Category: Accessories

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Affordable, Fine-Fashion, Hypoallergenic Jewelry: Misayo House Exquisite Jewelry Collection

Luxury jewelry tends to carry two myths: one, that it’s expensive and two, that’s it’s a frivolous purchase.  For those looking to shatter these concepts and look good at the same, Misayo House has the exquisite jewelry collection for you.
Made out of the highest quality hypoallergenic materials and stones, Misayo House jewelry is additionally double-plated in either genuine rhodium or 14-18 karat gold (white, yellow, and rose gold). The result is a high-end look that lasts.
Formed on the premise that fine-fashion jewelry can still be attainable, founder Idunnu Tomori carefully creates and curates pieces that rival their high-end counterparts without the hefty price tags.
What’s more beautiful than these jewelry pieces is the good they do for children in need. A portion of each purchase supports the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center in Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This cause is near and dear to Tomori’s heart as her younger daughter required a bone marrow transplant in 2017.
Misayo House also continues to support other charitable organizations by participating in nationwide fundraisers, “Shop For A Cause” events.
Why the Jewelry You Wear Right Now Matters
If you thought jewelry was an accessory only to be worn outside of the house, think again. Add some accents to your Zoom and video calls to stand out via your webcam that only shows your shoulders and up.
Choose from Classic Hoops in silver or gold to play up your look or for a hint of shimmer, Classic Stud Earrings compliment any outfit.
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Don’t forget to make a necklace your centerpiece! The Loved, Blessed, and Thankful necklaces are best sellers. For an elegant look, check out the Pave Crescent necklace in gold and silver.
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Misayo House also carries a stunning collection of bracelets and rings.
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About Misayo House: Idunnu Tomori started her Atlanta-based business in 2015 to share her love of classic, timeless, and chic jewelry. Misayo, which means “Beautiful Generation” in Japanese, is the middle name of her older daughter, Tara. She stepped away from her decade-long career as a mental health therapist to care for her younger daughter Toni, who was born with Sickle Cell Anemia. In 2017 Toni had a Bone Marrow Transplant which is the only cure for Sickle Cell complications and her donor was none other than her big sister. Tomori began raising money to help provide support to other families at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center in Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where Toni was being treated. Misayo House affirms her passion to give back as a portion of proceeds is donated to the Aflac Center and other nonprofit organizations.
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Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend: Your Ultimate Diamond Buying Guide

What does the word diamond mean?

Derived from the Greek word Adamas, the word diamond means invincible, and for good reasons too. Research shows the world’s youngest diamonds are about 1 billion years old, with the oldest ones dating back as far as 3.3 billion years!

Are you getting ready to buy a diamond for the first time? If you make the right choice, you’re setting yourself up for countless years of joy. However, if you buy the wrong diamond, you’ll be stuck with a lifetime of regret.

Don’t worry, though, after reading our diamond buying guide you’ll be able to shop with confidence! In this article, we’ll review what to look for in terms of quality and preference. We’ll also review the top buying mistakes, so you can avoid making them!

Read on to learn exactly what to look for when buying a diamond.

What to Look for When Buying a Diamond

First, our diamond buying guide wouldn’t be complete without going over the 4 c’s; color grade, carat weight, clarity grade, and cut grade. You can use the 4 c’s to assess the quality of a diamond you’re about to buy.

Diamond-Cut

The cut of your diamond can be shallow, ideal, or deep. The different angles of the cut will determine your diamond’s ability to sparkle.

Carat Weight

The carat weight doesn’t have anything to do with the size of the diamond. Instead, carat lets you know how heavy the diamond is. While carat is an important buying factor, your main focus should be on the cut, clarity, and color.

Clarity and Color

It’s hard to find flawless diamonds, however, you can find diamonds that have a crisp, clean look. The cleaner a diamond looks, the better it’s clarity is. Next, the color of your diamond should look either colorless or weight.

Diamond Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Buying a diamond is an emotional decision, and it’s easy to make a mistake if you’ve never bought one before. Here are some of the top mistakes you should watch out for:

  • Choosing price over quality
  • Only looking at colorless diamonds
  • Dismissing melee diamonds

While it’s good to have a diamond buying budget, you shouldn’t let price dictate your decision. If you planned on saving 3 months’ salary, go ahead and save 4 months so you’ll have a little wiggle room. You can also shop for wholesale diamond jewelry to help you get the best deal, while still getting a stunning piece of jewelry.

