Statement Making

Harper's Bazaars attempts to keep readers on their fashion toes with their 'Keep, Buy and Store' lists of those items that are still on trend, emerging onto the scene, and should be retired.each season. While I always glance at this spread, rarely do I take serious note. (I 'keep' everything I like, I only 'buy' things I like, I never dabble in a trend for trend's sake alone, and refuse to 'store' anything I love wearing).

Making their debut on the fashion scene in the later part of 2007 in a big way, the so-called 'Statement necklaces' are just that- neck ornaments that say it all. My custom closet included an entire wall designated for my large necklaces (when I listed this as one of the needs for the designer, she looked at me and asked what I meant by 'Statement Necklace' wall, and we both looked at each other as if the other were crazy.) Recent times have called for a tightening of the purse strings, but not a tightenting of my appetite for newness. So on my ever shrinking budget, I set out to freshen my statement wall with a new member or two.

Though I've been off of Banana in recent times, I was pleasantly surprised by their jewelry case.  Remnants of the summer collaboration with Trina Turk last month and the accompanying infusions of jade, turquoise and punchy orange caught my eye upon entering the Greenvale location. View the entire collection (all priced under $80) here. And what better friend to the statement necklace than the large, oversized cocktail ring? (Because I am impatient and insist on wearing my new purchases immediately, I've spent an inordinate amount of time this week staring at my closet planning entire outfits around a 3 inch ring.) And of course a large ring is the least practical piece of jewelry one with an infant can wear, so it must be placed in my purse and only put on after safely in the car after daycare drop off. But as my husband is still learning, fashion is rarely about practicality.