They say you cant buy love, but you sure can buy the accessories
to go with it! April showers bring April Auctions, but May flowers bring June brides: as
we dive into wedding season, the pressure for gifts become intense.
This year, diamonds are the big ticket, not only for engagement and
wedding rings, but set in gifts of jewelry and accessories for bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Thankfully, were moving away from the tacky costume-jewelry trends of the past 10-15
years. The overwhelming show of diamonds at the Oscars seems to have given everyone a
taste for Hollywood glamour and a real old-fashioned elegance. Less is still more, though,
when it comes to bridesmaids gifts: the most popular styles this season are the diamond
solitaire necklace and/or bracelet. Its a terrific look, particularly youthful and
delicate, and unlike those awful bridesmaids dresses, diamonds should be worn
again!
For groomsmen, the trend has been toward the Victorian: even in this
health-conscious era, groomsmen are being given (and seem to appreciate) cigarette cases
and lighters set with one or more round-cut diamonds. The look is classic and very
masculine and seems to go over as well with the younger set as with those whove been
around the block a time or two. For those who dont indulge in tobacco, a simple
business-card case with the same diamond setting has been seen in both New York and the
Southern states.
With the millennium approaching, theres an interesting move back
in time, some brides this season are eschewing this centurys "modern"
pearls for the last centurys diamond look. Until 1915 or so, diamonds were the only
look for brides and we welcome this "blast from the past"! While pearls are
certainly pretty, nothing says romance, everlasting love and sheer, sparkling elegance as
well as diamonds do.