WHIMSY

Without question, one of the hottest trends in jewelry over the last few years has been the emergence of Murano glass “bead companies” like Trollbeads, Pandora, Chamilia and more. Interchangeability, the huge variety of styles, and the ability to customize a piece to uniquely suit your tastes have all drawn legions of “bead converts.”

Now, newcomer WHIMSY Worldwide has added a new twist to the bead craze with a series of gorgeous Swarovski crystal encrusted beads in a rainbow of colors. Best known for their interchangeable bead rings (known as Whimsy rings) the firm now offers the crystal beads as a delightful complement to the popular Murano glass and sterling silver beads. They add a dash of (what else?) whimsy to any necklace, bracelet or ring.

The beads retail for $30 and are only available online at WHIMSY Worldwide.

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

Photos courtesy of WHIMSY Worldwide.

I’ve written before about the beautiful interchangeable bead jewelry from WHIMSY™ — definitely one of my favorites! From absolutely stunning rings to beautiful sterling silver earrings, WHIMSY has interchangeable jewelry that’s just your style.

Now you can win you very own sterling silver Juliet pendant and a wardrobe of three gorgeous beads from Eastern Trading. The Juliet pendant can be worn with a sterling chain, a ribbon, or black cording for a variety of looks. And of course you can change the bead for a new look every day!

This prize package of a striking Juliet pendant (chain not included) and three different Murano glass beads by Eastern Trading is valued at $150, so enter today!

5 easy ways to win:

1. Leave a comment with this post, 1 entry

2. Subscribe to Style on a WHIM, 1 entry (please leave a comment to let us know)

3. “Like” Style on a WHIM, 1 entry (please leave a comment to let us know)

4. Follow Style on a WHIM on Twitter, 1 entry (please leave a comment to let us know)

5. Click on and read another Style on a WHIM post, 1X (please leave a comment to let us know)

Already a follower?  Just leave us a comment that you follow.

Contest is open until midnight on June 16 and the winner will be notified June 17!

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition to Style on a WHIM, Susan also writes for Susan Said What?!, It’s how you play the game, and Success Won’t Wait!

6-17-2010 UPDATE: The winner of our contest is Alicia O. Congratulations

I’ve had it with winter—I’m over it. I’ve been over it since the first snow, and we’ve had about four more feet since then. I’m tired of bundling up. I’m sick of wearing boots and doubling up on pairs of socks. I want spring. Now. To keep myself sane in the meantime, while Old Man Winter keeps spitting out snow showers and “wintry mixes,” I online shop for anything exciting and new and springy!

This week, I revisited Stella & Dot, one of my favorite trendy jewelry companies, at StellaDot.com, and I found amazing stackable rings in light green flourite, lemon quartz and ruby. They look amazing stacked, but would also look great on their own. The lemon quartz makes me think of a sunny beach! $39/each

I mentioned before that I’m tired of wearing my big clunky boots, so I can’t wait to grab a pair of Payless’ adorable cream colored flats, like these. They’re a steal at $22.99, and the cute little blooms are an obvious choice for spring. (photo from payless.com)

Dandelion Jewelry, a store we recently became acquainted with when they became a WHIMSY™ dealer, offers these super cute silver blossom earrings for just $25. The bright yellow is an absolute eye-catcher and makes me think of a tall glass of hand-squeezed lemonade!

For a refreshing splash of color to add to any outfit, try a scarf like this aptly named spring floral scarf from New York & Company. The orange shade adds instant sunny appeal to your look. And it’s on sale for $13.96! (photo from nyandcompany.com)

Try brights, pastels and anything NOT black or gray to put yourself in a sunny mood!

-Keri

If you’re the trendsetter type who picks up on fabulous products as soon as they hit stores, you might want to put Scenario™ jewelry on your holiday wish list this year.

Scenario is a relatively new sterling silver jewelry company that offers bangles with interchangeable “slide charms” for the wearer to mix and match, creating her own unique look. The line is so new, in fact, that only a select few retailers carry it, and it has promise to become extremely popular!

A refreshing option for customizable jewelry lovers, the line includes large and small semi-precious stones, enamel inlay, and hand carved sterling silver slide charms which are either rhodium-plated to prevent tarnish or oxidized for a stylish antiqued look. Each piece is handmade by talented silversmiths in the Himalayas, adding value and appeal to the line.

