Trend Alert: Chunky Necklaces

Matthew Williams for Givenchy

While researching upcoming jewelry trends, I stumbled upon another craze predicted to come our way in 2022: Chunky Necklaces, but to be fair, chunky necklaces were also predicted to be a fad in 2020 as I reported here, so where have today's fashion editors been? I can only guess that with everybody staying home during COVID the trend got delayed until now. I also think regardless of what year it is, a chunky necklace is always timeless as a statement piece.🙂

It's a great reason to do a roundup of several beautiful and very wearable Chunky Necklaces designed by Givenchy's American creative director, Mathew Williams.

Photos courtesy of The New York Times of Givenchy during Paris Fashion Week.

Associates say Mr. Williams is calm, nice, and collaborative ... always asking his crew what they think of new designs. Many people who have worked with him say he really cares about the work, the design and is a bit of a Renaissance man who brings his interests of art and science to the worktable. He researches fabrics, materials, and their origins.

The left photo is from Saks and the right photo is from Givenchy

The left photo is from Mantle magazine and the right photo is from Neiman Marcus.

The left and right necklaces are available at Neiman Marcus. Many of the Givenchy necklaces come in silver, gold, or 2-tone.

Mr. Williams judges fashion by whether or not he would wear it. This American brings a touch of European urbanism to the House of Givenchy. The chunky padlock necklace is his creation. Givenchy's newest Creative Director "likes the idea that fashion can give us some sense of escape, beauty and ''imagination of the future,'' yet he also embraces ''tradition ... warmth, comfort, ease ... security ... (out of) knowing there's so much chaos around us.'' His work is also practical and accessible, with a trace of softness -- all of which are sure to become his signature at Givenchy. What I love about the chunky necklaces is there's something clean about them, and you would wear them off the runway as the design isn't over-the-top, excessive, or ridiculous. The top necklace is gorgeous! With Matthew Williams at the helm, Givenchy is the fashion house to watch!

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Trend Alert: Ear Stacking

Celebrity photos: Cosmopoltian - go here 

 A glance at the fashion runways gives us a clue about a fashion jewelry trend about to break in 2022: Ear Stacking. It appears celebrities and runway models are already rocking the trend. 

Photo: Cosmopolitan

Clip-ons are available for those who don't want to add multiple ear piercings. The higher up you pierce your ears, the more it hurts to do it.

Ear stacking can be expressed in your own style from dainty to chunky. Many of the photos feature another of this year's jewelry trends -- loops. But do loops ever really go out of style?

I wear earrings every day, and I won't lie: Although I like the look of ear stacking, I aim to keep my life simple by sticking with wearing a single pair of earrings per day. I have no desire to fuss with multiple earrings. I'd have to buy more earrings, as well as, style them. Yikes, how much time does THAT add to dressing in the morning?  

The places for ear stacking are from the bottom of the ear up, namely the lobe, upper lobe, helix, conch, rook, daith, tragus, and forward helix. Click here to learn where these parts of the ear are; how long it takes the piercings to heal; and how to stack your earrings. Fashionistas are bound to try it.

Enjoy the read from a knowledgeable source because for sure I will not be adding other piercings to my ears and therefore cannot speak from experience. 

Diamond studs will always be a girl's best friend. But the more the merrier? Clearly more expensive. You decide.

Like me, you may not flock to every fad, but now you know what's coming our way, jumping from the runway to main street.

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White House Black Market Roundup

Matte Jersey Twist Front Dress

White House Black Market isn't only an online retailer, the upscale fashion merchant who opened in 1985 operates over 440 boutiques and 6o outlets across the USA, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It's the perfect place to find a holiday or gala dress with shoes and accessories to match.

Above are 3 different women styling a classic Little Black Dress, in fact, the same super versatile Matte Jersey Black Studded Dress which flatters all body types from curvy to slim!

Another helpful feature of the website lets customers shop for an entire look. Under a dress, blouse, blazer, or trousers are 3 different ensembles, and you can click on the coordinating shoes and /or accessories for purchase if you need them. What a fun browse for style ideas! [You can go to the website by clicking on the little black dress to see a 3rd way to wear it.]

The prices on White House Black Market are surprisingly affordable for some very cute fashion that I would describe as classic modern style sometimes with an edge.

Have you chosen your party attire yet?

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New York Celebrates Halloween 2022

All Photos: New York Simply - go here - They added a disappointing note: Many of these photos are from 2021! I took my own photos in 2021 -- click the 2nd link directly after the blog to see them -- then watch the video for 2022 decorations if you wish.

Cry me an East river, will you? I couldn't walk around my Upper East Side Manhattan neighborhood this year to photograph its Halloween decorations. I've been sooo busy, so instead, I'll link you up to 20 images uploaded by New York Simply to capture the 2022 walk that never was. Despite all, we need our Gotham City Halloween fix, don't we?

