Nautical stripes, lobsters and pearls sing the anthem of summer. As the end of summer draws near, hold on to the last shimmering rays of sun with sparkling summer jewelry. Whether taking a last minute sunset cruise or lounging by the cool bay, decorate your neckline, ears and wrists with the gems of summer: pearls.

Capture the attention of all on board with the Pade Vavra Shell with Pearls Necklace. This stunning piece is very unique and eye-catching. Make a statement with the Carolina Pearl Necklace with Cross. Also available with a Star of David, this necklace is chic and simple. Create a long silhouette with the R.J. Graziano Long Pearl Chain. A twist on the classic pearl strand, this necklace is modern and fun. Finish the perfect evening attire with the Lata K Illusion Eclipse Japanese Pearl Necklace. With a long drop pearl and diamond accents, this necklace is breathtaking. Looking for a bold piece? Slip on the Samantha House Pearl Daggar Necklace. With a large cluster of pearls, this piece is funky and fresh, just in time for the last hurrah of summer.

Adorn your earrings with simple pearl earrings. Calico June Ivory and Gold Hoop Earrings are delicate and pretty. Worn with casual attire, these earrings add a touch of sophistication and sheer elegance. For a bolder look, try Calico Juno Pearl Drop Earrings. These earrings are eye-catching and glamorous! For a final fling with pearls, slip on the Pade Vavra Shell Cuff. You will look unforgettable. The unique and delicate look of this cuff is remarkable. Wear with the Pade Vavra Shell With Pearls Necklace to match.

Tags: Calico Juno | Carolina | Lata K | Pade Vavra | pearl | R.J. Graziano | Samantha House

“1, 2, 3, ACTION!” Ever admired the outfit an actress sported in a movie you were watching? You can borrow style ideas from the stars somewhere other than the candids of them shopping in Soho, on the red carpet, or at a fashion show.

Movies have become more sophisticated in recent years, and it’s understandable that how a character dresses for a scene has become just as revealing about who they are and what they’re likely to do as their lines. We’re seeing a burst of exciting jewelry trends and looks on young Hollywood on the sets of their hit shows and movies. Let’s take a look at what Hilary Duff, Alexis Bledel, and Blake Lively wore behind the scenes and see if the jewelry they’re wearing reflects the role they’re playing. We’ll leave which role you want to play up to you.

Hilary Duff was seen in a vibrant blue tiered cocktail dress and chunky black accessories on the set of Stay Cool, which is scheduled for release in 2009. She plays a high school senior, Shasta O’Neil, who has a crush on a fictional author who is town to deliver her class’ commencement address. Does Hilary look the part? She definitely does! The dress she’s wearing is flirty and youthful, and her trendy black jewelry hits the mark nicely. We love how her outfit reflects her self-confidence and the outgoing personality she has to portray while she’s in character as it does take guts to wear your heart on your sleeve.

Try the silver Blu Grecian Braided Cuff, the black Presh Silver Studded Leather Bracelets, and the Deborah Grivas Designs Black Oval Swarovski Crystal Loop Earrings. Hilary’s layered necklace takes this outfit from “Great” to “Wow!” Pile on the Arena CPH Leisa Ring Necklace, the black Ettika Peace Coin Silk Necklace, and the Blu Black Star Necklace for a look that’ll earn you an A. Add your Lorelei Black Patent Clutch to your look, and you’ll be as dressed to impress as Hilary.

Alexis Bledel was spotted last week on the set of The Good Guy, due out in 2009 as well, looking charming and youthful. She’s playing Beth who’s a shoe in for the girlfriend of good guy Tommy, played by Scott Porter, but a new coworker only complicates everything and turns this good guy’s world inside out. Alexis Bledel looks put together and classic in this flattering shift dress and her understated gold jewelry, proving that sometimes it’s all about finding the “perfect fit” to flatter you every moment of every day.

An 18″-22″ necklace looks great over a higher neckline like Alexis is wearing because of where it lies just below the collar. It’s a great trick to pull your friends’ eyes to your necklace and then back to your smile. Try the the 18″ Pade Vavra Shell With Pearls Necklace, 20″ Arena CPH Kamille Gold Flower Pendant Necklace, or the 22″ Jami Rodriguez Jaguar Crystal Necklace to top off a great day dress like this one. Type “18″ or “22″ in the search box in the top right corner of any page on the Max and Chloe site to see a variety of necklaces with these chain lengths.

Blake Lively was spotted in NYC looking stunning in her role as trendy knockout Serena on the CW’s Gossip Girl. While the show has gotten mixed remarks on the designer labels the elite private school cast wears without a second thought, don’t take notes from the show because of the labels; focus on the way you can mix highs and lows. If you like something that’s trendy or a little bit different, you should save where you can and splurge when you can.

