from noticing your wobbly bits!

Although this advice relates to your facial features, you also need to be aware that your body line and figure shapes have to be brought into the equation – a Style & Image Analysis consultation will help you to achieve overall harmony in your appearance.

So, instead of rushing out and buying the latest “must-have” accessory, spare a thought for what may look more appropriate and flattering on your body and against your face. Don’t forget, ‘style lasts whilst fashion passes’. Taylor & Vine have a fantastic range of timeless and affordable jewellery that will suit all face shapes.

Costume Jewellery Care & Cleaning

Costume Jewellery and Fashion Jewellery is often produced with no-precious metals - usually gold and silver plated, and with or without synthetic or glass stones.

No matter how high the quality of costume and fashion jewelery, it still needs handling with care in order to remain in good condition. With a little care, the life of the metal plating can be enhanced. The following tips will help you to keep your jewellery looking at it's best.

• Jewellery should be put on last and taken off first while dressing
• Always store in a cool dry place and store separately in order to avoid scratching
• Avoid contact with chemicals, such as perfume, moisterising lotions, deodorant, hairspray etc
• Clean your jewellery with a mild detergent and a soft cloth if required. Rinse with clean water and dry with a soft cloth.
• If required it is also possible to use commercial silver dip liquid only on fashion jewellery. Use of a siver polish cloth, paste or other strong jewellery cleaner is recommended.

There are also other specialised products on the market for cleaning fashion and costume jewellery. These are available from companies like Hagerty (available on line from Fred Harrison Ltd ). However for the most part diluted detergent and water will work as well.

For more information on jewelllery care, please see our other articles Silver Jewellery Care & Cleaning and how to keep your jewellery looking lovely.

Silver Jewellery Care & Cleaning

The main problem with silver jewellery is tarnishing. Tarnish is a product of oxidisation which is caused with the interaction of silver jewellery with oxygen and other chemicals. When worn regularly, tarnishing on silver jewellery does not occur, therefore when not in use - silver jewellery should stored be carefully. Here are a few tips on the storage and cleaning of silver jewellery.

• To keep your silver tarnish free, store in an air tight container or plastic bag, ideally wrapping in tissue or a velvet pouch.
• Store individual pieces of silver jewellery separately to avoid scratching.
• Frequently clean your silver with a mild dishwashing liquid diluted in water. Thoroughly dry your silver jewellery after exposure to water.
• To remove tarnish from silver, you can use a commericial silver dip liquid, polish paste or polish cloth. Make sure there are not any loose stones or parts and limit the expoure of gemstones to silver cleaners.
• Always rinse jewellery after cleaning and dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.
• Please read the cleaning product's instructions before use.We recommend the Hagerty range of jewellery cleaning products, available from most high street jewellers or on-line from Fred Harrison Ltd
  
  For more information on jewellery care and cleaning, please see our articles How to keep your jewellery looking lovely and Costume Jewellery Care & Cleaning.

How to keep your jewellery looking lovely

When you first receive a piece of jewellery (hopefully from Taylor & Vine!), no matter how much it costs and what it is made of you will love and cherish it. To help you look after it and to keep it looking as lovely as the day you received it, we have put a few tips together for you.

• Always protect your jewellery from sharp blows, scratching, sunlight and extreme of temperature



• To prevent silver and costume jewellery from tarnishing, always keep your jewellery away from the air in a jewellery box or roll.



• Try to keep pieces apart, so they don't rub together



• Before storing necklaces, remember to refasten the class to help prevent knots and kinks



• Jewellery should be put on last and taken off first while dressing



• Always store in a cool dry place, and store separately in order to avoid scratching



• Avoid contact with chemicals such as perfume, hairspray deodorant, household cleaning products etc



• Never go swimming in your jewellery - chlorine in the pool can damage it



• Wear jewellery for appropriate tasks, avoid wearing rings when cleaning, gardening or performing sports activities.

For more information on jewellery care and cleaning, please see our articles Silver Jewellery care & cleaning and Costume Jewellery care & cleaning.

First Fashion Show for Taylor & Vine

In the hectic run up to Christmas, Taylor & Vine were lucky enough to be invited to participate in a fashion show as part of a Hertfordshire Women's networking group. The event, which was held in early December, was attended by over 60 business ladies with a common interest in networking and having fun!

8 lovely ladies involved with the networking group had been recruited by local image consultants Style2you, to "strut their stuff" as models. This involved showcasing casual wear from Greenhouse (a new capsule range to the UK), evening wear from Brockhurst Boutique (a local dress agency). All outfits were accessorised with jewellery from Taylor & Vine, which included pieces from Azuni, Anna Lou of London, and Taylor & Vine's own fashion jewellery brand - Ziga Zaga.

The outfits & accessories were handpicked to suit each models size, shape and personality. They looked fantastic and had a real ball with the audence cheering and clapping as they did their sets’ up and down the runway.

The event was a great success and it's something that we'd definately do again.

Another blog entryfrom this event can be found at http://www.mycapsulewardrobe.com/