Next, don’t obsess over getting a completely colorless diamond. Instead, consider buying a diamond that has a hint of color. As long as the color is subtle it won’t compromise the quality of the piece, plus it’ll cost a lot less.

Finally, don’t discount the impact of buying a melee diamond. While melee diamonds are smaller than traditional diamonds, they can still be stunning when you set them in the right band.

Different Diamond Shapes

The cut of your diamond is different than the shape of your diamond. You can split diamond shapes up into 2 main groups; fancy shape diamonds and round diamonds. However, within those 2 groups, there’s a lot of unique shapes you can choose from.

Here are a few of the different shapes you’ll have to choose from:

  • Princess
  • Cushion
  • Asscher
  • Oval
  • Emerald
  • Heart
  • Pear
  • Marquise
  • Radiant

You’ll find that round diamonds cost more than fancy shape diamonds. You have to pay more for round diamonds because jewelers lose a lot of the rough stone during the shaping process. Round diamonds also cost more because they have a higher level of brilliance and sparkle.

However, fancy shaped diamonds are also a magnificent choice. Fancy shaped diamonds, like the princess cut or heart shape, can feel more personal, and they’re trending in the fashion world.

What to Look for When Buying a Diamond Ring

If you’re buying a diamond ring, you must see the diamond loose. When the diamond’s out of the ring band it’ll be easier for you to assess it’s quality. You should also double-check the ring size of the person you’ll be giving the diamond to.

What to Look for When Buying Diamond Earrings

If you already have a diamond ring, you can look for diamond earrings that echo the details of your engagement ring. For a more modern look, consider getting sleek diamond stud earrings with bezels in all metals.

Don’t Lose Your Earrings

Finally, 20% of jewelry owners state they’ve experienced the loss of fine jewelry when traveling. Luckily, you prevent putting yourself through the agony of losing your earrings by buying sturdy earring backs.

Read the Grading Report

Understanding the grading report is a big part of what to know when buying a diamond. The grading report will give you details about the diamond that goes beyond the 4 c’s.

Here are a few pieces of vital information the report will provide:

  • Shape
  • Carat weight
  • Proportions
  • Polish
  • Symmetry
  • Finish
  • Light performance

If you’re getting a small melee diamond, you’ll likely be receiving a diamond dossier report, which is more compact. However, no matter what type of report you receive, it’s important it comes from the Gemological Institute of America.

Gemological Institute of America

Oftentimes the diamond grading report will come from a jeweler who was trained by the Gemological Institute of America or GIA. Working as a nonprofit organization, GIA’s is an impartial 3rd party interested in evaluating the quality of gems and diamonds.

The objective assessment is a must-have when you’re purchasing any type of diamond. If the jeweler isn’t able to provide you with a grading report, you should take your business elsewhere.

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Congratulations! Now you know exactly what to look for when buying a diamond.

What’s 1 new thing our diamond buying guide was able to teach you? Were you surprised to discover that the cut of the diamond is a completely different thing than the shape? Or how about how important it is to see the diamond loose so you can truly assess it’s value?

By knowing what to look for, and what mistakes to avoid, you can be confident in whatever choice you make. For more tips like the ones in this article, check out the rest of this site.

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Lifestyle Alert: 8 Back to School Strategies and oNecklace Bead Bracelet

Life has been pretty busy but this is one of my absolute favorite seasons.  Fall is filled with pumpkins, football games, and trick or treating.

One aspect that has changed due to COVID-19 is the kids attending school.  Every family has made individual choices based on their household.  The similarity amongst everyone is the ability to adjust due to the circumstances.

I have implemented a few strategies to keep everyone’s sanity and wanted to share them below.

Back to School/Virtual Learning Strategies:

1.  Set-up a digital learning space with individual crates for each child.  Crates should be labeled.

 

2.  Create a school binder with all of the teacher information and print schedules.

 

3.  Know the log-in information for each child.

 

4.  Create a daily schedule and put it on a whiteboard.

 

5. Put snacks in a basket for individual grabbing.

 

6. Create a lunch schedule according to in-school lunches.

 

7.  Have a Chromebook/computer tutorial with each child to foster independence.

 

8.  Set alarms in a child’s cellphone for them to join Google Meets.

 

If there’s no homework, kids can do afternoon art projects or go outside!

