This season there are some fantastic fresh ranges of fashion jewellery available in the shops and on-line from leading designers such as Adele Marie, Anna Lou and Les Nereides. The collection of Adele Marie costume jewellery could be of special interest to jewellery enthusiasts who love exquisitely made and constructed hand crafted jewellery at a price which is difficult to believe. The latest collection of earrings and bracelets features a lot of pearls finished with satin ribbons to make pieces that may be worn at any time of the day or night. The Lola Rose designer jewellery brand was launched in 2000 by the celebrated jewellery designer Nicola Gerwitz. Ever since then it has grown to be a tremendously well-liked range of jewellery for lots of devoted followers who like it because of its philosophy of affordable glamour. This season natural materials like quartz, onyx and blue sandstone feature greatly in the new collection of earrings and rings.

These items carry all the hall marks and artistry of a lot more expensive range of jewellery and it is easy to understand why the Lola Rose selection of jewellery inspires such faithfulness in its fans. The range of necklaces follows the same design with big quartz hearts and black onyx and blue sandstone a continuing theme. Should you be looking for stunning, sophisticated jewellery that’s guaranteed to make an impression then the Pistachio jewellery range is for you. It’s a firm favourite with a host of celebrities and stars and looks excellent matched with dresses for the evening as well as with less formal wear for the day.

If you are looking for some inspiration on how to update your jewellery collection, visit Astley Clarke online.

Back when I was a kid clothing was all made in North America by people like my Grandfather. If you were Jewish, either your parents or your grandparents were most likely in the clothing business. It was a past marked by a secretive love-hate relationship. In the 1920s there was no where else for Jew’s to work..I hear the stories over and over. But that’s not what this post is about..its about the 70s to now. Part of the reality of the clothing business back in the day was the off shore production of North American companies. Long before China, Japan was the “go to” place to save money and move your manufacture. I remember my adolescence and the strange effect of this shift to Asia for clothing production. All of a sudden shirts and pants started to fit “funny”. My 6 foot 2 180 lb frame would wear clothing and the sleeves would be too short or the neck was too narrow. I attributed this to puberty, where as in reality it was about fit. Japanese people are skinny, fit and smaller then 1970s North Americans. Since that time..the Japanese are still skinny and fit…and “fatness” has boomed here. With the fat boom has come the “bag boom” and clothing is made like giant sacks. It would seem that the average North American has not only lost their shape but lost the ability to even understand the concept of “fit”.

I am amazed how in developing my leather jackets how difficult fit is. I am also amazed at the difference my Japanese friends who try on my jackets and my Canadian friends. Canadians try them on and marvel at the apparent quality of the materials and the look of the jacket. My Japanese friends instantaneously understand not just the materials, but the stitching, zippers and the language of fit. My anonymous friend in the photos explained so eloquently to me about my jacket “this is a one t-shirt jacket, not a two t-shirt jacket, the fit is excellent!”. He of course gave me some advice with which to tweak the fit. My hope is that one day everybody understands the beauty of fit, cut, material and quality!