Our guest blogger this week is Mackenzie Horan of Design Darling. Mackenzie “dreams of color-coordinated closets,” and we love her classic, preppy design sensibility (which is quite evident in her blue, gold and white picks below). Take it away Mackenzie…

I’m Mackenzie from Design Darling and I’m excited to be sharing my Charm & Chain picks with you all! I like to keep it simple when it comes to picking out jewelry so I decided to make a list of 10 classic pieces every girl should own. Enjoy!

(1) Bounkit Lapis Earrings (2) Giles and Brother Interlocking Cuff 

(3) Kenneth Jay Lane Layered Pearl Necklace (4) Wendy Mink Layered Necklace 

(5) Bounkit Turquoise Earrings (6) Ginette NY mini signet monogram ring

(7) Asha Else Studs (8) Lulu Frost Code Ring (9) Sequin Gold Link Bracelet 

(10) Kenneth Jay Lane Turquoise Cabochon Ring

Classic gold bracelets, ladylike pearls, and a few statement sparklers… Which pieces would top your list?

Attention Charm & Chain-ers: Chokers are back! No, I’m not referring to those torture device-looking necklaces from the ’90s. Today’s chokers are sophisticated metal statement makers that sit at the base of the neck and add a shot of glimmer to any outfit. Lately, we’ve been spotting the style on some of our favorite celebrities and fashion tastemakers like Mary Kate Olsen, Rihanna and Taylor Tomasi Hill, featured below. Luckily, we have a variety of amazing chokers on Charm & Chain, so that you can get in on the trend too. Worn under the collar of your favorite button-down or paired with a crew neck cotton tee, this fresh look is sure to get your neck noticed.

SILVER

Inspiration:

Our Pick: Assad Mounser Rocks Off Simple Collar

GOLD

Inspiration:

Our Pick: Kenneth Jay Lane Satin Gold Hinged Collar

MIXED MEDIA

Inspiration:

Our Pick: Fallon Black & Gold Collage Choker

SERPENTINE

Inspiration:

Our Pick: Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Crystal Snake Choker

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL

Inspiration:

Our Pick: Nicole Romano Twisted Chain Spear Necklace

QUIRKY

Inspiration:

Our Pick: FALLON Therapy Pill Charm Necklace Shop Chokers here.

Philanthropist, socialite and heir to her late husband’s fortune, Brooke Astor spent the better part of her adult life amassing a stunning collection of jewelry and accessories. She died at age 105, so we’re talking about literally a treasure chest of jewels, diamonds, charms and chains from half a century of collecting.



A selection of Brooke’s jewelry sold at a Sotheby’s auction that concluded this week. One of the highlights included this emerald and diamond necklace (circa 1965), pictured here with a 22.84 carat emerald ring.



Although my time has run out to bid on this fanciful piece (and it may have been a bit of a stretch for my wallet), I’m channeling Brooke’s emerald city statement with this necklace by Kenneth Jay Lane.

Wear it to your next formal event or dress up any evening outfit with this necklace—it’s a knockout.

Shop it here.

Guest Blogger: Merritt Beck of The Style Scribe

Next up in our Back to School Blogger series is Merritt Beck of The Style Scribe. We love seeing Merritt’s personal style snapshots, shopping round-ups, and overall musings on fashion on her fabulous blog. Take it away Merritt…

This is Merritt from The Style Scribe and I’m SO thrilled to be featured on the Charm & Chain website this week, showcasing my favorite fall jewelry trends and how to get the look!

Heavy Metal

One trend that’s perfectly edgy and modern for fall is the look of high shine and heavy metal. Smooth surfaces catch a lot of light, so these pieces are amazing if you are wanting the spotlight on you.

1. Kenneth Jay Lane Collar, 2. Tuleste Market Earrings, 3. Noir Modernist Ring, 4. Noir L.A.M.B. Cuff, 5. Noir Modernist Necklace, 6. Alexis Bittar Ring

Art Deco

Taking it back to almost a century ago, I love the art deco and flapper feel of jewelry that seems to be popping up everywhere for fall. Even with a somewhat contemporary ensemble, a few pieces of this style will add a hint of old-school glamour to your look (and let’s face it, we could all use some)!

1. Ben Amun Earrings, 2. Ben Amun Brooch, 3. Lulu Frost Bracelet, 4. Badgley Mischka Earrings, 5. Suzanna Dai Cuff, 6. Elizabeth Cole Earrings

New Designer Obsession: K Kane

Katherine Kane, a close friend of yours truly, is the creative mastermind behind K Kane, the newest line to hit Charm & Chain.

K Kane is one of our favorite modern day, monogram-inspired designer collections. Katherine is ready to take your initials—or really any meaningful combination of letters for that matter—and work wonders, spinning them into contemporary works of art using different metals. Make no mistake; this is not your mother’s monogram.

Your own personalized piece by K Kane will quickly become a go-to everyday staple in no time. The collection is both delicate and distinctive, allowing you to wear your initials loud and proud. Shop the collection right here.

Last Thursday concluded Fashion Week here in New York, and just as exciting as seeing what the designers have in store for next spring was checking out what everyone wore to the shows. NYFW is the fashion industry’s favorite excuse to put together the most stylish—and many times outrageous—outfits possible, which naturally means that statement jewelry abounds. Some of our favorite fashion week jewelry moments included a set of plastic high heeled legs by Yazbukey arranged in the vein of a tribal bib over a green Kenzo tiger sweatshirt, a pair of jeweled DANNIJO hand pieces donned by the Man Repeller for the designers’ spring presentation, and a knockout Lulu Frost POWER necklace designer Lisa Salzer wore with a sporty red letterman jacket. We’ve posted these pictures and more below for your viewing pleasure! And for even more sparkling snapshots, we suggest you check out this jealousy-inducing video from The Cut highlighting more jewelry street style moments from New York Fashion Week. Now we just can’t wait to see what amazing pieces the showgoers whip out for London, Milan and Paris!

Photos from Fashionista, Lee Oliveira, Style.com, The Cut and Vogue.com

Nothing like some new Assad Mounser neon to perk up a Monday morning… (Taken with Instagram)

We’re kicking off the new season with a Back-to-School guest blogger series, where our favorite tastemakers share their top Charm & Chain Fall picks. First up is one of the most fashionable bloggers around, Bradley Agather, of luella & june. If you’re not already familiar with her blog, you must visit it—Bradley has incredible style, and her posts are a joy to read! Take it away, Bradley…

The fall season is all about new beginnings. I’m all about revamping my wardrobe this September, and there’s no easier way to freshen up my look than with some new baubles. From sparkly somethings to bracelets fit for an army party, there’s something for everyone! Here’s a round up of some of the jewels I’m coveting for the new season.

1. Dannijo Smyson Cuff 2. Elizabeth Cole Lola Earrings 3. Lulu Frost Memory Motel Necklace 4. Kendra Scott Nicole Bangles 5. Mawi Hexagon Foil Drop Earrings 6. Noir Triple Cord Cuff 7. Dara Ettinger Adelaide Earrings 8. Mawi Black Crystal Cocktail Ring

O’Keeffe inspired necklace from Lizzie Fortunato Jewels’ SS13 collection (Taken with Instagram)

The fembots from the @DANNIJO “Peaceful Warriors and Trippy Hippies” SS13 show yesterday have inspired me to try the full-on jewelry body armor look #noclothesnecessary (Taken with Instagram)