Want a great example of mixing a high and a bunch of lows? Find a great big carryall handbag that you can rely on to hold your shopping purchases, your lip gloss, and your iPod (for when you’re in between stores). The Goldenbleu Black Patent Gemma Bag is a perfect example of a roomy bag that can hold everything you need. If you’ve just splurged on your handbag, wouldn’t you love to find a few jewelry “steals”? The Tracy Matthews Small Hammered Cuff has a great budget friendly price, and the cuff bracelet is one of the coolest jewelry trends of the season. The aqua Deborah Grivas Designs Swarovski Crystal Criss Cross Earrings would look gorgeous with the cuff bracelet and the handbag. If we had a chance to style Serena, we’d add one of Alex and Ani’s expandable wire bangle sets, the Kenneth Jay Lane Petite White Flower Ring and a cute short 16″ necklace like the Gorjana Silver Super Star Necklace.

So are you the beautiful, confident bombshell who always gets what she wants like Hilary? Then fill your jewelry box with chunky eye-catching earrings, necklaces and bracelets that look great on you. Are you the laidback, gorgeous girl next door like Alexis who pretty much has one guy wrapped around your finger? Find a signature piece and stick to a classic look to close the deal if you want to get your guy to focus on who you are. And if you’re as uptown trendy as Blake’s character Serena, mix highs and lows, and invest in gorgeous trendy jewelry for a great look. Take a cue from shots of your favorite stars filming their upcoming movies and TV episodes in People’s Star Style section to get yourself camera ready.

 So that’s a wrap!

Photos courtesy of People.

Tags: Alex and Ani | Alexis Bledel | Arena CPH | Blake Lively | Blu | celebrity | cuffs | Deborah Grivas | Ettika | Goldenbleu | Gorjana | handbags | Hilary Duff | Jami Rodriguez | Kenneth Jay Lane | Lorelei | Pade Vavra | Presh | Tracy Matthews

Vicky Cristina Barcelona star Penélope Cruz is one of our favorite celeb stars to watch because she has a terrific classic instinct for the right proportions. We noticed Penélope skipped jewelry accessories when she wore this great little black dress and neutral pumps. We admit her generous smile might be the greatest accessory of all, we can’t help but wonder how fabulous she’d look in a few choice jewels.

Since the little black dress has become a wardrobe staple, it’s important to anticipate that other women might be wearing one too, and you’ll want to make sure you stand apart and shine. The trick to jazzing up the little black dress with your jewelry is to play with proportions and choose exotic pieces. Your jewelry should cause as many breathless questions from your friends of “Where did you get that?!” as everything else you’re wearing.

To start, a slender pair of drop earrings would be a great addition to Penélope’s outfit. We love the delicate Deborah Grivas Designs Green Turquoise Gold Arch Loop Earrings. The green turquoise gemstones are so beautiful, and the looped designs under the stones mirrors the other elegant elongated proportions of her outfit.

Personalized monograms are perfect for the red carpet and formal occasions and the tasteful monogram pendants like Ariel Gordon’s would be simply sublime. We’d pick the gorgeous 16″ Ariel Gordon P Initial Pendant Necklace and we wouldn’t hesitate to add the diamond accent to either the sterling silver or 14k gold for Penélope.

The Samantha House Jaqueline Necklace is daring and chic, and we love the bundle of pearls that swing from the semi-precious stone. Black gemstones can give a little black dress the right amount of fanfare, and this pear shaped Arena CPH Mailil Onyx Necklace is perfect! Though each of these necklaces would look powerful and stunning alone, combining them would make Penélope’s entrance unforgettable.

We’ve been falling head over heels for Pade Vavra’s exotic cocktail rings since day one, and honestly, we can only name a handful of other designers that could do the alluring Ms. Penélope Cruz justice. The Pade Vavra Peridot Cushion Ring would look sensational with the Deborah Grivas earrings; This gorgeous cushion ring is plush and sexy with its dazzling peridot gemstones, and if you’re an August birthday girl, there’s no better time to splurge on your luxe birthstone.

The static shape of the Pade Vavra Sapphire Stalatite Ring redefines both vintage and one-of-a-kind; it’s the kind of piece that will take any look from “beautiful” to “knockout gorgeous.” We wouldn’t call an outfit complete without a bracelet, and an unusual seductive and chic cuff bracelet like the Melinda Maria Pod Cuff is just what the stylist ordered.

Photo courtesy of Instyle.com

Tags: Arena CPH | Ariel Gordon | celebrity | Deborah Grivas | look of the day | Melinda Maria | Pade Vavra | Penélope Cruz | Samantha House

Couture. That word alone sparks a fire in every fashionista’s heart. Once the latest couture collections arrive,  you start lusting after the incredibly hip and cutting edge dresses on the Ellie Saab runway and turning your head away from one Chanel skirt and jacket set to focus on the upcoming ones becomes a battle. The appeal of couture fashion is undeniable and we can’t help but fall inexplicably head over heels for these spectacular creations. This summer, designers from revered fashion houses like Alexis Mabille and Christian Dior premiered glimpses of their fall 2008 couture collections. Each of the collections had their own distinct tone and flavor, but we noticed a few trends, and we have assembled a guide to a handful of jewelry that will lessen the ache you have for those candy colored Dior dresses.