 

Also, don’t forget that companies like Target, Publix, and Amazon are offering delivery services for various products!

 

oNecklace Circle Initial Bead Bracelet:

I adore a beautiful bracelet.  It’s a simple touch of sparkle that can pull an entire outfit together!

oNecklace shipped an Initial Bead Bracelet that was perfect for my current jewelry collection.  The company allowed me to personalize this particular piece and of course, I added the letter K.

This bracelet is high-quality and coordinated well with my cardigan, camisole, and high waisted jeans.

oNecklace Initial Bead Bracelet

Just like the style bloggers would say, “The bracelet is stackable.”  That means combining several bracelets of varying styles for one accessorized look.

oNecklace Bead Bracelet

Visit oNecklace to purchase a one-of-a-kind, personalized bracelet.  It’s the perfect gift idea as we celebrate the holiday season!

 

 

 

 

 

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2020 Trends: The Fashion Forward Face Mask

Face masks are fast becoming the 2020 fashion trend. Lady Gaga appeared at the MTV VMA awards show early this week, wearing a different matching face mask with each wardrobe change (it’s Gaga, there were 7!). It’s a fashion movement borne of necessity rather than the advancement of trends. It’s reported that two-thirds of all US adults started to wear masks regularly between this past March and June. It will be a while before full-reopening; meanwhile as Americans venture out of their houses to enjoy socially distanced drinks, and the return of the drive-in movie, choice of face wear is now the thing to check for before leaving the house. Designers are taking notice, with new fashion-forward facial coverings on the high end going for $450.

Rakesh Tammabattula is the founder and CEO of QYK Brands, a manufacturing company of several beauty and wellness products that tapped into producing PPE surgical face masks, respirators, goggles, hand sanitizers, and more as the pandemic took a full swing.

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Formé Is The First And Only Shoe Shaper That Safely Stretches Shoes

Formé is the first and only shoe shaper that safely stretches shoes up to half size, eliminating the pain that occurs when the toe box gets tight as the day wears on – awesome for women with different sized feet! Formé is made by women FOR WOMEN and can make every pair of shoes in your closet more comfortable and your feet healthier and happier!

You can customize the amount of stretch and they work in any shoes (heels, flats, boots, sandals, sneakers) of any material (leather, fabric, even synthetic). Or use this sleek, lightweight device simply to help shoes keep their shape when you’re not wearing them.

 

Formé shapers give new life to shoes 1) you love but don’t wear because they never fit quite right, 2) become uncomfortable after just a short time on the feet.  If you want to test them, all we need is your shoe size! Sold on www.formeconfomfort.com, amazon.com, and www.thegrommet.com

 

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What Are COVID-Safe Nose Accessories? Look Stylish and Mask-Friendly

We talk a lot about makeup and masks as the fashion world is trying to get to grip with safety measures. If you were a heavy makeup wearer, you’ve probably realized that your face mask and foundation are not made to work together. As a result, many makeup artists have come up with alternative solutions, such as creating an exciting and bold display using your eyes only. A quick search for #maskmakeup on Instagram can give you plenty of inspiration to get started. 

Featured Photo from Harper’s Bazaar

However, your eyes are only one of the things you can play with. When you wear a mask, the upper third of half of your nose is exposed, depending on your mask’s size. In other words, there is plenty of room for a stylish nose accessory that is COVID-safe and mask-friendly. 

 

Glasses are a no-brainer

They sit comfortably on your nose bridge, enhancing your eyes while bringing all the attention to a small area between your eyebrows and the bridge of your nose. 

Two things every fashionista should remember about glasses during the pandemic: 

Number one: Glasses will keep your eyes protected from moisture droplets, which contact lenses can’t do. 

Number two: Glasses can be incredibly stylish. You can find designer pairs online that don’t break the bank and suit your face, as seen in a previous article on Style Life Fashion. It’s fair to say that contact lenses can’t compete with the fashion bonus you get from a quirky pair of glasses. The only thing you need to remember is to buy an antifog spray. The combination of face mask and eyewear can be unpleasant without the helpful spray! 

