Consider Avia Sneakers

Comfortable supportive sneakers are expensive, often over $100, so you might dismiss Avia’s Athletic Mega Performance Sneakers for women as low quality and their $27.98 price tag too good to be true for a supportive sneaker. Avia Men’s Commend Running Shoe at $28.98 is the companion style for men, and another style for women that looks identical to the Athletic Mega Performance sneaker is the Avia Women’s Comfort Performance Sneaker, also selling for $27.98

Customers say Avia sneakers far exeede their expectations! Designed for all day comfort, the sneaker has a polyester upper, ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) midsole; and thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) outsole. Its platform is 2.35”. The upper knit is breathable, and it has a memory foam insole for arch support.

Based on many 5 star customer reviews, I’d give them a try. Pediatrics recommend we buy new sneakers every 6 months for them to maintain their supporting properties -- all the pounding on pavement tends to wear them out quickly -- and for under $30, certainly we can afford to do so!

Avia sneakers are stylish and come in 10 colors.

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Old Navy For Jeans, Cotton & Linen Part II

In part I, I talked about how Old Navy has truly stepped up its game since the retailer first opened its doors in 1994. The range of causal smart and date night aparel is wide and fashionable. Decent quality at unbeatable prices! Not exactly top quality, yet Old Navy dresses, t-shirts, and layering pieces tend to hold up for many machine washings.

In this part II the focus is on denim pieces that give customers plenty of bang for the buck! You’ll own them for years to come because they’re durable, versatile and always in style.

1) First up is the Long Denim Barn Coat in a dark blue wash, perhaps my favorite piece of the offerings. The coat has a spread collar, long raglan sleeves, button front, front welt pockets and a vented back hem. A dark rinse is always dressier than lighter rinses. It’s selling out fast!

2) Fit and flare Sleeveless Denim Midi Dress - Available in 2 dark rinses (black or blue) with a square neck, wide straps and a seamed skirt.

3) Baggy Wide-Leg Jean Overalls - Oversized jeans with a bib pocket, utility and back packets and adjustable buckled straps. 

 4) Long-Sleeve Denim Jumpsuit - It has a spread collar, tie-belt waist, covered zipper; with chest, front and back pockets.

5)  Oversized Jean Trucker Jacket - The jacket has lots of buttons and pockets in all the right places: Long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, a full-button front, button-flap and chest pocket, vertical welt pockets, a button table at the waist and a seamed front. Plus the pants in the matching wash is available.

Old Navy seems to have replaced its pricey sister company, The Gap, offering customers good quality at more reasonable prices. It's what the Gap used to do. Decades ago I bought my lined denim jacket at the Gap and still wear it. Today consumers can turn to Old Navy for similar quality and selections as the old Gap. I love Old Navy’s high-toned additions at affordable price points!

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Cozy Earth Brushed Bamboo Midi Dress

The brushed bamboo midi dress by Cozy Earth is very wearable. Made of 70% bamboo viscose, 26% acrylic and 4% spandex, many of us would likely get our $105 - $128 worth of wear out of it due to its comfort, style and versatility. So yes, we could think of it as an investment piece, but if you don’t wish to spend as much, there are a number of visual matches on the internet for less.

The fit and quality of the Cozy Earth dress is a surer bet over its lookalikes, and at times I've paid the piper for the certainty of a worthwhile classic piece of clothing. Sometimes we take a risk to spend less and at other we don't! 

Another consideration is when you get it right, you just need the one dress. What I like about the Cozy Earth brand of this dress is the cut is spot on -- not too boxy, showy or sexy! The side splits for flexibility are not too high. The dress is feminine and not at all baggy.

The deliberation is: Do you spend $105 - $128 (depending on color) for a dress if it's "just right?” There is a spin the wheel discount on Cozy Earth’s website requring you to sign up for emails to make pulling the trigger less painful.

