First Fashion: Our Favorites from What’s New

For me, every day is an accessories day.
	The inspiration for my accessories-themed post are these pretty little boots. The day they crossed my desk it was love at first sight. Coclico - Elara Mid Calf Boot
	Another new love of mine is the brand behind the hottest eco-friendly jewelry to hit shopbop. I covet every piece Alkemie makes, this one included. Alkemie Jewelry - Snake Bangle
	I’m getting a little tired of my basic brown bags. The remedy? This checked creation. Marc by Marc Jacobs - Metal Check Groovee Bag
Get your accessories (or general fashion) fix in What’s New.

5 Questions for the Designers Behind Alkemie

With Alkemie Jewelry, husband-and-wife design team Ashley Lowengrub and Dara Gerson have perfected the art of "transforming something common into something precious." Environmentally responsible and stylishly eclectic, Alkemie is forged from 100% reclaimed metals and combines nature-inspired figures with inventive details. One-of-a-kind designs and expert craftsmanship make Alkemie Jewelry more art than accessory.

What is the philosophy behind your line?
The philosophy behind our line encompasses four main principles. First, a socially conscious and ethical foundation; it’s environmentally sound and fashion forward; and finally, it’s at an affordable price point. We feel that you do not have to sacrifice style to be socially and environmentally responsible.

What inspires your designs?
Our designs are inspired by the beauty of nature, timeless vintage pieces, our two daughters, each other, and love.

Does your current collection have a theme? What is the inspiration behind it?
The theme of our current collection is The Maiden Voyage. The collection is inspired by organic themes of the Art Nouveau movement and nature.

What is your best accessorizing advice?
Our best accessorizing advice is to layer and interchange different pieces in different looks, which gives individuality and interest.

Do you follow Coco Chanel’s rule: “take one piece off before you leave the house”?
In all due respect to Coco Chanel, we feel that there are no rules. The key is visual balance where you are comfortable. Hopefully one knows the difference between too much and just enough.

New Jewelry Lines in the Accessories Spotlight

One is as environmentally and socially conscious as it is stylish, while another is earthbound with a nod to Cherokee heritage. Still another comes from a designer whose globetrotting life has taken her from Russia to Italy to Australia to Brooklyn. Then there's the one that melds the traditional with the modern, and the one that's inspired by a love of making something old new again. They're Alkemie, Cynthia Dugan, St. Kilda, Melissa Joy Manning, and tuleste market, the latest jewelry lines to hit shopbop, and they promise to change the way you think about baubles. Discover them today in the Accessories Spotlight.

Perfectly Imperfect: Alkemie Jewelry

Perfection is for the fearful, the boring, the uncreative, or at least that’s what I tell myself as I rush out the door in yet another outfit cobbled together from the clean pile of laundry. As it turns out, I’m in fashionable company with my embracing of imperfection. Jewelry design newcomer Alkemie (I’m a sucker for a phonetically spelled name) employs this same aesthetic (albeit in a more deliberate, elegant, and fully-realized fashion), creating rough-hewn yet glamorous pieces from “reclaimed” metals. At once utterly modern and timelessly cool, Alkemie’s Stingray Cuff has all the makings of a signature piece.

First Fashion: Our Favorites from What's New

I just got back from a long weekend in NYC and as I unpacked my suitcase I realized I could have done a way better job packing! Here are three items from What’s New that I wish I had with me.
	The weather was fantastic, but it was still a little chilly for my morning bagel run. This soft striped cardigan from McQ would have kept me cozy and cute!
	Central Park was incredibly green and sunny. In real life I wore skinny jeans and a tank, but I wish I could have complemented all that chlorophyll in this breezy jersey dress from Ella Moss.
	On a post-brunch window shopping stroll through Williamsburg, I was inspired by the eccentric, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces in the boutiques. This one from Alkemie has that same “not quite perfect but still elegant” feel I love.