WE HAVE OUR WINNERS!

THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED, AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ANDRA, TESSA, AMANDA, & CORDIA

Congrats to our first winner Andra! The highlight of her year so far was attending her best friend’s baby shower. Maybe this cupcake necklace that she won can be a present for the mommy to be – or just something to remind Andra of her BFF’s bundle of joy!

Congrats to our second winner Tessa! The highlight of her year so far was seeing her mom smile, laugh, and regain her appetite despite going through chemo. This cherry necklace can be a reminder of the good times, and a lucky charm for Tessa or her mom!

Congrats to our third winner Amanda! The highlight of her year so far was seeing her brother (who is also her best friend) before he left for Afghanistan. This horseshoe necklace can be a way to Amanda to wish her brother good luck while he is  away for a whole year!

Congrats to our fourth (and final) winner Cordia! The highlight of her year so far was ending an 8 year toxic relationship and realizing that she deserves better. This lucky wishbone necklace can symbolize her fresh new start!

To enter – comment on the blog, tweet your thoughts, or post on our Facebook page. Just tell us:

1. Your name

2. Your email address (won’t be published)

*Note – email address only required when commenting on this blog post; Facebook and Twitter entries do NOT require email address (we can’t prevent those from being displayed in your post, so to protect your privacy that is only needed for blog entries)

3. A brief description of the highlight of your year so far!

We will select a winner each Monday in the month of September, 2010, and update this blog with their names each week. One entry per person please.

Official contest rules & regulations can be found HERE – click to view.

Artist and designer Imme van der Haak has introduced a conceptual line of body modification jewelry that is intriguing, to say the least! The gold plated brass based pieces coordinate with his “Elastic Mind” work:

“I transform the human body by using materials which lace up parts of the body, change the silhouette or influence in a different way the form of the body. It is all about changing forms and transformations, although it is not my intention to shock, but to reveal the idea that every form has its own beauty. In this way I comment in an expressive way on the current ideas about beauty.”

Image Credit: Imme van der Haak

With that in mind, would you wear it? Comment and let us know!

What to do with that blank canvas between your shoulders and your ears? Earrings are the most suitable option for you to dress up this area that is basically begging for adornment.

The primary function of jewelry today is fashion and style. There is really no functional use to wearing jewelry, except for tying an outfit together and making a complete look. Jewelry is so popular that many women say they feel naked when they forget their jewelry at home. It is a great way to express your creativity and your personal style. You can easily make a statement with your jewelry depending on your mood. Bright, happy yellows or moody mauves can let others know what to expect.

Earrings were invented in 3,000 B.C. in the Middle East, and were worn to let others know of their social status, power, religious or tribal identity. It helped inform others of where you stood in relation to each other.
The early 1900s brought the introduction of the clip on earring, which became very popular with women who did not want to pierce their ears solely for purpose of fashion. Styles of this time period include elaborate looks, dangle clip earrings and ruby reds.



Once the movie industry took off, so did jewelry. Women wanted to mimic their favorite movie stars and wear the same fabulous jewelry they were seeing in the movies. At this point, it was all about the glamour!
Once magnetic earrings were sold, they become popular with men since this time. They serve as a great option for men who don’t want to commit to permanently piercing their ears. Magnetic earrings also look great on women with fake diamond magnetic earringsperfectly accenting any women’s face with a touch of sparkle and elegance.



It seems that in every point in history, women were finding a way to express their style and creativity. Whether you are into art deco, gold hoop clip earrings, or sparkly dangle earrings, you have a wide variety of earrings to choose from. Earrings are another outlet for this demonstration of individuality.

Clip on earrings are often associated with unenthusiastic ideas such as old, dowdy and uncomfortable. However, clip on earrings have come a long way. They now come in a wide selection of fashionable, modern and trendy styles. They are more comfortable than ever and even support a heavier earring than a traditional pierce might.

One way to stand out with your jewelry is with bold colors. Try mixing garnet clip on earrings into your look for an unexpected pop of ruby red. This look is great for brunettes with a beautiful contrast between the garnet colored stones against the brown hair. Blondes should try a happy turquoise earring. The bright blue emanating from your earrings will brighten your skin tone, as well as your overall appearance. For red heads, a bold emerald stud or dangle is a great choice.

