Art Deco represents the era from 1920 to about 1930. And what happened before that definitely affected society, culture, architecture, art—and of course fashion. It was after World War I and after the Industrial Revolution. No longer was jewelry only worn by the highbrow and moneyed folks. Jewelry could now be mass produced, and now the middle class had full access. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings became less about value and price and more about expression and aesthetics. Costume jewelry (faux jewelry) definitely had it’s heyday in the 1920s.
Photo: Julius Schorzman/Chrysler Building
Did you know that French designer Coco Chanel is credited as one of the inventors of costume jewelry? She created her first in 1924, with a pair of pearl earrings, one black and one white.
Costume jewelry was affordable because it was mass produce-able with a mix of inexpensive materials. After the industrial revolution, machines could do the work for you. Chromes, plastics, and industrial steels were taken out of the factory, and for the first time used for jewelry—making it affordable for all. Geometric and angular shapes dominated the jewelry trends (and architecture, e.g, the New York Chrysler Building) that mimicked the exactness of machine-made items. Cocktail rings, long necklaces and cigarette holders and vesta cases like our Match-Safe Case Necklace were also in vogue.
1928 Nightfall Jet Black Checker Necklace
The 1920s was about expression, transition into modernity, flapper girls—literally, the roaring twenties! Click on our Polyvore set below to see a few pieces from our collection that are very 1920s-esque. My favorite is the checkered earrings and the necklace above. Enjoy!
While I was flipping through the celebrity shopping list on LuckyMag.com, I couldn’t decide if I should do a post on Taylor Swift or Olivia Wilde. Both have such different styles so I decided on both!
Photo: LuckyMag.com/Film Magic
Taylor Swift has proven to be such a class act. Her signature glittery dresses and boho street style delivers a sweet and graceful look. We love that she dresses appropriately for her age and has a youthful playfulness to her. Recently there was a picture of Taylor out and about where she had on a simple white T-shirt cinched at the waist with a thin belt and a coordinating purple layered skirt–the perfect outfit for an afternoon out. To accessorize, she put on a bedazzling headband and a simple gold heart pendant necklace, which immediately caught my eye. As I was flipping through the 1928 style book, guess what? We had a necklace that looked similar to it, except in a larger pocket-watch size! Here it is: 1928′s Dignity Large Gold Locket Necklace. It’s the perfect necklace to pair with jeans and white tees or with a cute summer dress. The antiqued gold tone and floral engraved locket hangs from double gold strand chains and definitely looks vintage. For $48, it’s a sure steal and it even makes a perfect personalized gift once you put a picture inside!
1928 Dignity Heart Locket Necklace
Olivia Wilde is best known for her role on House playing a young doctor nicknamed Thirteen. Aside from being ranked #1 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 List in 2009, she’s quite a lovely girl and always manages to impress with her effortless style. The KARA ACKERMAN FAN earrings that Olivia wore out to a recent event are perfect for summer.
Photo: LuckyMag.com/Getty
They’re bright and shiny, and an easy way to accessorize. As fan earrings, they spread out pretty wide which might be a bit difficult to pull off for everyday wear. The Divine Drops Golden Hues Fan Earrings are the perfect alternative. They still fan out but they’re a little smaller in size which makes it more practical for everyday gals like us. Gold and ivory hues are combined to create a chic and stunning design and the fan-shape pattern is set with lovely hand-enameled accents. The earrings are perfect for pierced or non-pierced ears since they’re clip-ons. But don’t worry, the clip is cleverly disguised to look like an ordinary embellishment.
1928 Divine Drops Golden Hues Fan Clip On Earrings
And remember, if you’re wearing bold and flashy earrings, choose a simpler necklace and vice versa. You don’t want too much going on in your outfit, which can look sloppy and unkempt. Pull fashion tips from your favorite magazines and celebs, but remember to create a style to fit your personality. Just think what a bore life would be if we all had the same style. Yikes!
Oh, and one more thing! Don’t miss your chance of winning a $250 shopping spree at 1928.com with our free Summer Celebration Giveaway. You can enter once a day until July 4th!
So we’ve been creating some amazing things around here: We wanted to give you a preview and here your thoughts:
1. Do you or don’t you like it?
2. How would you wear it?
3. What would you pay?
Ready? set? SHARE!
This bracelet is really cool. It’s has ivory white enameled flowers with crystal centers. The polished gold tone bracelet is more of a cuff style, opening and closing on a hinge. It’s about 1.5″ wide.
Gold Costume Bracelet
This beauty has me quivering in my boots! The necklace is very modern with an industrial, slight gothic vibe. I love the mixed metals – the antiqued gold and black. Very similar to chain mail no? The collar is about 2 5/8″ wide.
An interview with costumer & vintage collection jewelry designer Ben Berkowitz of 1928 Jewelry. Ben, who’s designed for us for over 15 years, discusses the continual creation of his best selling classic costume jewelry collection, Manor House, and how a timeless collection can be continually updated to stay relevant today.
1. Where did you get that necklace! (Usually as they assault me in some public spot to get a better look).
2. Who designed that/Who came up with the idea for that piece?
Well, the answer lies with someone behind the scenes here at 1928; our inspirations and creative designs come from a talented jewelry design team lead by an amazing man named David Alverson.
David Alverson, is the VP of Product Development at 1928 Jewelry. 30 years ago, we were lucky enough to steal him away from beautiful French brands such Lanvin, Balmain & Yves St. Laurent. David sat down with me and discussed what inspires him and fuels his creativity and passion for designing Woman’s accessories.
Oh My Gosh! The blog is only a day old and I received news this morning that I “may be” featured in Woman’s World Magazine in December. Everyone here is so excited. Umm, Holiday sales anyone? Anyway, here is a preview.