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Old Navy For Jeans and Cotton & Linen

Old Navy is the place to go for casual smart attire for less than elsewhere, and recently the retailer has really stepped up its game. Take a look at how many styles and shades of jeans, it offers! An absolute steal as its back to school sales are on! You couldn’t match the $15 price tag if you bought the denim then cut and sticked a pair together yourself!

I’m also loving Old Navy’s array of cotton and linen summer dresses of different skirt lengths -- mini, midi or maxi -- that can be dressed up or down. To boot, there are a few rayon or rayon crepe fabrics, which are wrinkle-free and cool to wear on hot summer days. Each style comes in several colors or patterns. Many have pockets!

Of course, you can still find what Old Navy has always sold since opening its doors in 1994 ... 👕🎽👕 t-shirts 👕🎽👕... in crew necks, v-necks, boat necks, sleeveless, short sleeves, or long sleeves. All your summer essentials without breaking the bank!👗

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Pearls Courtesy of the Qatar Museums

Made in 1800, I couldn’t find any history on it. Who made it? Who owned it? Can anyone solve the mystery?

In 2018 The Museums of Qatar put together an exhibition called “Pearls: Treasures From the Seas and the Rivers.” that opened at the State Historical Museum in Moscow as a cultural exchange. It featured a collection of over 100 pieces of pearl jewelry and artifacts from the Arabian Gulf, Europe and Asia. The traveling exhibit showcased the history and cultural significance of pearls with emphasis on their role in Qatar’s history, which was once a major center for pearl diving and trade. The show highlighted pearl fishing techniques and the artistry of pearl jewelry from different cultures and eras. Online media called it "one of the finest collections of pearl jewelry ever assembled.”

I'll show you a few pieces that caught my eye. 

Above 👆is a diamond brooch centered by a cushion shaped rare pink diamond with a gorgeous drop pearl. Breathtakingly beautiful, it is mounted in gold. ©1800

A tiara designed by Koechert was made in 1913 of gold, silver, diamonds and pearls for Archduchess Marie Valerie, the youngest child of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elizabeth (Sisi) of Austria.

The Rosebery tiara was designed in London by Garrard in 1878 for Hannah Rothchild upon her marriage to the Earl of Rosebery, making her Countess Rosebery. It has large diamonds and natural Pacific Ocean Pearls. 

Tiffany designed the above chrysanthemum brooch, one of several, with freshwater pearls from Mississippi in 1880.

 

The wide V-shaped broach is believed to have once belonged to Empress Maria Theresa who ruled Austria from 1740-1780. Set in gold, its 40+ natural round and pear shaped pearls come from the Persian Gulf.

The Millennium Necklace and Earrings Set was designed by Cartier in Paris in 2000. It is made of natural Pacific Ocean pearls and sizable emeralds. The center emerald was carved in 17th century India.

̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆❀ 🐚𓇼 ˖°̊⋆

Close up view of the Pearl Carpet of Baroda

Although the famed Pearl Carpet of Baroda wasn’t in the 2018 exhibit (no mention that it was), it is a centerpiece in the National Museum of Qatar's permanent collection. The opulent carpet was commissioned by Khande Rao Gaekward, the Maharaja (governor) of Baroda, in 1865. It has over 1.5 million Basra pearls, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and rubies. The gemstones are embroidered onto a deerskin and silk backing. The Maharaja had it made to cover the tomb of the Prophet in Medina, but then couldn’t part with it, so it stayed in his family until 2009 when it sold at auction.

Pearls are timeless and elegant! What a magnificent show for the lucky folks who saw it! The 1st brooch might be my favorite piece, if forced, forced, forced to choose, even though we don’t really wear brooches anymore. The brooch's pink diamond and pink drop pearl are flawless and gorgeous! Which one is your favorite?𓆉🐌🐚🦀

If you wish to learn more about pearls click the 1st link, below.⚪

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At Land’s End The Classics Are Trending

Wow! Such winning style and comfort at Lands’ End. My picks for the summer are the silky soft Supima© cotton polos and shorts that are the perfect length to be classy and versatile. 

