Manolo Jewelry

Aaaaannnnnnddddd….back to Earth.

That was fun, wasn’t it?

Sure, I’d love to get all of those ridiculously lovely and extravagant gifts (from my prior post) for Christmas.  Will I? Heck, no. Am I upset about that? Of course not — hence the word “fantasy” in the title.  I’d also love to have a flat belly, a high, round bum, and the skin that I had at age 16. But some stuff just isn’t going to happen, and to be upset over it would be beyond silly.

However, the fun thing about the holidays is that there are all kinds of lovely and fun things to buy for others and to covet for yourself, at most every price point. So you can still have lots of fun wishing and hoping and giving, and in some ways, it’s even MORE fun, because these gifts can ACTUALLY happen!  So, without further ado, here’s my more realistic list of things that would be just delightful to find under one’s tree:

1. A pearl pendant necklace.

I adore the sheen and luminosity of pearls, but a full pearl strand is a little too buttoned-up for my current tastes. This necklace is less formal, but is still very elegant. And the chain, being rose and yellow gold, and silver, makes it a very versatile piece that can be worn with just about anything and worn by just about anybody, from you to your mother-in-law to your sister.

2.  Colourful little earrings

These are subtle and sweet, but add a nice pop of colour. And I love the shape: girly, but not twee. A perfect gift for your teenage niece, or for yourself as a reward for checking off your list!

3.  A pretty scarf.

My name is La Petite Acadienne, and I have a scarf addiction. It started out innocently enough, with just the odd scarf here or there, but now it’s starting to take over my life. I have some scarves that only go with one item of clothing in my closet. I do NOT, however, own an orange scarf. And I love orange. So I can TOTALLY justify adding this to my collection, right? Right? And if not, I know my mom would love it, and then I can borrow it!  Win-win!

4. A useful book.

If, like me, you thought that cleavage and girdles were something you only see in the mirror, then wouldn’t it be nice to have this handy-dandy reference book that gives you a nice overview of various gemstones, their characteristics and how to identify them? This is one of those books that I think most anybody would at least find interesting at worst, and utterly fascinating at best.

5.  I still want my housekeeper.

6.  Stuff that smells good.

I have absurdly thick hair. Seriously. Any time I’ve been to a new stylist, I can pretty much guarantee that in the first 30 seconds of the shampoo, I will hear the phrase,  “You have a LOT of hair.”  It goes without saying that my hair tends to take up a lot of room on this Earth. Anything that can make it less large is great. Anything that can make it less large AND make it smell so good that I want to spend all day with my ponytail in front of my nose? Even better. And this stuff definitely fits the bill. I got this stuff for my own sister a few years back. She loved it and used every single drop.

7. A funky little bracelet.

If you know (or are) a lover of all things steampunk, or if you just want something that is not “girly” but not too heavy, then this bracelet is something a little different from anything you may have seen before.

Happy shopping!!!

LPA

Happy Thanksgiving to La Petite Acadienne’s American friends! And to you non-Americans, if you’re utterly bored due to most other blogs being pretty much devoid of comments today, feel free to come by here and hang out and chat!

So…for what item of jewelry are YOU most thankful?

Bisous,

LPA

Tonight I was rummaging through the box of jewelry that I no longer wear but that I hang on to for sentimental purposes, and I came across two class rings: my own from high school and my dad’s from university.

I don’t wear my dad’s, because it’s too big for even my thumbs. I hang onto it, though, as the Wee One might like to someday have his grandfather’s class ring.

I don’t wear my own, because I feel that I’ve outgrown it.  Not in size. In spirit.

It’s a simple design, rather girlie, with a faux garnet in the centre (my birthstone, which worked out well considering that red was our school colour.)

But is it the design that I’ve outgrown? Or do I just feel that I’ve outgrown it, due to the fact that I am a very different person from whom I was back in 1993?

Class rings, by the way, were thought to originate with the class of 1835 at West Point.  And according to etiquette, once you’ve graduated, you should wear your ring with the crest or insignia facing away from you, symbolizing that you’re entering the wider world outside of school.

I see some people my age walking around still wearing their class rings (usually they’re the ones wearing the uber-cool St. Francis Xavier University ring.)  I envy them their cool class ring, but also wonder if wearing your class ring is a way of hanging on to a younger, more carefree time, possibly preventing you from fully living in the here and now.

What are your thoughts on wearing your class ring? Do you wear yours? Why or why not? (And is yours as unspeakably nifty as the X-Ring?)

Bisous,

LPA

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

– Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae

For the most part, this blog will talk about jewelry that goes in one’s ears, on one’s fingers, or around one’s neck or wrists.

However, there is also some lovely and interesting jewelry that goes…elsewhere.

Body modification is one of those things that is considered perfectly acceptable in our culture…up to a point. Pierced ears? Goodness, yes. We even do that to infants! Multiple piercings in the ears? Maybe a tad rebellious, but nothing to really raise an eyebrow. Speaking of eyebrows, those can be pierced too. And of course, we have the ubiquitous navel piercing. Yes, I have one, as my sister peer-pressured me into it one bone-numbingly cold February day. And no, I no longer wear anything in it.

As Generation X gets a bit older and starts to wield some power in society, things that were once considered Career-Limiting Moves, like visible tattooing and piercings, are starting to become more and more acceptable.

However, depending on one’s industry, there ARE still limits.

A discreet nose stud may still garner  frowns if you work for a bank, while a talon labret may result in no more than shrugs if  you work in arts, music or entertainment.

Personally, I think that a lot of body jewelry is very attractive.  It may even be something that I consider, down the road, when my career is established enough that I can officially Not Give a Damn.

As far as other people’s choices, there are definitely some body piercings that I would never get in a million years. There are some body piercings that make me think, “Ooh…he is SO gonna regret that when he’s 55.” However, I pretty firmly adhere to the philosophy of “Hey, it’s your body, so whatever makes you happy.”  And if stretching your earlobes out with holes the size of nickels makes you all atwitter with delight, then who am I to rain on your parade?

What do you think of body piercings? Lovely, or loathsome?

Bisous,

LPA