And it’s so easy to change your slides to match any outfit; simply unscrew the end caps and slide on your choice of charms—the small silver stoppers included with the bangle prevent your charms from sliding back and forth.

Bangles are $175 and come in different sizes to fit any wrist. Slide charm prices start at $50, meaning you can make a wish list to give to family and friends, so they’ll know just what to get you this year!

What woman doesn’t love the ability to change her mind and her style? Check the Scenario website to find the retailer nearest you.

-Keri

Keri is a 24-year-old aunt, blogger, editor,

wanna-be fashionista and marketing chick

who loves M&Ms way too much and reads

(real) books.

Ok, so besides the fact that I was completely enamored by The O.C. for at least the first two seasons, I’ve been a fan of Rachel Bilson’s style since the first time I saw her dressed as her and not as Summer Roberts. I’m sure some of her personal style spilled over onto the small screen, but nothing beats the paparazzi photos of her looking fabulous in her every day life.

In the photos above, she rocked the black skinny jeans/leggings look three different ways and made it look fresh every single time. Her ability to pair feminine colors and styles with edgy leather and loose, flowy styles with tight silhouettes is very admirable, and I’d like to believe she does it with little to no help from a stylist. From what I’ve heard, she frequents fashion events, so I assume I’m correct in my belief.

Rachel attended an O.C. premiere in the outfit to the left, keeping things simple in all black, but switching up textures with lacey ruffles and sheer fabrics paired with shiny leather. This look is great with her dark hair, which she pulled back to keep things playful.

In the look to the right, Rachel nixed short shorts for jean shorts with a little extra coverage. A great choice, considering her high heels, which enlongate her legs well enough on their own. A simple white tank and off-white boyfriend cardigan keeps the overall look relaxed, while the long chains around her neck balance the laid-back style.

The great thing about Rachel’s style is how easy it is to recreate it. What she wears always looks expensive (and it probably is), but she pairs one expensive-looking, trendy piece–a pair of shoes, a jacket, statement jewelry–with something timeless and classic. I can almost always find something in my closet that’s reminiscent of her more classic styles, which makes it so much easier to update an outfit with the purchase of one trendy new piece.

(All Internet photos)

-Keri

Keri is a 24-year-old aunt, blogger, editor,

wanna-be fashionista and marketing chick

who loves M&Ms way too much and reads

(real) books.

Favorite

Fashion Picks

Oct. 9-11

For the past two years, the wide belt has both intrigued and confused me—why wear a belt over my shirt? Why wear a belt that doesn’t hold my pants up? Why wear a belt that huge?! But I finally get it. The wide belt is an accessory that serves a purpose—it creates that sexy hourglass figure that every woman craves. And with all the cute, sexy and stylish wide belts out there, it’s way too hard to choose one—so here are my 5 favorites.

Asymmetrical.

 This first pick was intimidating at first, but in a good way—it’s a bit outside-the-box, and I love it. It’s Express’s mixed media belt with a snakeskin texture and self-tie. It’s pictured on a gray shirt, but I would try it with purple or bright pink for a striking, bold overall look.

 Girly girl. 

I was out shopping with a friend when I spotted this cream-colored, rose buckle belt at Wet Seal on one of their mannequins. The mannequin was wearing a purple and black dress, which looked like a tank top and skirt combo. The cream color was such a surprising addition, in my opinion, but I loved it.

 Bright color.

I’m a fan of multiple-buckle belts, but this one from New York & Company caught my eye because of its surprising hue—bright blue! If you have blue eyes, it’s a must-have. Even if you don’t have blue eyes, it’s so eye-catching and unexpected that I would dig through my closet for hours to find as many outfits as possible that match it!

Studded.

I’m convinced that I was a biker in a past life because as much as I pretend not to like overly studded accessories, sometimes I just can’t not like them. This multi-tone studded belt adds instant edge to any outfit. I’m not crazy about the number on the price tag, so I’ll be waiting for it to go on sale—or for it to appear on the racks at my local Guess outlet!

 Equestrian.

 New York & Company also offers a wide belt with Western-inspired flair. The brushed gold buckle and cut-out detail will add that little-something-extra to your plaid button-down tunic. Guaranteed to make you look fantastic on or off your trusty horse.

-Keri

Keri is a 24-year-old aunt, blogger, editor,

wanna-be fashionista and marketing chick

who loves M&Ms way too much and reads

(real) books.

Carlos takes photos of our model, Barbie, with several WHIMSY rings on her fingers!

