off to the races

     My second eBay purchase arrived last week. I bought two necklaces, and was excited about the bold pop of color this 6-strand bead necklace would add to my outfits.

    On Friday, I put it on, looked in the mirror, and said to myself: whoa! Compared to my other jewelry, this necklace is gargantuan. It reminded me a little of those enormous flower garlands they use to bedeck winning racehorses. Definitely out of my comfort zone. I ended up putting on my shirt jacket to tone down the necklace.

Volcom shirt jacket

    I think this will be a favorite piece over time, but I need to get used to wearing it. Looking at the photos helps me see that it's not disproportionately large, and I'm also liking the color variation in the beads.
    I'll be styling the second necklace soon, hopefully this week. And if you're thinking about my self-imposed budget ... not to worry! I'm taking a break from eBay for the time being so I can enjoy my beautiful new jewelry. :)
 

Inspired by: Mae of thereafter-ish

   A big thank you to Mae of thereafter-ish, whose travel outfits inspired this one. I like that she puts her own stylish stamp on a comfortable, practical outfit through the mixing of patterns and the inclusion of playful accessories. Click here to see her latest outfit that mixes an interestingly cut top, animal print and stripes.
   I started with some old favorites: a loose-fitting linen buttondown and jeans.  Then I added a camisole and left the shirt partially open to highlight my drapey necklace. The finishing touch was an arm party to add some intricacy, color and sparkle.

  
     Long gone are the days of wearing one bracelet at a time! I am an official arm-party addict. Even my students noticed one day and admired the pile-up. :)

'Iolani Palace door hinge bracelet (rhodium plated)

     One of my favorite landmarks is 'Iolani Palace. I still remember our fourth-grade field trip -- we had to put covers on our shoes to protect the gorgeous wooden floors and our admission tickets looked like old-fashioned dance cards. Definitely a place to check out if you are ever in beautiful Honolulu! :)

lovely links: statement necklace newbies

Sydney of Basic Cravings just posted some pointers on how to wear and choose statement necklaces.   It's a great simple list to guide you the next time you're sifting through piles and piles of statement necklaces. Enjoy! :)