In short, glasses keep you safe and stylish! What more can you ask for? 

Get pierced just above your mask 

As mentioned, your mask reaches above your nostril. This leaves your nose bridge visible, so why not make the most of it? You can easily research bridge piercing, learn more from Urban Body Jewelry, to find out if it is a style for you. In essence, your nose bridge is the smallest part of your nose just between your eyes. This is where you would rest your glasses if you had a pair. Contrary to common belief, you can wear glasses with a nose bridge piercing. However, experts recommend switching to contact lenses during the healing period. 

Typically, a piercing in the area will show two small balls on each side of the bridge if you opt for a curved barbell item. But you can find other types of jewelry. Two shiny dots above your masks will turn a few heads! 

An elegant cuff

Are you not sure about a piercing? You can experiment with a bridge cuff while you make up your mind. A nose cuff is a fake ring you place on the nose bridge. With no piercing required, it’s a playful item that lets you try out a new style without commitment. The nose bridge is one of the most understated areas. When you’re wearing a mask, the nose bridge is the only place where you can wear an item of jewelry that would stand out. 

The advantage of a cuff is that you don’t have to worry about potential risks of infection. When you wear a mask, you create a warm pocket of air that makes a favorable terrain for skin bacteria spread. That’s what maskne is about! The nose bridge could get warm and sweaty, which would encourage rubbing or scratching. If you’re worried about touching your piercing with your fingers, a cuff is a safe option for now. 

Fake rings

Now is not the best time to get a nose ring. If you have to wear a mask for an extended period, your nose piercing would be underneath the cover. Maskne, as mentioned, is a risk to take seriously with a new piercing. You don’t want acne to develop in the area as it could slow down the healing process. However, if you want to add a nose ring to add an accent when you remove the mask, a fake ring is a hygienic alternative. 

Stay away from jewelry that extends beyond the mask

You might have been considering an intricate piercing project before the pandemic, such as a nose chain. A nose chain is typically a double piercing, nose, and ear, linked together with a chain. The chain could reduce the mask’s protection, causing the mask to be loose where the chain hangs. While risks are minimum, it’s best to stay on the safe side for now! 

In conclusion, while we’re going to be wearing masks for the foreseeable future – finger crosses: not for long ! – you can have fun with nose accessories that create a COVID-safe style. With plenty of mask-friendly accessories, you have a variety of options to create a new look while wearing a mask. 

 

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How to Take Control of Your Life Once and For All

Taking control of your life might sound like a luxury with so much going on in the world. But if you take the time to change your approach for life and put yourself in the driver’s seat for a change, your life will improve in a variety of ways. There are many ways to do this and we’re about to touch on a range of different topics, so read on to find out more about getting this right.

Control Your Surroundings and Potential Distractions

If you’re going to take better control of your life, you first need to do what you can to take control of your surroundings. If you’re the kind of person who has their plans and intentions derailed by a lack of control and not really being able to commit to things, you should control your surroundings better. For example, working from home means having to cut out distractions and create surroundings that are conducive to work.

Featured Photo from Awed by Monica

Make a Habit of Thinking Before You Act, Not the Other Way Round

You should also do what you can to make a habit of thinking before you act. When you don’t think through your actions and decisions in life, you simply end up taking the wrong route and that’s obviously not what you want to habit. Make it the norm for you to stop and think before making any significant decision.

Become a Learner

If you want to get ahead in life and feel more like you’re in control of your own destiny, you should do what you can to become a better learner. If there are gaps in your knowledge in particular areas that are important to you or that might be important in your career going forward, make an effort to learn and better yourself.

Pay More Attention to Your Financial Life

Paying a little more attention to your finances will be a big part of taking back control for you. If you’re not able to control your finances, you’re going to struggle to get to where you want to be. A lot of people feel a loss of control in their lives because they aren’t in control of their money. Head to https://www.dtss.us/ to find out more about these issues.

Manage Your Emotions and Long-Held Beliefs

Managing your emotions is something that all of us should try to get better at doing. And sometimes you also need to question your emotions and your long-held beliefs. Be open to change and open to changing your mind. That’s what learning and improving in life should be all about after all. None of us get it all right.

