Julia's Fashion File: Studly

We'd all love to have the wedding of our dreams: a Vera Wang dress, mile-high embellished cakes, photo booths, culinary masterpieces, ice sculptures, epic floral arrangements, destination venues in Hawaii or Half Moon Bay...but whatever it may be for you, budgeting concerns can be a pesky little problem (or monumental depending on how BIG those dreams are). While there may be some areas you won't compromise on, that doesn't mean you can't find other areas to trim down.

I, for one, won't have all the money in the world to splurge on expensive jewelry. The engagement ring will be my centerpiece and the rest will need to be convincing costume jewelry. Lucky for us ladies, there are a slew of alternatives out there now that are reasonable and don't look like you purchased them from Claire's Boutique.

I have been so impressed with Banana Republic's line of jewelry and in particular, pieces appropriate for a wedding like their gorgeous stud earring options. You would never guess that you didn't drop an arm and a leg on some of these. Unfortunately, we can't post many pics of their beautiful options, but trust us, go! My favorites in-person are the Floating Stone, Shimmering Leaf Studs and Precious Knot Studs (I like a little more edge as opposed to classic). If classic is what you're going for, they have some very believable pearl and fake diamond studs: I found their Aphrodite Studs, Audrey Studs and their classic Princess-Cut Studs online and you can't go wrong with any of them.

Banana Republic opened up a store dedicated to their jewelry line in the Westfield Mall in San Francisco called Edition. This could be a great place to check out beautiful yet affordable bling for your big day!

xoxo

Jules

Spotted: Gallery of Jewels, San Francisco Jeweler

Ring by G. Phil Poirier

For your “all that glitters” needs, consider stopping by Gallery of Jewels for some of the most unique wedding jewelry we’ve ever seen. Starting off on weekends in 1989 selling original jewelry off a card table, Dona and Bill Hoover, along with contributions from their designer friends, brought Gallery of Jewels to life. Eventually they signed a coveted lease on 24th Street in Noe Valley.

Many mall properties have invited them to join their ranks but they've resisted, primarily because they want their customers to enjoy a “boutique experience”. Each Gallery has its own look, feel, and unique collections. And they’ve always had a tremendous selection of jewelry with a range of style and price—something for every occasion and budget.

Rings by Okomido





Ring by Alberto Parada

Rings by Anne Sportun

They began offering off-the rack and custom wedding, engagement and commitment jewelry in 2007. Of the 100+ designers they currently showcase, over 50 of them design wedding jewelry. So, why this addition? “Witnessing two people in love is infectious. Guiding love birds to their special connection is a gratifying experience. Listening and interpreting their wants and needs brings smiles to everyone’s face. This process may take 5 minutes or two months of constant trial and error. Either or, the end result is our mission.”

We love that Gallery of Jewels is a non-traditional jewelry store. They are devoted to supporting the artist community. They simply choose artists who create unusual and out-of-the-ordinary designs. You can bet your engagement or wedding day rings will be that original. After all, so is your love story.

Rings By Sarah Richardson

Stop by Gallery of Jewels at:
2115 Fillmore Street (Pacific Heights)
4089 24th Street (Noe Valley)
2101 Union Street (Cow Hollow)
Visit: http://www.galleryofjewels.com/

Spotted: Great Baubles & Bachelorette Must-Haves

Walking in to Jest Jewels, it’s a treasure trove for the any girl. A jewelry and accessories store, Jest Jewels also happens to have a fantastic collection of goodies for that perfect bachelorette party. Think studded tanks with a variety of jeweled phrases along the chest, sexy lingerie and panties, embroidered bags for the bride and M.O.T.B., and even sexy little g-string panties you can get with the Mister’s name embroidered on them.

You can also get jewelry pieces for your Big Day, from white gold and yellow gold, to antique and modern pieces. They also have an impressive array of hair accessories and take note of the adorable clutch purses- sequined and pearl embroidered and the gold and pewter shaded.

Whatever your needs are, you won’t break the bank. For a sneak-peek check out http://www.jestjewels.com/ but it’s best to enjoy all the treasures in person!

Three locations:
1869 Union St. (SF)
3 Embarcadero Ctr. (SF)
1791 4th St. (Berkeley)

Scene & Heard: Gem & Jewelry Event

Ok, ladies. You’ve got your ring. Now what? You guys need to start thinking about your bands. It’s not something you want to take lightly (literally), or leave until the last minute. Head over to 888 Brannan (formerly known as the San Francisco Giftcenter & Jewelrymart) starting this Wednesday for a peek at the best of San Francisco’s jewelers and their finest picks. Great prices, great vendors, and a great array of jewelry from engagement rings, bands and pieces for your Big Day. Go with high hopes, we wish you luck!

May 5-7, 9am-5pm

May 8, 10am-4pm

www.888brannan.com

Spotted: Robyn Rhodes, Jewelry Designer

Robyn Rhodes is a natural, making jewelry as a hobby since she was 12yo. Eight years ago, she complimented her aunt on her necklace and thought "I can do that". This inspired her to pick up her old hobby and begin creating unique pieces for friends and family. Thus, her line was born.

Robyn says designing for brides is one of her favorite challenges. She loves to create pieces for a bride’s biggest day, andtakes her creative process very seriously: “You don’t want to overshadow the bride and her dress.” Her basic take on creating wedding jewelry is that she wants her clients to wear the jewelry over and over again. Think: timeless and classic.

What can you expect when working with Robyn to create one-of-a-kind pieces for your big day? For starters, Her attention to detail and her love of neutral stones that you will be able to wear for years past your wedding day. She also loves to layer, giving people the impression that it took you forever to get the look, when in actuality, it took about 30 seconds to put on.

“It is important for me to designs pieces that you can wear all different ways, so you get the most out of your RR piece,” she says. “I am always coming up with new designs, so every time someone logs onto my site, they will see something new!” One last note: all her materials are made in the USA. We think that’s pretty sparkly.

To view her beautiful collections and for 20% off, visit:
http://www.robynrhodes.com/

Mention code: RRFANS