With clip on earrings you can go for a simple, classic look with a pearl stud or a slim gold hoop or you can add some sparkle with a chandelier earring or a fancy rhinestone-studded dangle. The best part is that you get to pick from a collection almost as big as pierced earrings.



Clip on earrings are not just for your Grandma anymore. Wearing non pierced earrings allows you the creativity to mix new styles and trends in your daily look. Since you don’t need to worry about the weight or the heaviness of the metal pulling down your earlobe, as you would with a post earring, you are freer to step out of the box with size and style.



These great, bold looks are easier to wear when you know that you are not destroying your pierced ear. With some of the heavier metals and styles, a post earring can cause your ear to droop or become stretched out. Since clip on earrings don’t go through your earlobe, you are safe from permanent damage. Staying on top of trends while also maintaining those classic, timeless pieces is important in anyone’s style. Mixing trends allows for a more inspiring look day after day.

Mix it up! Every woman should have a mixture of pierced earrings and clip earringsin their jewelry box. Fashion, style, comfort and longevity: all reasons why it makes sense to try out both styles of earrings. Giving your ears a rest is, in itself, a great excuse to wear non-pierced earrings. Switch between the two styles for varied looks and varied comfort levels.

Bold and chunky earrings are always a good standby for a fun night out. The only trouble is that the heavier the earring, the more they weigh down your earlobe. In the case of pierced earrings, this can lead to drooping earlobes or stretched out holes. Eventually if you wear these heavy earrings long enough, your ear holes will become stretched to the point where you can’t wear small, dainty studs anymore. Instead of going through all that trouble, the better way to wear your favorite bold and flashy earrings is with clip on earrings. The clip on earrings will hold securely to your ear and keep the earring in the perfect spot without risking damage to your earlobe.



When you are interested in trying out the vintage look, clip on earrings are a great option. True vintage pieces generally come in clip on versions since that style of earring was most popular. Art deco, intricate detailed designs, silver clip on earrings and others are beautiful in a clip on or screwback earring.
Fake diamond magnetic earrings provide a classic diamond stud look for an affordable price and comfortable feel. Magnetic earrings are easy to put on, easy to wear, and easy to look good in. If you have never tried a pair of magnetic earrings, look to simple, classic diamond studs for your first pair. You will love the look and the unique feel of the magnets securely holding the earring to your ear.

Some women are lucky enough to have a collection of their Grandmother or even Great-Grandmother’s jewelry. But since all of us don’t have true vintage pieces, we can wear vintage-inspired looks that offer the same appearance as the original. In fact, you will be the only one who knows that it wasn’t made decades ago.

A great pair of intricate earrings that look like they came straight out of your Grandmother’s jewelry box are perfect for a special night out. Many vintage pieces are made for non pierced ears. Choices include screwback and antique clip on earrings. Even if your ears are pierced you can wear clip ons easily. They actually offer a different look then you normally get with pierced earrings. In the case of screw earrings, they have a thin silver or gold band that runs underneath your earlobe to secure the screwback to your ear. This adds another touch of shine and something unexpected.

Vintage jewelry includes one-of-a-kind treasures. However, sometimes it is difficult to know how to incorporate these antique pieces into a modern day wardrobe. The best way to accomplish a seamless molding of the two styles is to wear other pieces of jewelry that mirror the colors, styles or finishes in the antique piece. For example, if your look includes gold vintage clip on earrings, then go with a pairing of gold bangles or a sweet gold necklace. Tying the look together with other gold jewelry will add to the glamour of the antique-inspired piece. Also, take note of the type of neckline you’re wearing. A simple neckline deserves a more dramatic and intricate earring, whereas an intricate and fancy neckline looks fabulous with a simple, yet elegant clip pearl earring.



A classic pearl earring is the perfect choice for achieving the vintage look without having to try too hard. The great part about a pearl earring, or really any pearl jewelry, is that you can wear it with almost anything. Pearls look great with a simple black dress or a colorful blouse with dark jeans. It is easy to dress up or down a pair of pearl earrings. You can add another level to your overall look with an antique finish around the pearl for a pearl button earring.

Whatever look you are going for, a pair of clip on vintage-inspired earrings is a great choice. Even if you don’t have your Grandmother’s jewelry, with antique-inspired pieces, you will feel like you are wearing the real thing.