fashion jewelry - Stuff Parents Need

Does Jewelry Confuse You? Me, Too (That’s Why I Love BaubleBar!)

September 1, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to BaubleBar for sending along a gift card for me to use and the sweet discount code for my readers. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Affiliate links may be included.

Friends, I don’t meant to sound like an octogenarian, but I just can’t keep up with what’s hip these days when it comes to jewelry. It’s all I can do to grab a few pieces from each season’s clothing line at Target, and if you request that I accessorize myself in addition…well you’ve just gone too far.

Jewelry just overwhelms me.

But I still like to look put together on any day where my standard uniform of a t-shirt and yoga pants isn’t going to cut it. That’s why I’m happy to have found BaubleBar, which is an online site devoted to bringing you a carefully edited collection of on-trend jewelry pieces that will work for you, whether you are in a corporate setting, a more laid-back environment, or even if you can push the style boundaries with really edgy looks. There’s something for everyone there, for sure!

Take a moment to look around on the BaubleBar site, friends. You’ll find amazing curated collections, ideas for ways to wear different pieces, and you’ll even see instagram photos that other shoppers have taken with their purchased pieces (this is one of my very favorite things about the site…seeing this jewelry in real life on other customers!).

I recently did some shopping on the site and took a video of my unboxing. Check it out to hear more of my thoughts on BaubleBar and to see the pieces!

Ok, so the question I said I would answer for you is whether or not you have to pay shipping on your returns. If your item was on sale, it is a final sale, so that’s important to know first and foremost. The return label that I had in my package was one that would NOT require me to pay postage, so that’s good!

Ok, so here are closer looks at each of the pieces I purchased. The photos are hyperlinked to the website, so feel free to click on them to check out the piece on the BaubleBar site.

1. String Fling set ($25)

2. Amethyst Sea Glass Drops ($62) (no longer available, sorry!)

3. Neutral Foliage Studs ($38)

4. Tiered Crystal Pendant ($34)

5. Silver Bojangles Bracelet Set ($48) (no longer available…stuff goes fast on BaubleBar, I guess!)

6. Gold Bolt Collar ($36)

So what was your favorite piece from the items I selected for the fall? So far, the piece I’m wearing out like crazy is the fall foliage earring set. I’m still warming up to the collar necklace…it’s just so different for me! But I love its simplicity, so I think once I find the right neckline to pair with it, I’ll definitely be wearing it.

If you are ready for some updated looks, I’ve got a coupon code just for you! Use STUFFPARENTSNEED at checkout and you’ll score 20% off the bill. And don’t forget to check out the sale section before you check out, as they have stuff staring at $10. AND…shipping is FREE! 🙂

Go get yourself some pretty baubles for the fall!

Cate &Chloe Jewelry VIP Membership Subscription Review

June 22, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

I recently had the opportunity to review a a new offering from Cate & Chloe. Are you familiar with this online jewelry boutique? They strive to provide affordable jewelry for everyday wear that is also really high quality. They recently launched a VIP membership program and asked if I would try it out and share it with you.

How It Works

My understanding is that for $39.99 a month you will receive 2 pieces of jewelry from Cate & Chloe that are hand-picked by their stylists for you, and that will have a combined retail value of around $200. If you wear a lot of jewelry, then I think this really is an affordable way to get some fun surprises in the mail, and maybe try some things you might have passed over if you saw them in the store without ever trying on. Since the jewelry gets delivered to your door, there’s no harm in trying it out, and you just may find that you love it!

While I haven’t personally be in contact with their customer service, I hear RAVE reviews about them, including their willingness to exchange a piece of jewelry if there is a problem.

cate and chloe vip membership review 1

My Experience with a Membership

I’m not sure if I was only supposed to receive 1 piece of jewelry as a reviewer, or if there was genuinely a mistake, but regardless, I only received 1 item in my package. I was sent the Olivia “Dignity” stud earrings. And at first blush, I didn’t care for them. They are too big to pass for real (I’d prefer to wear studs that someone might assume are genuine!). But I have worn them several times now, and I will say that they truly have grown on me. The detailing on them is very nice, and they are holding up beautifully. I can tell that they are quality pieces and not simply cheap costume jewelry.