On Halloween Night I'll be doling out candy, a ton of Tootsie Rolls and Smarties. Chocolate is unsafe to bring home as we want to save the candy for treat-or-treaters. I like Smarters and Tootsie rolls but can stop after eating a roll.🍬

If you wish to see my photos of Halloween Walks Past on the Upper East Side, click the links below.🎃👇

All Photos courtesy of New York Simple

Stay safe ... when in doubt, don't. Stick to areas you know well, and like a New Yorker, always be aware of your surroundings. We only want to attract harmless scares.

Happy Halloween, Spirits & Friends!

Here's a YouTube video with Upper East Side Halloween sights for 2022. Somebody did the work for me when I couldn't do it myself this year. Thank you uploader! ...

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Flirty Girl Wants To Make You Smile

The photo is from Google Maps

One of the most beloved brands in New Orleans, Flirty Girl, was launched in 2009 by single mother and New Orleans native, Lauren LeBlanc Haydel, initially as an online business. Today she has 8 retail stores and 60 employees. The brand was voted Best of New Orleans by Gambit magazine for 11 years in a row.

Flirty Girl's aim is to make you smile while celebrating the city of New Orleans with shirts, skorts, scarves, jackets, shoes, kitchen and bar glasses, hair accessories, food and spices, soap, together with holiday-and-novelty gifts.

The retailer has become a must-stop for tourists but if you can't make it to New Orleans you can still send some "local love + fun finds" by ordering online, the place where it all began. Perhaps someone on your holiday list could use a smile or has fond memories of the Big Easy.

King Cake Bolt Balm

Ahhh, the only cute alligator is a toy alligator (🐊 see far above👆), but LOOK he's crawling away and headed for the flamingo🦩who should not stand tall and be eaten. Run!! ... run away!!!⚜️

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Athletic Works Socks With Cushion Arch Support

Sometimes it's the mundane inexpensive finds in life that can please or even thrill us. Like socks! Most of us wear socks nearly every day and I like to keep a drawer full of them so I rarely have to do laundry because I'm out of socks. It's also a clothing item I wish to mindlessly machine wash and dry with abandon as I have no desire to baby a pair of socks. So I took a chance on a 10-pack of socks by Athletic Works at Walmart and I really like them! Why spend more when these do everything we need them to do?

The benefits include cushion arch support built into the socks. Although I'm often partial to cotton, 100% cotton socks are not necessarily the best fabric for potentially sweaty feet. These have 87% polyester, 11% cotton, and 1% lycra spandex and are made to wick moisture away from our feet. Ok, great!

What first attracted me to Athletic Works socks was the innovative, compact packet, and what sold me was the arch support. When traveling just toss the packet of socks neatly into a suitcase, then pull them out one pair at a time much like pulling out tissues from a Kleenex box after you reach your destination.

The socks come in an assortment of lengths from no-show, or ankle to crew, or tube; as well as, for men, women, and children; and in enough neutral shades to match your wardrobe.

Don't let the unbeatable value fool you! You get 10 - 12 pairs of socks cheap depending on the style selected. The socks are soft, cozy, and do indeed keep your feet dry. After wearing them for months, I decided to buy some for my senior mother also. She can benefit from arch support too. Have you been paying too much for socks?

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Beer Can Chicken

Photo - istock by Getty

I haven't thought of making Beer Can Chicken in years. My mother is European, and this is definitely Americana home cooking. What I like about this dish is its rub, a lot of it! A tasty and easy dinner to make over the weekend.

Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients For the Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

Photo: allrecipes

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons onion powder

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients for the Basting Spray

1/2 can of the beer

2 cups apple cider

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or whatever vinegar you have)

4 - 5 pound chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil (or butter)

remaining half of beer (and can)

Directions:

1) In a bowl, mix the dry herbs and spices to make the rub.

2) Rub the raw chicken with olive oil (or butter) and then rub the chicken inside and out with the dry spice mixture. Or you can wet the dry rub with beer and smear the mixture all over and inside the chicken as this works too.

3) Pour half the can of beer into a spray bottle with the apple cider and vinegar.

4) Leave about half the beer in the can and insert the can into the cavity of the chicken with the chicken resting on the can.

5) Suburbanites can cook the chicken for 2 hours over a medium hot grill (350 degrees) under a grill cover. City coop dwellers can bake it in the oven for 2 hours resting the can with chicken on a baking pan. The beer keeps the chicken moist, as well as, adds flavor. While cooking you can spritz the chicken with the basting sauce every half hour to give it additional flavor. The sauce adds a hint of sweetness without sugar.

6) The chicken is done when it's golden and crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. Be careful removing it from the grill or oven and lifting the chicken off a very hot tin can onto a serving dish. Wait at least 10 minutes after removal from the heat before cutting.

Enjoy the weekend! Bon Appetit!

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