The breezy linen barrel leg trousers and linen peplum tops are a polished outfit for a summer evening out. Many people still spruce up a bit to go out to a restaurant or a shopping area. These would work very well!

The super cute boucle Johnny collar textured sweater with ribbed cuffs is 100% soft cotton. Great for breezy summer evenings in San Francisco and on beaches, and it will take you into the early fall. Pair the textured sweater with so many things, from skirts to jeans to longer shorts. 

Uh-Oh, I’ve done it again! My bias for 100% natural fabrics is showing. In summer clothes, cotton and linen rock. Lands’ End makes cotton and linen pieces that are machine washable. Usually I’d line dry the garments, but in a pinch you can toss them into the dryer too. Frequent machine drying tends to wear clothing out faster. So if there’s time, I machine wash then hang cotton and linen garments on a hanger to dry in the bathroom.

At Land’s End the classics are trending! Not only are they well made and well-priced but you can wear them for years to come.

✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏✐✎✏

I’ll also review a linen tunic from the brand Bodhi that was promoted on The Today Show as a product deal. Here goes: I can’t imagine wearing yards of material in the summer. In hot boiling July or August, yikes! The sleeves have enough fabric to fit a monkey -- too bulky and long for human arms. The tunic's body shallows up the wearer. There’s no front zipper to step into the dress, so you have to ball it up to pull it over your head. High side slits can be problematic requiring an underneath layer. It’s also baggy and not versatile enough to step off a beach to have drinks or dinner with friends. IMHO, this one would be a regret purchase that you’d find too limiting to wear after you buy it even at its advertised bargain price. The linen fabric is spectacular, if only the cut of the tunic flattered a woman's silhouette. Contrast this frumpy tunic with Lands’ End's many stylish summer offerings at much better starting price points. Cute and bouncy routs baggy every time!

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5 of the Most Gorgeous Sapphires In the World

Photo: loupiosity: The Bell of Asia Sapphire

Top sapphires (rubies and emeralds) cost more than diamonds. The reason: Colored gemstones are rarer in nature than diamonds. A combination of characteristics set their value including their beauty, rarity and durability. Carat weight, cut, clarity and country of origin can also drive their prices up. Vibrant blue sapphires are the most sought after in jewelry. Heat treated sapphires are accepted as long as the seller discloses it, and the price should also reflect the treatment. Without heat treatment, there would be few gemstone quality sapphires on the market to buy. Beautiful, natural, unheated sapphires are more expensive than heated, or lab grown sapphires due to their rarity and demand. Go here to learn more about sapphires.

Today let’s look at 5 of the most gorgeous sapphires in the world. It’s such fun seeing top of the line! All except for one (which is a smaller wearable size) sold for multi-millions of dollars. Don’t we, ordinary people, wish we could afford the grade of sapphires just like them?

1) In 2021, an 11.9 carat Kashmir Sapphire sold at auction at Fellows in Birmingham, England for £175,980 (or $238,184) after a bidding war. It is a rich, natural, velvety blue untreated sapphire of spectacular clarity. While large indeed, the next 4 sapphires are huge gemstone-quality-sapphires raising their value to more zeros!

2) The Belle of Asia Sapphire is a cushion cut 392.52 carat sapphire pendent, surrounded by diamonds as a necklace. It was discovered in Sir Lanka in 1926. Lord Nuffield, the founder of Morris Motors, bought it in 1937. Sapphires of its size, color, and clarity are extremely rare. The Bell of Asia Sapphire disappeared into private hands for the next 40+ years, then surfaced in 2014 to be sold at Christie’s for $ 17.7 million to an anonymous buyer who most likely lives in the Middle East.

3. The 35.09 carat antique cushion-shaped  Regent Kashmir Sapphire ring is the world’s most expensive sapphire per carat. It broke the record for price in 2025 at Christie’s in Hong Kong. The cost was $12.1 million. As you may have guessed, it’s a natural, unheated, rare, vivid blue sapphire from the storied Kashmir mines. It is set in platinum flanked by round diamonds.