Now with that said, I definitely don’t understand how the retail value of $125 that was quoted in my package came to be. Are they sterling silver, for example? No information was provided, and for me to believe that these are worth $125, I simply need more info.

No Style Profile?

I also think that just as people have very different tastes when it comes to clothing, the same is true for jewelry. I wish I had been able to fill out a style profile of some sort so that the stylists could have a better chance of sending me pieces that will work for me and my wardrobe. I personally think you are taking a bit of a risk to have them send you jewelry without knowing anything about your style.

With that said, having looked around the Cate & Chloe website, they do seem to have quite a large collection of truly beautiful jewelry. So it might be the case that it will be hard not to love anything they send you. But as for me, having just received 1 piece of jewelry with a retail price I couldn’t swallow, I wasn’t swayed to sign up for another month. But if you wear jewelry quite a bit, I think it’s worth the $40 risk to try it for a month and see if you are pleased with what you get.

Discount Alert!

If you are interested in giving it a shot, I’ve got a coupon for you to take 20% off. That would make it just $32 to get 2 pieces of jewelry…a very good deal, I think! Use code STUFFPARENTSNEED20 at checkout, and you should be all set!

Let me know if you decide to try Cate & Chloe and if so, what you get! While it doesn’t seem to be the right fit for me, personally, I can definitely see where this is a subscription service of value to folks who wear jewelry a lot and like to stay on trend, and also have pieces that look more high-end.

Update Your Wardrobe with Mozella Designs Jewelry (GIVEAWAY!)

May 7, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 136 Comments

EDIT: Giveaway CLOSED

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to one seriously skilled Memphis jewelry designer. Take a look around Mozella Designs Etsy store. You see a lot of beautiful things, don’t you? Take this silver and gold interlocked mesh bracelet, for example. That’s a piece that would go with pretty much everything! Or what about this fluttery flower ring? It is so delicate, and yet, so bold! This flower pendant necklace could take most any outfit from drab to fab, as well.

The pieces at Mozella Designs are beautifully crafted and very in tune with current trends. They must be made by someone who has been doing this professionally for years and years, right?!
NOPE! Christine, the designer, has only been making jewelry for a few months! I could hardly believe it, myself. I think her work looks like the product of someone who has been around long enough to know how to get it right every single time. Beginner’s luck? I don’t think so. I think Christine has a gift! She says that she really enjoys learning different techniques for making all types of jewelry, but she is currently especially fond of making rings. She’s doing really well in that department, I think!

Christine sent me these lovely earrings, and lovely they are! I have worn them every chance I could. They can easily go with a fitted top and jeans and they look just as great in business attire. I love that they incorporate such pretty dangling features without being loud or garish, as dangle earrings can sometimes be. The Swarovski briolettes add just the right touch of shine to the gold hammered rings and glass pearls. I love these earrings, plain and simple!

Christine says that she doesn’t really have a specific process for making her jewelry. She tries to stay on top of currently fashion trends to get style or color ideas, but often she just imagines a particular design at random times and then goes with it. She keeps a notebook on hand so that she can sketch out her designs when brilliance hits!

I asked Christine what she likes best about Memphis, and she said that the spring and summer months are her favorite because the city is always alive with festivals, parties and other opportunities to just be outside. If you live in Memphis, you might run into Christine at the rooftop party at the Peabody Hotel. Look for the lovely young lady with the best jewelry at the party. That’s her!

Buy It: Mozella Designs’ creations are beautiful, unique and very fashionable. Pick out something special for yourself or a friend today!Having a hard time choosing the perfect gift from so many different beautiful options? That’s ok, because Mozella Designs offers gift certificates so that your loved one can get the perfect item!

Win it!: Christine is giving you the chance to snag your very own handcrafted jewelry by offering a $25 gift certificate to her shop! You guys are SO LUCKY!!! The contest will run until May 17th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry:
Tell me your very favorite item at Mozella Designs and where you would wear it!

Additional Entries:
1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. Follow Mozella Designs on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
4. Become a fan of Mozella Designs on Facebook
5. If you left a Memphis in May comment on this post before May 2nd, leave a comment for an extra entry

Don’t forget to check out these other giveaways! Reusable snack bags (ends 05/09), handmade stuffed animal (ends 05/13), silky scarf (ends 05/15), handmade detergent-free soap (ends 05/18)

Disclosure: I received a product sample for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.