Simone Wang Squared Swirl Rings. Photo courtesy of Simone Wang.

Simone Wang has some of the coolest jewelry — it’s geometric with an updated throwback flair that’s so in right now. Whether your look is more 80s or more 60s, Wang’s necklaces, rings, earrings and bracelets will complement your outfit with style. One of my personal favorites is the Squared Swirl Ring, which comes in a bunch of different colors so you have lots of options. Wang uses a variety of metals and stones, including silver, gold, jade and diamonds, adding to the versatility of her line. And now you can purchase Wang’s jewelry from Max & Chloe!

Wang comes from a family of artists, so this craft is in her blood. She honed her talent at Stephen Dweck in New York for five years, which gave her the training she needed to launch her own line this year. I can’t wait to see more.

Note: Designer Simone Wang is married to my cousin.

Erin Gallagher's Judy necklace

My best friend turned me on to two of my new favorite jewelry designers, Erin Gallagher and viv&ingrid. She gave all her bridesmaids Erin Gallagher jewelry, and so did I. She also gave me a viv&ingrid necklace as a bridal gift, so both of these lines will always remind me of weddings — which isn’t a bad thing, right?

Both lines have designs that range from simple geometric shapes to the more complicated and colorful; there’s something for everyone, especially because there is also a wide range of prices. And both offer customization, though Erin Gallagher is more flexible, which is probably why it’s popular with brides.

740 E. 60th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90001

Carla Amorim: Brazilian jewelry designer Carla Amorim is holding a trunk show featuring new pieces from the spring 2010 collection at Broken English in Santa Monica from May 7 to May 9 during the store’s regular business hours. A special opening night party for the sale will take place Friday, May 7, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with an open bar, DJ and gift bags.

Broken English
225 26th St. #17
Santa Monica, CA 90402

Amy Kathryn Dahlia bag. The designer will be at the event.

Local shopping event Unique L.A. is back for the spring, and this time there are some new features, including food from trucks Coolhaus, Flying Pig and Fressers, and a pop-up store from Amoeba Music. And of course all kinds of vendors from clothing and jewelry to stationery and home decor. Check out some of the ones I liked from the last event.

California Market Center (110 E. 9th Street)
Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
$10 at the door, which includes free drinks and hosted bar (IZZE, Honest Tea, water, beer and cocktails), unlimited re-entry for both days, a collectible tote bag designed by graphic designer Keith Scharwath, free workshops and handmade activities, and more!

When I saw this statement necklace by Tom Binns, I wanted to rip it off the mannequin and wear it right then and there. Who could resist these red candy-like hearts, safety pins and crystal chains? It’s cute and edgy at the same time. I want, want, want! Too bad it costs more than $1,000…

Tom Binns All Heart necklace

There’s more: a broken tea cup necklace inspired by the Mad Hatter tea party and a chain-and-charm necklace featuring all kinds of images from the movie.

Tom Binns Smashing Time necklace

Tom Binns Charmed Adventure necklace

(There’s a simpler version of the Charmed Adventure necklace available from Bloomingdale’s for $175.) See more Tom Binns Alice in Wonderland jewelry on Luxist.

I also really liked the Charlotte Tarantola cardigans inspired by the film. Once again, the cute-yet-edgy look is prevalent with ruffles on the placket, a Tarantola signature. The black-and-white lace printed cardigan was my favorite.

Charlotte Tarantola cardigan

Charlotte Tarantola cardigan

And the pièces de résistance, the Sue Wong dresses. The Flower Wonderland-Inspired beaded gown ($588), with a tulip petal skirt, is gorgeous. And the Red Queen-Inspired dress ($388), which is really black, is very cool.

Sue Wong Flower Wonderland-Inspired dress

Sue Wong Red Queen-Inspired dress

Check out Bloomingdale’s, the Disney Store and Zappos for more Alice in Wonderland-inspired clothing and accessories.

And check out the lobby of the W Hollywood. It’s very open and modern, though I question the use of British terms such as “lifts” for elevators and “WC” (i.e., “water closets”) for restrooms. I bet the hotel will change that WC to restrooms soon enough. Anyway, a walk through the hotel’s Delphine restaurant yielded a modern take on art deco decor that I liked a lot. Too bad they were full (supposedly, with reservations, despite having many empty tables) and couldn’t seat us. Maybe another time.

W Hollywood

FYI: I’m now a contributor to L.A. Stylist Mom. This post can be found on that site, too.

Valerie Confections Pour Elle box

Valerie Confections: This L.A. chocolatier has themed boxes for Valentine’s Day, with intense flavors in both. The Pour Elle 11-piece box comes with white chocolate and rose petal hearts, and dark chocolate and passion fruit ganache hearts. The Pour Homme boxes come with semi-sweet chocolate hearts made with toffee pieces and fleur de sel, and dark chocolate hearts filled with liquid caramel. I actually prefer the Pour Homme sweets — the liquid caramels are to die for — though the passion fruit ganache is really nice, too. (Full disclosure: Valerie Confections’ owners are my neighbors, and I received these chocolates as a gift.) Check out the Web site for more options, including a Pour Homme gift set with single malt scotch truffles!