We were so inspired by the fashion we saw on the runway during the couture shows that we decided to pull out some of our favorite jewelry designs to show you that couture isn’t really about the dress or the rest of the outfit; it’s about how you dress. Craving elegance at your next big party? Drop earrings are so chic and elegant that they add a dash of glamour to every outfit. The Arena CPH Barbie Silver Earrings, Melinda Maria Etched Triple Leaf Earrings, and Brian Danielle Diamond Long Earrings are perfect examples of earrings that will deliver on that promise. The Wendy Mink Telly Earrings have a truly spectacular design. While these aren’t typical drop earrings, the effect of a double hoops that suspend pastel semi-precious stones has quite simply stolen our breaths away.

Take inspiration from the Givenchy couture model above who paired her outfit with a sometimes forgotten or underplayed accessory, a headband. We forgot how fun it is to wear your jewelry in unexpected places. For a fun twist, pull your hair back into a messy bun and add the Blu Royalty Headband. Since you can choose between navy, black and teal, there’s no reason why you can’t start building your outfit from a headband. 

We found a good deal of cuff bracelets and pearls on the runway during the couture shows, which is great because we’re not ready to let go of these accessory staples. Jessica Elliot Silver Wrought Iron Cuff is so stunning! The innovative clover cutout design is so fabulous, and this cuff bracelet is the perfect width. Pair it with the Anna Beck Sterling Silver Large Basket Weave Drop Necklace to complete your outfit, but if  you’re loyal to gold jewelry or simply need a gold cuff bracelet for your next big occasion, look no further than another one of Jessica Elliot’s designs, the 18k gold vermeil clover cutout cuff.

We’ve been fans of the R.J. Graziano Long Pearl Chain simply because of its unusual eye-catching gold chain link design between the pearls.  The 36″ chain is the perfect length if you love to double your necklace strands. Pair the pearl necklace with the Pade Vavra Large Shell and Pearl Cluster Necklace for a stunning contrasting effect that will be unforgettable. Necklaces with a beautiful flawless pendant is one of today’s biggest fashion trends, and we feel the Brian Danielle Hammered Diamond Necklace is one of the trendiest and most versatile necklaces we carry. It’s one of those pieces that looks stunning under both sunlight and the streetlights. Even if you’ve limited yourself to simply gazing at couture creations from afar, there’s no reason why you can’t indulge yourself a little bit and acquire jewelry that would fit right in on the runway as well as at your next black tie party.

Runway and detail photos courtesy of Style.com

Tags: Anna Beck | Arena CPH | Blu | Brian Danielle | Jessica Elliot | Melinda Maria | Pade Vavra | R.J. Graziano | Runway | Wendy Mink

Jewel toned dresses in bright bold colors strike the right key on big nights. Grey’s Anatomy’s Sara Ramirez and Forgetting Sarah Marshall’s Kristen Bell wore gorgeous royal purple strapless dresses when they glided down the red carpet this year. Sara looked fantastic at January’s Screen Actors Guild Awards in her Angel Sanchez gown, and Kristen’s cute Jill Stuart minidress was a hit at last week’s ESPY Awards. Sara played up her dress with silver and diamonds, and Kristen flirted with gold, which goes to show that you can make any outfit work with either, depending on the look you’re going for.

To get Sara Ramirez’s stacked bracelet look, try either the silver or gold bracelets from the Blu Textured Bangles, Kenneth Jay Lane Single Pyramid Cuff, and Blu Diamond Cuff Bracelets sets. Love the way Sara’s smile shines as brightly as her drop earrings? You can dazzle the camera on your big night with the Calico Juno Chandelier Drop Earrings, and finish your look with the Lorelei Gold Crackle Mary Clutch.

Kristen Bell kept her jewelry to a minimum, pairing two gold bangle bracelets with a gorgeous pendant on a yellow gold chain. Choose two of the Lisa Stewart Gold Gem Bangles or snag all three if you’re inspired by Kristen’s look. For a bit of trendy vintage charm, slip on the Melinda Maria Pod Cuff; the double bracelet will create the illusion of two unusal bracelets joined by a gorgeous centerpiece. Adding a wild card to the mix never hurt anyone, and the 22k yellow gold plated Pade Vavra Snake Cuff is one that will take your look from beautiful to gorgeous.

We love the risk Kristen took with her necklace length. Often we pair our strapless dresses with short necklace chains, or we opt not to wear a necklace like Sara did at the SAG Awards, or a short choker-style necklace. A princess or matinee necklace style with a chain that skims the top of your dress is a flattering trend that offers balance when you wear a strapless dress. Either the Kenneth Jay Lane White Flower Necklace or the Gorjana Gold Cupid Necklace are perfect lengths that you can wear to capture the look.

Photos courtesy of US Magazine

Tags: Blu | bracelets | Calico Juno | celebrity | earrings | Exhbitionist | gold jewelry | Gorjana | Kenneth Jay Lane | Kristen Bell | Lisa Stewart | Lorelei | Melinda Maria | Necklaces | Pade Vavra | red carpet | Sara Ramirez | silver jewelry