Dressing for Queen’s: The tennis bracelet

Carat £700 / Alexis Bittar $995 / Swarovski £79

Tennis has come to England. Why? Because it’s grass season, baby!

The crowd at Queen’s, currently taking place in West London, is perhaps at times noticeably different to the crowds at the French Open a few weeks before. Reserved, quieter, sometimes mistaken as being unenthused. Liveliness comes from the teenage ball girls, sat during their break with love heart eyes as Grigor Dimitrov plays in front of them, and James Ward’s polka dot shirt. It explodes when Andy Murray  and Rafael Nadal take to the court (the latter having taken a break from the tournament for the past three years) and it twinkles in the light from the bracelets around the wrist.

Yes. A string of yellow gold set with diamonds, a row of delicate quartz, and a classic flow of bezel-set crystals. The tennis bracelet may not be the most practical for wearing when playing, as Chris Evert demonstrated in 1987, so shall we wear it for spectating instead?

Her amethyst ring

During the early nineteenth century, Victorian’s began expressing their feelings to loved ones with symbolism, using combinations of flowers and precious stones. Each one became iconic- For example, ivy symbolised fidelity and marriage, forget-me-nots were true love, diamonds meant eternity, and amethyst (the violet spark so sumptuous and enchanting) was devotion.

For blogger Edita Lozovska, her amethyst and gold ring (above left) handed down from her great grandmother may not be designed with a symbolic flower but it does hold that treasured devotion that the gemstone is known for.

“It has been passed down from generation to generation,” she says of the value of it. Having previously belonged to her great grandmother Jadwiga, the ring was promised to her on her sixteenth birthday.

It was always in Edita’s eyesight.  She would admire it impatiently as it gleamed teasingly on her mother’s finger while she was growing up. “[She] wore it before me as I counted down the days,” she explained.

Now, as an adult, the ring is her’s forever- Added to her ever growing collection of jewellery.

“Jewellery makes an outfit your own,” Edita says in regards to her love for the accessory. “It carries history, craftsmanship, mysticism, sentiments, art. Jewellery is what makes fashion so long lasting. It is so versatile. There it is on our necks, ears and fingers and equally there it is in museums behind glass.”

“I rarely just wear one,” she says of her rings. But, whatever she chooses to the wear, the amethyst one from Jadwiga will always sits proudly amongst the rest.

You can see more of Edita, her jewellery and her life’s adventures over at www.pret-areporter.com

image: pret-areporter.com

 

Shall we go to the Chelsea Flower Show?

Shourouk Botanica necklace €930 / Ek Thongprasert crystal flower necklace £705 / Maison Margiela daisy ring £250 / In My Fairy Garden flower and vine slave bracelet £24.99

This week the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea are blossoming with vibrant colours and sweet scents. There’s creativity aplenty, from flowers arranged into the typically British scene of a tea pot, cup and cakes to the typically grand gardens developed with precision.
But arty florals don’t just exist in the living and they’re not just there to be admired. They can be found in jewellery form, made to be worn.
Shall we take a wonder around?

First we notice Shourouk

Shourouk’s renowned for its statement jewellery and the brand’s flower-filled collection is like the kind of garden you walk past and can’t ignore. Made from brightly coloured and clear sequines combined with dazzling Swarovski crystals, it’s spring florals grown in distinct Shourouk fashion.

To our left we find Maison Margiela

There’s nothing fancy or ostentatious about Margiela’s daisy ring as it trails along the finger. It’s just a playful representation of the weed that, unlike most, has a pretty innocence that makes it difficult to dislike.

Let’s not forget Ek Thongprasert

The Belgium designer brings his silicone, Art Deco-inspired touch to nature with the flower motif and beaded berry necklaces. They are like the kind of flower that’s rare and distinctive and visually exciting to look at.

And tucked away in the corner is In My Fairy Garden

Let’s get lost in Jadie Poppy Milner’s whimsical fairy garden- A hidden trove of whirling Poison Ivy, Gypsophila, and delicately-coloured flowers. Bracelets, rings and arm decorations are just some of the characterful accessories handmade in her Stevenage home and magically whisked off to wherever you may be.

Los piratas

The adventure continues…

The latest collection from LAF, the Madrid-based jewellery brand that specialises in transforming a childhood favourite into everlasting charms, let’s our imagination take over. Pirates. Pirates and all things our young minds associate with them. A scull and cross bone hat, daggers, helms, treasure chests, parrots and sea serpents all made from silver and the occasional gold.

We may be considered too old for Playmobil but we’re not too old for Playmobil jewellery so, with the eternal playfulness of LAF, let the pirate-themed tales begin…

Pirate bracelet €39/ Parrot necklace €39/ helm earrings €49/ dagger earrings €49/ chest necklace €65 / serpent necklace €45

Images: lifeislaf.com