Wanda Gale Design: This Falling Heart necklace ($69) made from either gold or silver and semi-precious stones (shown below in gold and citrine) is a cute and fashionable way to say “I love you” — or “I like you a lot.” Whatever. Or buy it for yourself because you love yourself!

Wanda Gale Falling Heart necklace

Charmed Circle: For the guys, there are these Nut and Bolt cuff links ($165 for silver) that are super cool and chic. There are also cool gifts for gals on here, too, including really unique and playful charms. The envelope, bird in a cage, and chandelier charms are ingenious.

Charmed Circle Nut and Bolt cuff links

]]> http://shopeatsleep.com/2010/02/06/for-him-and-her-valentines-day-gifts/feed/ 1 http://shopeatsleep.com/2009/12/20/personal-picks-holiday-shopping-edition/ http://shopeatsleep.com/2009/12/20/personal-picks-holiday-shopping-edition/#comments Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:42:03 +0000 Maya Meinert http://shopeatsleep.com/?p=2043 I discovered these interesting brands at the Unique Los Angeles shopping event earlier this month, and any one would make a great holiday gift — the clock is ticking, guys!

Wendy Hacker-Moss Jewelry: I love the look of this brand. It’s at once delicate and edgy, with the flowers made from sterling silver wire mesh wrapped around gem stones. Find it at the LACMA Museum Store, Craft and Folk Art Museum, and other places around Los Angeles.

Wendy Hacker-Moss amazonite bouquet ring

Graf & Lantz: Made from merino wool felt, these bags, which include everything from totes to messengers to clutches and even wine bottle carrying cases, have a definite hand-made yet elegant feel. Find it at Zero Minus Plus at Fred Segal Santa Monica, Reform School, and other places around Los Angeles.

Graf & Lantz flap messenger bag

StyleSmith: This local L.A. company makes fancy feather headbands and cute fascinators (like mini hats fastened with a comb to your hair). Run by Kelsi Smith, the brand also carries vintage charm necklaces and lockets. I got a cute bronze necklace with acorn and leaf charms at her Unique L.A. booth. (Full disclosure: Kelsi and I first met via the Twitterverse, and she invited me to attend Unique L.A. as her guest. And, yes, I paid for the necklace.) You can order via the StyleSmith Web site, and if you’re local, you can most likely still get gifts by Christmas if you order by Monday, Dec. 21 (use the contact link to make sure).

StyleSmith crane headband

Friday: Harveys, purveyors of fancy seat belt hand bags, is continuing its search for the most arty of designs to feature in its Melrose Avenue store and to feature on one of its bags. From 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., stop by the store to help narrow the entries down from 10 to three. Hot dogs, party punch and raffles will sustain you through what promises to be an arduous voting process.

Saturday: D.O.G. pet boutique on La Cienega in West Hollywood is hosting a custom jewelry event for your furry friends. Bring you four-legged friend to the Bling Your Bitch event (not the best name, I know) between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to check out the myriad charms, crystals and pearls available to create your own doggie jewelry, which can be coordinated to some you make for yourself, too. Prices start at $12 for the Gems4Paws-designed bling. Oh, and there’s champagne!

Sunday: The 23rd Annual Great Chefs of Los Angeles is themed “Go Green, Go Organic” and will feature more than 30 L.A.-area chefs and their food, including the Dragos, Benjamin Ford, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Neal Fraser and Akasha Richmond. Enjoy all the food and alcohol you can handle from 12:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at CBS Studio Center in Studio City. There will also be auctions to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Southern California. Tickets are $150, but you can get them for $75 through Goldstar.

And if you haven’t had enough, stop by Stinkers Truck Stop‘s one-year anniversary party. The oh-so-ironic Silver Lake bar will be having drink specials, a DJ and swag giveaways from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. Because you need to close out the weekend right.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get a good look at Carla’s jewelry in person since by the time I arrived at the party, the pieces had been taken off the models and put away. I did get to see the large necklace Carla was wearing that could almost be considered a show piece. It looked very similar to the one above.

I also got a peek at a necklace very similar to the one below, which was less showy and therefore something I could actually see myself wearing:

Carla’s line ranges in price from $400 to $3,600, so me actually wearing something is more theoretical than reality. But that’s OK — part of the fun of fashion is where your imagination takes you anyway. The good news is, for those who can afford it, Carla will work with clients to create customized pieces, so your dream really can become a reality.

Jennifer Kellog Noodle necklace. From jenniferkellog.com.

Jennifer Kellog’s noodle necklace is one of the most creative I’ve seen in a while. It’s basically a luxe take on those macaroni necklaces kids make in school, with each noodle piece cast in solid 10-karat gold. Of course, it’s not cheap: the noodles range from $810 to $1,160 each, so it’ll cost you a pretty penny to put together this kiddie-themed necklace. But look at how cute that half piece of farfalle is on the end of the cord!