How to Wear Spring’s Hot Color: Yellow!

One of the hottest, and perhaps unexpected, colors for Spring 2014 is yellow. The canary color is bright, vibrant, fun and… a bit daunting. Not a lot of people know how to wear yellow. And I used to be one of them! I thought it wouldn’t look good with my complexion, or I felt that the bright hue would draw too much attention to me. But I’ve learned to LOVE it over the years. And now that we have an array of yellow clothing and accessory options this Spring, I’m coveting some new brights. Would you wear yellow? How would you wear it?

Wear a little or a lot… Here’s how…

Be bold with bright jewelry! Perk up any outfit with a pop of yellow in your jewelry. Sounds kind of funny, but don’t worry — It’s surprisingly versatile! Wear with a solid colored top (looks fab with teal, navy blue or burgandy) or pair with a stripe tee for spring!

Stella & Dot’s Norah Collection from Spring 2014 jewelry line

Add a canary or mustard item. Be bold and update your spring wardrobe with a bold shot of yellow. A solid blouse, pair of shorts or pleated skirt (psst, pleats are also a huge spring trend!) amp up any ensemble. Or tone down the bright hue with sweet pastel florals. Just one tip: Be sure to wear a neutral with your yellow. Denim, camel, khaki, navy or cream look great.

Anthropologie Spring ’14 Collection: Josalia Peplum Top; Patula Maxi Skirt; Mireia Blouse

Accessorize with bright, fun outfit-makers. The perfect way to update your look is to buy one or two fun accessories for spring. A citrine scarf or perforated leather clutch (by the way, perferation is another HUGE trend this season!) will freshen up your look, whether you’re on the soccer field or out to dinner with the hubs.

Stella & Dot Spring 2014 Collection: Citrine Perforated Double Clutch; Citrine Yellow Scarf

Street Style: Real women show you how to wear this trend

Stella & Dot Fringe Necklace Seen on Singer Kesha in Seventeen Magazine

We may not all love singer Kesha’s style, but I’m sure we can agree that she looks fabulous in this black and gold fringe necklace in the pages of the recent Seventeen magazine. Kesha wore the Lillith Fringe Statement Necklace from Stella & Dot in the March 2013 issue of Seventeen magazine. Not ready for a necklace so big and bold? Try the Lillith Fringe Earrings from Stella & Dot for a similar look!

Bachelorette Emily Maynard Wearing Gold Stella & Dot Pendant Necklace

It’s getting down to the wire and The Bachelorette Emily Maynard is still looking great and doing a fantastic job juggling all these men with class and poise. How does she do it?!? Well, I at least know what line of jewelry is helping her look so darn cute — Stella & Dot, of course! [ABC, The Bachelorette, episode 8, aired on Monday, July 2, 2012]

See her, above, from this week’s episode wearing the gold Rebel Pendant Necklace from Stella & Dot while on her date with Sean (My fave! Swoon!). It’s graphic, yet simple, and the perfect necklace to pair with such a bold print maxi dress! LOVE IT!

Emily’s maxi dress that she wore on the episode is the Rory Beca Keith V-Neck Slit Gown, found on Revolve Clothing.

New February Design Studio Jewelry Now Available

This month it’s all about being bold and being “wild at heart” with Stella & Dot‘s new Isis Necklace and Artemis Cuff – two limited edition jewelry pieces that are playful yet tough, featuring wild panthers, bold hematite plating and glitzy pave czech stones. The Isis Panther Necklace is a great statement necklace without being too bold or bulky. And the Artemis Bangle Bracelet is perfect with both hematite, antiqued silver or gold and looks gorge layered with other stacking bracelets, such as the Harlow Bangle or the Pyramid Stud Leather Wrap Bracelet, also from Stella & Dot.

TO PURCHASE >> Go to www.stelladot.com/emarkland >> Click on SHOP >> Design Studio

Don’t forget about the other limited edition Stella & Dot jewelry pieces still available in the Design Studio, such as the bold, tribal-inspired Safari Necklace, the show-stopping Zabala Statement Necklace, or the very wearable and simple Zaria Ring in silver. But hurry, they are limited edition styles in limited quantities – so get them now before they sell out!