There’s no reason why you can’t start feeling more in control of your life and destiny, and with the help of the advice above it’ll be a whole lot easier to achieve. Be sure to find ways in which these tips can be made to fit the needs and realities of your life; after all, everyone’s in a different place.

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How To Make More Ethical Fashion Choices

Ethics are important in all aspects of life, but they’re especially important when it comes to a form of consumer culture. Fashion could be considered through this lens, as it is ever-changing, and the industry makes use of materials that must ultimately be manufactured and handled.

Ethical fashion, thankfully, is becoming more and more of a fixture,  and not just a trend. Of course, that’s not always the case. Some still decide to wear furs, even though we all know that the cruelty to animals exhibited through these products is questionable at best. That being said, this post is not here to judge or point the finger at anyone. Like anything, you can be more effective in making a change when you focus it on yourself, and consider your own habits and practices. 

Featured Photo from Racked

So, how can you begin to make more ethical fashion choices? Moreover, how can these choices remain sustainable, and relevant, and part of your schedule? After all, ethics are not something you ‘grow out of’ or become bored by, but are a commitment you must make. With the following advice, you’ll see how and why:

Shop For Cruelty-Free Beauty Products

Shopping for cruelty-free makeup is a great place to start. As beauty is often the most fundamental aspect of designing your outfit for the day, it can be worthwhile to get this right. Do you know if these items are sustainable? Are they well-sourced? Are they vegan? If you can answer yes to those questions, then you’re quite literally supporting the business that can continue in a conscience free manner. You don’t have to pay the moral price for beauty in 2020, and that’s a fantastic thing.

Buy Used Clothing

Buy used clothing. You can find worthwhile older threads with vintage appeal through apps such as Depop. In some places, Instagram stores can connect you to small-time sellers hoping to push an aesthetic or style. This can help you make a new home for items you like the look of, and that helps it avoid being thrown out or given to landfill. In a way, this helps you continue the natural life cycle of items that deserve respect. It helps you celebrate the past of fashion by making it new. That’s a great place to start.


Check The Source

It can be extremely instructive to vet the source of your fashion purchases. What does this brand say about their values, and how transparent are their sources? Do they have controversies in the past? It could be that only sourcing your purchases through brands you can trust and that have spoken on their practices with full transparency will help you support those companies really do appreciate. After all, the strongest way to vote is with your wallet, and diverting those funds to practices you wish to see. Also, be vocal about your appreciation! Brands need to know the growing size of the ethics-based market.

With this advice, we’re certain you can make much more ethical fashion choices.

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ROAM Customizable Premium Luggage: Design Your Own Piece

I am excited to share some big news…ROAM (the world’s first and only color-customizable premium luggage company) is diving into the world of fashion with a gorgeous new color palette.

The new colors are super on-trend and just right for the season. Every detail is customizable…from the front and back panels…to the stitching…to the wheels, so you can create the perfect mix of hues that is completely your own. (There are over a million possible colorways.)

Founded by former Tumi execs, this is high-quality luggage that offers protection against the elements and features ultra-smooth-rolling wheels that take you over even the roughest cobblestones with ease…and chic aplomb!

Every item is handcrafted, made-to-order, at ROAM’s U.S. production workshop. The company also offers a 100-day risk-free trial, which is super rare for any custom item. The team at ROAM truly stands behind the craftsmanship and quality of our product. (ROAM’s CEO, Larry Lein, was TUMI’s longtime EVP.)

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How To: Shop Your Closet and Create Instant Outfits

Would you believe that I have not been in the mood to shop?  That’s because I’ve been practicing social distancing and focusing on virtual events.  But, there’s always a solution to every problem.

One perspective is that I have always been an advocate for shopping in your closet.  There are so many wonderful pieces in there that you have probably forgotten about.  From accessories to midi dresses, I can guarantee that you’re closets are filled with instant outfits.

A suggestion that I share with my Personal Style clients is to create outfits (in your spare time.)  The worst time to figure out a hot look is right before any event.  Life is a lot easier when you have something to wear!

The outfit shown below is an example of just that.  I was leaving out the door for a lunch date and needed to put on pieces that exuded my personal style.

Cape Blazer:  Amazon | Cami & Jeans:  Express | Strappy Heels:  Target similar | Crossbody:  Louis Vuitton similar