We’ve had quite an exciting week so far, here at WHIMSY!

First thing Monday morning, we had a photo shoot with Carlos Alejandro, of Carlos Alejandro Photography, for our new line of rings—The Audrey, The Sophia, The Jackie and The Grace.

This new line of rings is named after iconic women—Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Grace Kelly, so we just had to have product photos that do them justice!

It was the first time Susan and I got to see The Sophia, The Jackie and The Grace, and they looked gorgeous. Of course, Carlos made them all look even better!

Here, Carlos takes individual photos of our FOUR new ring designs!

We were lucky to find a great model from Barbizon named Barbie, who was super friendly, and Carlos got some amazing shots of her showing off the beautiful rings.

It was so exciting to see the photos right on-screen as Carlos took them and to be able to give our feedback. We’re so eager to see how they all turned out!

-Keri

Keri is a 24-year-old aunt, blogger, editor,

wanna-be fashionista and marketing chick

who loves M&Ms way too much and reads

(real) books

The Audrey ring by WHIMSY™ makes its debut this week! The ring is the most innovative new release in the firm’s line of interchangeable bead jewelry and was inspired by the elegance of the legendary Audrey Hepburn. Star of film and stage, Hepburn’s style has endured for generations, and we think that this investment piece is destined to as well.

The Audrey offers several exciting new features. The double-threaded center post is so easy to use! You simply position the butterfly stamp towards you and unscrew the end cap to release the bead. And the end caps incorporate incised details that allow a firm grip. Even I can do it!

Also, the double-threaded center post is ultra secure. Beads are almost impossible to lose because the thread runs not only through the front end cap, but through the back one as well. And since my Black Diamond Trollbead was $52 and an anniversary gift, I sure don’t want to lose it!

The Audrey is so adjustable that it accommodates a far greater range of bead widths, and the double-threaded center post fits deeply within the end cap. The ring is even compatible with many art beads by lampwork artists – a huge plus because I’ve found so many talented artists online who create one-of-a-kind beads. These little works of art are perfectly showcased in the ring!

 According to WHIMSY™, the Audrey is crafted entirely of eco-friendly, reclaimed sterling silver. And, additional releases in this style will also incorporate the use of reclaimed 14-karat gold, diamonds and other gemstones.

The Manufacturers’ Suggested Retail Price for this beautiful ring is $125. And, even more exciting, new designs are planned for release this fall!

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, fashion blogger

 and sales manager for the WHIMSY jewelry line. Susan

also writes for http://mcneilldesigns.wordpress.com and

http://successwontwaitinc

Lace is BIG this season. There’s no doubt about that. Whether it’s lace insets, lacey ruffles or a lace overlay, it’s the ultimate feminine touch—maybe because it’s reminiscent of lingerie, but men seem to love seeing a woman in lace, too. Check out my favorite lacey picks below!

I found this ballet pink silk and lace skirt on Etsy that’s super girly. It’s made of two vintage dresses and is reversible, giving it two different but similar looks. I like the silk tiered side a little more because the lace looks nice, just peeking out at the bottom.

I actually own this floral lace top in ivory from Charlotte Russe, and I love it. I usually wear a lace-trim cami or a plain jewel-tone tank underneath it to make the lace detail stand out. And I like that the bottom isn’t cinched—a look that I find makes most women larger than a size 6 look chunky in the mid-section.

If you want lace-inspired jewelry, try this bracelet from New York & Company. With a line of rhinestones running down the center, it’ll give your outfit a bit of sparkle along with a girly touch.

Wide headbands are always in style because they’re an easy way to dress up a casual hairdo like a low, side ponytail or a messy bun. This pink lace headband on Etsy caught my eye because it reminds me of—dare I say—Victoria’s Secret Barely There thongs. The headbands are stretchy and fabulous and would be right at home in your lingerie drawer—just be wary when getting dressed in the dark!

For a small flash of lace, try lacey pumps like these black peep-toes by Georgina Goodman. Black lace is sensual and edgy, so they offer a nice alternative to girly pink lace fashions. They would look great worn with a satiny LRD (little red dress). The website on which I found these pumps also has a variety of “sets” (i.e. collages) with items that would look good with them, making it even easier to put a stylish outfit together.

-Keri

Keri is a 23-year-old aunt, blogger, editor,

wanna-be fashionista and marketing chick

who loves M&Ms way too much and reads