How To Update Your Wardrobe for Holiday 2011

Stella & Dot’s Chief Creative Officer Blythe Harris shares her style tips to update your wardrobe for this year’s festive holiday season. Who says you can’t wear your cocktail dress two years in a row? Update your look on a budget by incorporating bold color, playing with accessories and experimenting with texture. Blythe’s tips will have you looking glamorous and festive in no time!

1.) Add Bold Color – Red is a hot color this holiday season and the bold festive color looks terrific with ivory pearls. Try the Sofia Pearl Bib Necklace and the gold Devi Bangles from Stella & Dot. Bright cobalt blue, purple and teal are also popular colors for holiday 2011. The key to wearing bright colors is to pair them with a neutral — dark jeans, black, brown or khaki — and add an equally interesting and a fun accessory. The Pegasus Necklace is featured in the video, above, and is surprisingly versatile, lightweight and easy to wear.

2.) It’s All Accessorizing – Update last year’s dress (or, heck, even your dress from five years ago!) with fun accessories. Colorful heels or a hot caged booty are both on-trend and super fun. Add a belt, scarf, or an armful of bangles and wrap bracelets to change the vibe of any outfit. You can turn any black dress into a glam outfit with the Metropolitan Mixed Chain Necklace from Stella & Dot. Or go for a rocker-chic look with the Femme Fatale Necklace. Just have fun with it!

3.) Incorporate Texture – Texture is huge this season, from tweedy collarless jackets to corduroy skinnies to the color-blocked suede heels that are all over the malls right now. Choose one of two textures to experiment with, and don’t be afraid to mix something tough with something soft, such as silk with leather, or suede with modal cotton or jersey. You can also add texture in with your accessories: Try the Chantilly Lace Cuff or the Pegasus Necklace from Stella & Dot.

Stella & Dot Necklace Featured in Self Magazine

The Femme Fatale Statement Necklace from Stella & Dot was featured in the September 2011 issue of Self magazine in their “Fall Trend Report.” Among the hot trends for Fall 2011? Something called “city sleek” — according to Self — which features clean lines, bold color, graphic colorblocking and straight tailoring. This necklace would be perfect paired with a wide leg pant, a colorful pencil skirt or funky booties – all popular trends this season.

Get the Look: Anne Hathaway in Belmain

Hello graphic! This look is much out of my comfort zone but it’s still utterly fantastic and feminine. The first thing I notice is Anne Hathaway’s bright smile. Isn’t that what fashion is all about? Having fun, smiling, laughing and setting your spirit free? Get this simple, graphic, tailored look with a few key pieces: black trousers, a tuxedo jacket or blazer and a rocker tee.

Get the look for less with the Ponte Knit Editor Pant from Express; the Asos Linen Boyfriend Blazer from Asos.com or the White Boyfriend Jacket from Guess; and the Vintage Havana graphic tee from Bluefly.com.

Pair the outfit with stellar accessories: Funky, retro sunglasses, bold jewelry and bright, hot pink nails. Try the Candies Bow Cat Eye Sunglasses from Kohls or the Sabre Vision Runaway Sunglasses from Endless.com; the black onyx Perfect Faceted Earrings from Stella & Dot; the graphic Nouvelle Cocktail Ring from Stella & Dot; and add a pop of color with Butter London 3 Free Nail Lacquer from Revolve Clothing.

Introducing the NEW Fall Jewelry Collection from Stella & Dot!

Stella & Dot has done it once again! The new fall jewelry collection launched early this month and the boutique jewelry has already been spotted in several fashion magazines, with more press lined up for the fall. This season’s fall jewelry collection is all about being bold, daring and living life to the fullest. Can a fabulus necklace or gorgeous ring help you do that? Not necessarily, but it’s the action of wearing something bold – and acting bold – every day that helps any woman create a life worth living.

Jewelry designer and Stella & Dot’s chief creative officer Blythe Harris was inspired by the late socialite Marchesa Caseti – a woman who walked panthers on a leash and wore snakes around her neck as accessories. Eccentric, undeniably bold and a little coo-coo, Marchesa epitomized the meanign of the word “bold” in everything she did… And in everything she wore. Stella & Dot’s fall jewelry collection uses serpants and panthers, wood, resin & semi-precious stones, and a mix of sparkly pave settings and clear glass beads to depict this unshakeable idea of being uniquley bold and wonderfully couragious. So go ahead, put on that statement necklace and slip into those sky high stilettos. And make a choice to be bold… TODAY.

