( 
)Elegant ~ Outrageous ~ Costume Jewelry
Did you know YOU could own and wear fabulous jewelry made by the same Jewelry Designers and Manufacturers as our President's First Ladies, Miss America Beauty Pageant contestants, and Famous Actresses? Everyone knows the "Best Things" come in small packages ~ usually stunning accessory jewelry!
You'll learn some interesting facts in the book, "Costume Jewelers - The Golden Age of Design" by Joanne Dubbs Ball.
In a 1948 article for Movie Show, famous jewelry designer Eugene Joseff talks about accessorizing and personalizing with jewelry:
Before buying jewelry, you should first decide how much you will spend. Then let your clothing, lifestyle and personal taste be you guide.
You'll find your first and most important piece, the Brooch to be the most useful. Brooches can be used on a suit lapel, pocket, or collar. They add a special complimentary statement to belts, hats, and handbags. Depending on the piece, it might be worn with sporty clothes or even an evening gown!
Earrings are your next best investment~ as they have many uses. Dress up your shoes, hat, cuffs, or clip one through a pocket button hole. Dress up your ears or your hair!
Rings draw attention to your hands and should be chosen with your distinctive bone structure in mind, but Be Bold!
Necklaces and bracelets should be last on the list, as they can seldom be worn with just any garment or for any occasion.
Jewelry is an accent that draws the eye. When wearing a necklace, earrings, hat, or hair piece, the eye is drawn and encircles the face. A ring or bracelet will bring attention to lovely hands. A pin or belt buckle will cause people to notice a slender waistline. Focus on pretty feet with buckles on your shoes.
If you desire a particular impression, use one important piece to focus attention on your best features. Wearing too many scattered pieces at once can cause the eye to zip-zag without gaining your desired effect.
Costume jewelry was created to be added to the wearer's costume, whatever the garment. "Just a dress" with your choice of jewelry becomes a fashion statement about YOU! Designers never underestimate the value of accessorizing the garment, hat, shoes, belt, or handbag.
Depending on your mood and the outfit to be complimented, you can be "elegantly regal" or "boldly outrageous" ~ Experiment! Try rhinestones with denim, brooches on hats, and even earrings on your shoes. Whatever your life style, you'll find costume jewelry one the easiest routes to creating your own individual fashion statement.
Love famous names like Carnegie, Eisenberg, Coro, Trifari, Les Bernard, Caviness, Napier, Haskell, Jomaz, Kramer, Boucher, Robert, Weiss, Dior, and Hobe' to name a few -- Others include Mosell, Pastelli, Laguna, Lisner, BSK, Selini, Gerry's,
JJ Jonette, Swank, Winard, Ultra and an endless list of signed treasures.
Jewelry comes in an endless list of mediums: Gold, Sterling, pot metals, Glass, Pearls, Woods, or Mother of Pearl. Art Glass, Austrian and Czech Crystals and Rhinestones - some with Aurora Borealis coating. Plastics such as Celluloid, Bakelite, Lucite Moonglow thermoset & jelly belly, and other plastics.
During the 1940s -1960s, demand exceeded designer & manufacturing capabilities. Many fabulous pieces were manufactured without marks or signatures, even outstanding pieces went unmarked! Don't discount unmarked pieces~ They are quite possibly the best finds!
Make your own personal statement with the styles You Love, be they Victorian, Cameos, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, Mid-Century, Contemporary, MOD, Funky, Mexican, Peruvian, Oriental, old or brand new with precious or semi-precious stones.
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