brooch – Helen's Life & Style

how to wear bold, retro, futuristic, edgy, cut out, ethnic jewelry by helen hou, the art of accessorizing

Photos: (clockwise from top left) Olivia Palermo, Miranda Kerr, Shala Monroque, Coco Rocha, Miranda Kerr, Doutzen Kroes, Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea.
Courtesy of celebrityredcarpet.co.uk, vogue.com, splashnewsonline.com.

Spring/summer is a great time to play with different types of statement accessories–when we dress less, eye-catching accessories really help to elevate the simple outfits while filling in the blanks. Today, I picked several of my favorites this season, from Miranda Kerr’s retro sunglasses and Punk finger ring set to Olivia Palermo’s ethnic choker necklace and futuristic slate-colored pearls, from Shala Monroque’s whimsical brooch to Sofía Sanchez Barrenechea’s edgy cut-out cuffs, hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone and explore more sides of yourself!

Retro round sunglasses on Miranda Kerr-by helen hou, the art of accessorizing, Alternative: Quay Retro Sunglasses, A.J. Morgan 52mm Retro Round Sunglasses, Madewell hepcat shades, 3.1 Phillip Lim Amber And Yellow Tortoiseshell Sunglasses, Prada Baroque Round Sunglasses, Marc by Marc Jacobs Oversized Round Sunglasses,

Sunglasses:
Quay
A.J. Morgan
Madewell
3.1 Phillip Lim
Prada (truly an art piece!)
Marc by Marc Jacobs ($14 here)

Shala Monroque-white and gold-by helen hou, the art of accessorizing, Alternative: Forever 21 Panther Brooch, Alexis Bittar 'Allegory' Dragonfly Statement Pin,

Brooches:
Alexis Bittar
Forever 21

Doutzen Kroes-silver cuff Alternative: K KaneSilver Signature Cuff, Forever 21 Cutout Chevron Cuff, Vince Camuto 'Basics' Cuff, Mango Embossed metallic cuff, Deborah Lippmann Nail Color,

Cuff: (clock wise from top left)
K Kane
Forever 21
Vince Camuto
Mango
Nail: Deborah Lippmann “hit me with your best shot”

Miranda Kerr-rock and edgy jewelry set Alternative: Gorjana Chloe Necklace, CC SKYE Mini Spike Bracelet, Ariella Collection 'Messages - Love' Script Station Bangle, Maison Martin Margiela Open Ring Set, ASOSChunky Bracelets & Rings Multipack ,

Necklace: Gorjana
Bracelets:
CC Skye (similar here)
Ariella Collection (40% off)
Rings:
Maison Martin Margiela (similar here & here)
Asos

futuristic bold grey pearl necklaces Alternative: stella & dotIsadora Pearl Bib Necklace, AZ Collection Mirror Polished Ball Necklace,

Necklaces:
Stella & Dot
AZ Collection

statement necklace transforms an outfit Alternative: DANNIJO Medine Bib Necklace, Stella & Dot Indira Necklace,

Necklaces:
Dannijo
Stella & Dot (50% off now!)

Necklaces:
Pachamama
Mango

Photos: (from left) Stephanie LaCava & Kate Middleton; Courtesy of tumblr.com, instyle.co.uk.

Photos: (from left) Violaine Bernard & Stephanie LaCava; Courtesy of garancedore.fr, vogue.com.

After 20 weeks, my belly literally grows every single day. I once sworn that I would never buy maternity clothes, but after hours of desperately searching and reworking in my closet, I finally gave up and realized that I need at least two maternity pieces: a pair of comfy maternity jeans and a basic black maxi dress (and I laughed when I read Garance Doré’s post)

Besides new clothing, I also need more maternity style inspirations. In case some of you moms-to-be have the same needs, I picked four of my favorite outfits (above) that cover dressy and casual occasions. For more ideas for formal occasions? Check out my previous “Pregnancy Style” entry here!

First two outfits from Stephanie LaCava and Kate Middleton are bright cheerful options. They are also great examples of how to rework the old pieces in our closet: The fit-and-flare lemon Roksanda Ilincic dress covered Stephanie LaCava’s baby bump; The dress-like red Marni coat (similar here & here) that Kate Middleton worn almost 7 years ago still fits her growing belly.

Dress: Vero Moda (50% off now; add a belt for post-pregnancy wear)
Bag: See by Chloe (more casual version here)
Shoes: Steven Triummp (on sale!)
Sunglasses: Ray-Ban
Jewelry: Gorjana & Griffin Kingston wrap & leather triple wrap

Coat: P.A.R.O.S.H (similar here)
Jeans: J Brand
Shoes: Munro (on sale here!)
Jewelry: vintage brooch

The following two are more casual, everyday outfit ideas that we can easily recreate. I love the way they use accessories to brighten up the monochrome look and make boring maternity pieces more interesting, like the cute beanie, blue Oxford on Violaine Bernard and printed floral wrap on Stephanie LaCava.