Behind the Design: Fall 2011 Collection

This post is originally from the Stella & Dot corporate page in the Stylewatch section. Read it HERE.

BOLD. EXTRAORDINARY. STYLESETTERS. These are the words that were top-of-mind when I began envisioning fall 2011 last summer. I found myself steeped in stories of women of the past and present who are courageous, confident and infinitely stylist. Women like the Marchesa Casati, an heiress who lived in Italy in the early 1900s, wore snakes around her neck as an accessory and walked cheetahs on diamond-studded leashes! And then there’s the living contemporary artist and heiress Daphne Guiness who seems to be at every chic party and is always the most photographed person in attendance because of her chic style. What unites these women is their confidence to make bold choices. They are women who cherish being watched and they are not afraid to stand out. This collection is a tribute to bold women everywhere who embrace the lives they live with purpose and welcome the opportunity to share themselves with the world. View the collection online: www.stelladot.com/emarkland

What I Want Now: Bright, Bold Color

I love color. I hate wearing anything beige around my face (it’s so drab, right!?) and I have countless eyeliner pencils in bright purple, navy, sea green and every shade in between. Color symbolizes youth and vibrancy, confidence and playfulness. And this season, you won’t be able to get away from it! From hot pink dresses to yellow heels to cobalt blue eye liner, there is a bright, bold color for every one and for every part of the body.

Carnival Stretch Bracelets from Stella & Dot, $69; Alice by Temperley Dress from Revolve Clothing, $350; Jessica Simpson Brook High Heel from Endless.com, $89; Bombaleo Statement Necklace from Stella & Dot, $228; Cole Haan Crosby Snake Skin Wallet from Zappos.com, $89.

Bib Necklaces Are the Hot Trend

A huge trend at the moment is the bib necklace, an inverted pyramid-like (or bib-like) necklace that is a huge, fun statement piece for any woman’s jewelry wardrobe. Take a look at some of these bib necklaces — all of them cute, but maybe not such a great deal compared to Stella & Dot’s quality and value? You decide.

Banana Republic has super cute jewelry coming out for spring, like the bold bib necklaces below. You won’t hear me complain about BR’s jewelry (or clothes for that matter) because they are a great company and they have great product. BUT, I’m not so sure if I would pay $69 for the coral plastic beads and brass necklace (at left), or even $59 for the acrylic-beaded, gold-plated–albeit SO PRETTY–necklace (far right).

One retailer that does come eerily close to Stella & Dot in quality, price and value is J. Crew. This brand is also always on the forefront of fashion and style. The Bubble Necklace, $150, is glass enamel and 18kt gold-plated brass, materials similar to what the designers at Stella & Dot use.

A few retailers, like Target and Kohl’s, also carry the trendy bib necklace, but I question why they are selling their jewelry at such high prices. I mean, aren’t both stores where you can always find a good deal or bargain? Well, not necessarily…. The Erickson Beamon Cluster Bubble Necklace, $49,  is now sold out. I have to ask, WHY?!? It’s plastic baubles remind me of somethting I wore out of my “Pretty, Pretty Princess” game when I was a kid. And the E.B. Layered Skull and Charm Necklace for $49 (left) is quite possibly the most tragic piece of jewelry I’ve seen. It’s a tangled plastic mess.

I don’t know about you, but I want quality over quantity. I’m not in the market for plastic beads and brass jewelry, which is exactly what you’d find at Claire’s. Stella & Dot offers great quality, hand-made jewelry for a steal. And it’s on-trend for the season. See the pieces below, all using fine, high-quality materials and 14kt gold plating or vermeil, and all for less than $100!!

Get the Look: Angelina’s Oscar Style

The red carpet was bursting with beautiful bold accents like Angelina Jolie’s show-stopping emerald green earrings (LOVE them!). Get this Oscar-worthy look with Stella & Dot!

This Spring, the trend is to incorporate bold new colors, especially emerald green, into your wardrobe with one vivid item, like the Perfect Faceted Earrings or the Isabella Spaced Wreath necklace. Pair any of these pieces with an understated black gown for your own Oscar style or with the simple jeans and t-shirt for a casual, everyday glam look. And the best thing – these pieces are much easier on your wallet!