4) The Richelieu Sapphire Earrings, a pair of cushion-cut natural Kasmir earrings weigh 26.66 and 20.88 carats respectively. Owned by Odile de Richelieu (1879 - 1974), they were sold in Geneva at Sothebys for $8.4 million in 2013. The earrings are suspended by a star of cushion and pear shaped diamonds. According to the Swiss Gemological Institute, the pair of sapphires match perfectly in size and shape. The hue is velvety blue and the clarity excellent "with only microscopic inclusions. A matching pair of natural sapphires from Kashmir of this size and quality is very rare and exceptional.”

5) The Logan Sapphire is the most accessible to us common folk, as it resides in the Smithsonian Institution. It was donated by Rebecca Pollard Guggenheim Logan in 1960. The Sri Lanka gemstone, at 422.98 carats, which is the size of a large chicken egg, is one of the largest velvety blue sapphires in the world. The mixed cushion cut sapphire is set in gold and silver as a brooch and surrounded by 20 round brilliant cut diamonds. Multiple sources list its value as $2.5 million.

With colored gemstones (sapphires, rubies and emeralds), color is the most important of the 4 “Cs” (color, cut, carat and clarity) in determining their value. Seeing Kashmir and Sir Lanka sapphires always makes a jewelry lover want one, doesn’t it? Commercial grade sapphires are never as velvety blue. Today the Kashmir and Sir Lanka mines are closed, making these sapphires all the more rare and valuable!💰💸🤑

Which of the 5 is your favorite?

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Marie Thèrese of France’s Emerald Tiara

Photo: Wikipedia Commons: I’d love to set this piece of history on my head! If this stunner could talk.

Today I’m featuring a beautiful tiara created for a member of the House of Bourbon who had a sad history. Marie Thèrese Charlotte of France (1778 - 1851) was the oldest and only surviving child of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antionette of France both guillotined when she was 12 years old. After France’s Reign of Terror she was isolated and held prisoner for another 5 years until her release was negotiated. She went to live in exile in Austria, her Habsburg-Lorraine mother’s native country. As France headed towards revolution, Queen Marie Antionette had sent some of her jewelry to Austria for safekeeping, and these pieces were returned to her daughter after she arrived in Vienna.

In 1799 Marie Thèrese was persuaded to enter a political marriage with her cousin, Louis Antoine, the Duke of Angouème so she became the Duchess of Angouème. The Emerald and Diamond Tiara of Marie Thèrese is sometimes called The Duchess of Angouème Emerald Tiara. It was made by jewelers Evrard and Frederic Bapst in 1819 - 1820 using stones from the French Crown Jewels. The tiara features a symmetrical scrolling design with 40 emeralds set in gold and 1,031 diamonds set in silver. Fourteen of the emeralds are large ones!

For a period of time the Bourbon monarchy was restored. Louis XVI’s two younger brothers sat on the throne with Marie Thèrese returning to France, but in 1830 she was forced into exile again. She made the crazy decision to leave her tiara behind. Later it was worn by Empress Eugènie whose husband, Napoleon III, ruled (1852 - 1870) sizing power as Emperor of the French. Eventually they too, were expelled. Empress Eugènie also left the tiara in France for the state.

 

Photo: Instagram

The Emerald and Diamond Tiara of Marie Thèrese along with other French Crown Jewels were then sold at auction in 1887 by France’s Third Republic. An unknown British buyer bought the tiara. It disappeared for awhile before being put on display as a loan in 1982 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. 

In exile Marie Thèrese moved to Prague with her husband’s family, then to Goriza (part of Italy today) and after her husband's death to a Baroque castle just outside of Vienna where she spent her final years quietly (attending Mass, taking walks, reading and sewing). Empress Eugènie lived for the rest of her life in Great Britain as a guest of Queen Victoria. 

In 2002 the Louvre Museum purchased the tiara from its anonymous owner, returning it to France. The Angouème Emerald Tiara is now on display in Paris at the Louvre Museum. Home, Sweet Home!

We’re fortunate when royal jewels end up in a museum for us to see them up close.

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