picture from www.fashionunited.com

Jewellery is one of my favourite accessories and over the past few seasons I have noticed a definite focus on jewellery by the fashion houses and designers.

As everybody cuts back in the recession (sorry, I’ll try not to mention it again), I think costume jewellery will become  become more popular as a way of making key classic outfits look a bit different. Take this years trend for the black polo neck, it takes on a whole new look when worn with a gothic style black and silver necklace to a brightly coloured beaded necklace.

There has also been an explosion of new jewellery designers offering increasingly innovative pieces that are such a style statement in their own right that they need to be worn with minimalist clothes to be shown off to their full potential.

I am quite excited by the opportunity for more talented jewellery designers to increase their offerings with the second year of London Jewellery Week.

Coutts London Jewellery Week is organised by the City Fringe Partnership, with funding from the London Development Agency, and sponsored by Coutts. It will give 20 up and coming jewellery designers the opportunity to get support and help in an industry that is particularly vunerable in the current economic climate.

I love this Martick Bohemian Cherry Heart Necklace. Martick jewellery is renowned for designing award winning silver jewellery with a strong fashion bias; using beautiful and exotic materials such as dichoric glass and Venetian glass to produce stunning and enchanting pieces.

pictures from  www.mfpepe.com

Maria Francesca Pepe has been selected as part of Fashion East for Autumn Winter 09/10. This is a great celebration of her talent and an opportunity for her to showcase her already popular ad unusual collections on an even bigger stage.

Maria was already well known for innovative designs of jewellery with a celebrity following that includes Agyness Deyn. She originally studied Womens Wear at St Martins College but moved into jewellery and accessories when the press picked up on some jewellery sewn onto clothing at her graduate collection. Maria has worked on collaborations with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry including Roksanda Ilincic and Jens Laugesen.

Her latest collection for Spring Summer 09 combines both womens wear and jewellery for a really different take on how jewellery can be worn and integrated into an outfit. Art-Brut 09 give a function to the jewellery including collars, pockets or buttons. Her designs cleverly merge the link between the ornament and the wearability.

If you love Maria Francesca Pepe’s chunky contemporary jewellery, you will love this woven keyhole cuff in black and gold.

pictures from www.nylonmag.com

I love accessorising expecially with Jewellery and I love Prada (who doesn’t) so I was quite excited to discover in Nylon Magazine that Prada is launching a line of costume jewellery.

The jewellery is cool , glamourous and ultra chic as would be expected. It is likely to be reasonably affordable so if you want to buy into the Prada look without breaking the bank then this is the way. The jewellery includes resin and Rhinestone necklaces which are completely different to everything I have ever seen. They are polished and luxurious but also great for every day wear. They would look equally good with a day dress or jeans and a cashmere jumper. This chunky and interesting costume jewellery would also look amazing with this seasons must have black polo neck jumper.

This Prada Sport Cashmere Jumper is perfect for accessorising with ultra trendy, chunky costume jewellery.

It is coming up to Christmas (soonish) and for me Christmas is a great time to add a bit of sparkle to my life. For me Christmas is not about minimalism in way, shape or form. I like to load my Christmas tree (and myself) with as much sparkle and glitz as I can.

This year I will definitely be investing in some Babette Wasserman cocktail rings for some chrismas glamour. Babette Wasserman graduated in jewellery design from Central St Martins and then went on to launch her own accessories range in 1997. She is well know in the industry for her progressive designer jewellery, particularly cocktail rings and cufflinks. Babbette creates experimental designs using exotic gem stones. Her designs push the boundaries of jewellery design but are also both contemporary and timeless.

I love the colour of the diamond cut smokey brown crystal on this Infinitey Kiss Ring and the unusual shape as it crosses over the cubic zirconia band forming a kiss shape.

For days when I am feeling really girly, this pink Infinity Crystal Ring is perfect. Made from a handcut pink crystal with a buckle of cubic zirconias, it will definitely provide a talking point at any Christmas parties that I attend.

This burgundy Infinity Square Ring has a definite retro feel about it. It will look great with some of this seasons seventies style fashions.

For those who can’t get enough glitter and glitz this Glitter Mini Chameleon - Ice Ring has graduated swarovski crystals going from pink, blue through to purple.

I recently posted about Topshop Unique and how it makes  me feel just a  bit nostalgic for those days when I was defintely a dedicated follower of fashion. These days I like to consider myself a bit more individual and original. So why is it that I spend so much of my time seeking out the latest trends and pay so much attention to the catwalk shows.

Well, it is true I still like to follw trends quite a bit. I hope that I am now a lot more selective in the trends that I follow and pick and choose the bits that really suit me. I find the latest designer collections a great inspiration when deciding what clothes to buy. I am quite easily bored with my clothes and so am always looking for some new inspiration. I tend to find the latest styles are what are every where in the shops and so guess what? that is what I decide to buy a lot of the time.

 When it comes to being individual for me it is about combinign trends that I like in a slightly different way or with something a bit more original. As the old saying goes ’It’s not what you wear, its how you wear it’. Vintage finds are a great way of making an outfit original and unique or creating something yourself that no one else has but you.

A great way to create something unique and individual is to make your own jewellery using glass beads.

This seasons  black and minimalism acts as a great backdrop for some seriously high impact jewellery.  The gothic trend is key to a lots of this seasons jeweelery with chokers to rosaries and crucifixes all featuring. Forget less is more when it comes to jewellery, pile on loads of chains or bracelets. Oversized jewellery is also a big trend with chunky beads and giant cuffs.

At Alexander McQueen, jewellery was historical with ellaborate jewelled chokers and drop earrings perfectly complimenting the historically inspired clothes.

At Givenchy, Black leather and polo neck jumpers were accesorised with lots and lots of chains and crucifixes.

At Louis Vuitton the look was polished and sophisticated. With neutral greys and blues set of by metallic looking chunky glass bead necklaces.

At Dries Van Noten, lovely glossy bead necklaces seet off the colourful clothes beautifully.

pictures from www.style.com

This Cubic Circonia Cocktail Necklace is definitely high impact with  bit of this seasons gothic and historical references.