How To Wear Estate Jewelry - Shades of Gray For Summer

I'm not ignoring you...really I'm not.
It's just that I've been busy, really busy.

For some reason it's been a celebrity filled week
and...I'm still waiting for Lady Gaga's people to get back to my people...
you know how those things go.

I had wanted to post about the new Chanel collection
a Byzantine beauty if I ever saw one

but Tabitha beat me to it...and added poetry!
So go read her post.

Here at the HQ, we love to see jewelry worn on the head
so the diadems in these ads are especially appealing.
Also, have you noticed the recent Harry Winston and Van Cleef ads for diamond barrettes?
That is the trend in jewelry
along with vintage brooches
You heard it here first.

Summer may have officially started but it is still gray, foggy and cold every morning
and while I'd love to whip out the summer whites and pastels,
I'm still wearing winter colors like this charcoal gray

Luckily, it matches my Beladora pearl jewelry

 Mikimoto Tahitian and Akoya "Pearls in Motion" Earrings in 18K $1250

 Mikimoto Tahitian and Akoya "Pearls in Motion" Necklace in 18K $2250

Van Cleef & Arpels Mother of Pearl and Diamond Butterfly Brooch $4250

God I look old and tired in this shot

Hopefully botox and a beach vacation will be coming up in my near future!

A Holiday Weekend With A Wonderful Wedding

Yesterday,  a sunny Saturday afternoon was the perfect day to attend a small but very pretty wedding at an old line Protestant church in Pasadena.  As the guest of a guest, not personally acquainted with the families involved, I was able to concentrate more on the details than on the people...the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the stained glass windows, the flowers, the music.  But I couldn't help but being wowed by the bride, a true California blond, she was absolutely beautiful....but really, aren't all brides gorgeous?

I loved the flower arrangements of roses, peonies and orchids in shades of soft pastel pink and green. 

The wedding party was made up entirely of the nieces and nephews of the bride and groom, all young children except the 16 year old niece who was the maid of honor.  The young boys wore black tuxedos and the young girls wore pretty pastel pink dresses with light celery green sashes. So adorable.
It has been so long since I have been to a wedding that wasn't a second marriage that I haven't really kept up with what is de rigueur.  Apparently the tossing of rice is out and bubbles are in....who knew.
The ceremony was traditional and lovely, as was the cocktail reception and dinner at a nearby country club.

As usual I wore something monochromatic and simple, a linen suit in a metallic wheat color, if that description makes any sense at all, with simple kitten heeled shoes and a Ferragamo lizard skin clutch, from way in the day.

The jewelry...South Sea pearls, of course, and a vintage Piaget diamond watch.

So now that I've been reminded of how wonderful traditional weddings are, I can get start to get serious about plotting my own children's marriages....because isn't that what meddling mothers do?
Have a great 4th of July!