Stash: Robot

6.29.2010


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I know it has been months since I've updated. Sorry :( But the good news is that I'm updating with a brand new charm, right?

I love, love, love this one! It's so cute and perfect in every way.. it's too top heavy to stand on its own, but the arms and legs do swing. The detail along the joint of the arm is especially cute -- a little crystal on each side, which really compliments the crystal eyes nicely. Juicy really executed the idea of a girlie robot perfectly.

Now I have to divert for a second and rant about the boxes. I was surprised when I opened my package and saw what the new ones looked like. It seems like they removed all metal pieces & supports within the box, which now results in the box opening like this:


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Which I find disappointing, especially because it means I can no longer hang charms by their clasp to take a photo with them in the box. I also think the style is a little more flimsy -- I never really worried about dropping charms while they were in the box before, because the foam provided enough cushion that nothing ever broke, and the clasp ensured that the box didn't pop open on contact. And of course I miss the terry lining.. it is what Juicy is known for, and this new plain pink fabric feels cheap to me. Additionally, it seems like silver charms no longer have a different box than the gold ones (I don't know about the rest of you, but this is going to make organizing my collection even harder than it already is).

I'd be willing to bet that this was a cost cutting measure, but notice how the price of charms didn't drop at all? :/ As much as I love Juicy charms, everyone has their point of no return. I'm not saying that I've reached that point yet, but this box thing coupled with increasing prices and reduced quality has me double and triple thinking every charm I want.

Price: 52.00
Box: Brown/Pink (New Style; No Clasp)
Code: YJRU4249

Stash: Chihuahua

3.25.2010


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Put a fork in me, I'm done.

I LOVE this charm. I don't really have too much to say about it, because it's all right there for you to see. Great bronze-gold color on the body, little white paws capped off with gold pads, happy stance, face is spot on, and the collar is such a nice detail. Maybe a tad too big, but then again most small dogs have collars that look huge on them.

Chihuahuas aren't for everyone (I adore them), but I think this charm won't last all that long. It's very different from any Yorkie charm they've ever put out, and lots of younger girls are geared toward small dogs. Personally, I bought two -- one for me and one for Little E, whose own chihuahua looks almost exactly like this charm. I can see Juicy putting out an entire line of different breeds of dogs!

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3815

Stash: Pave Blue Bird

3.24.2010


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Even though I have a ton of older charms that I should be posting first, I had to drop everything when this came yesterday.

I love birds. It's no secret. The only bird charm I haven't bothered to pick up yet is the new caged one -- and that's only because it's almost identical to the older one, save for replacing the weird red rooster birds with lovebirds.

There wasn't much time at all between when this charm started popping up on eBay and when it was actually released. I love when that happens -- it's fun to be surprised by what Juicy puts out! My favorite thing about this charm is the blue color. You can see in the third photo that there's a very distinct change between the lighter blue color and the darker blue around the tail area. It transitions from a pretty sky blue cream to this translucent oceany blue. I want handbags in this color. I want shoes in this color. I want sheets and plates and socks and towels and nail polish and soap and wrapping paper in this color.

You'll notice that the tail has two different sides; one is straight color and the other is pave crystals in blue and green. I like both side equally and I'm glad that they did it this way.

The chest and face area is very reminiscent of the sparrow (which is one of my favorite charms). I love that they didn't overkill the whole charm with too many crystals, and I think that the tan branch it's clinging on to is a nice touch. The change in color really makes the blue stand out that much more.

Zero complaints about this one. I don't even care that it's silver. Please, Juicy, remake this in a wide assortment of colors so I can have a whole aviary in my closet!

Price: 52.00
Box: Silver/Pink
Code: YJRU3871

Diversion: Gummy Bear Bracelet

3.21.2010


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It's okay if you want to squeal a little bit. After all, gummy bear jewelry is very hard to come by.

A few weeks ago I was in Claire's, searching for a birthday gift for my 9 year-old cousin (Little E!). I hardly ever buy anything for myself from Claire's, apart from nail polish. The store is geared to the younger age range, while its sister store The Icing aims for teens and young adults. Truth be told, I'm probably too old to be looking for something in either store, but whatever.

Anyway! There they were, hanging around near the front. Gummy bear bracelets, necklaces, and small plastic bags. I was instantly enamored. They're bright, colorful, and just so cute! How could anyone not love them?

I passed on the necklace because it was kind of awkward; the same amount of Gummy bears, strung evenly across the front. I don't think it's something that anyone over the age of 10 could pull off well. The bags didn't really get my attention either, because they just felt so cheaply made.

The red, orange, and yellow bears all seem to be extremely similar in color under low-lighting situations. But with a good amount of light you can definitely see the difference -- I just love the whole rainbow effect you get when the colors are ordered like that!

Sure, this bracelet isn't pure silver and gemstones but for the price (under $10) it's perfect. I wore it in celebration of all things whimsical when I went to see Alice in Wonderland (the 3-D version is amazing!) and got compliments on it left and right. I stopped in at Claire's again this past Friday, to see about picking one or two more up for friends. Not surprisingly, they had sold out of the bracelets. So you better hurry up and nab one before they're all gone! Gummy bears don't last forever, you know. ;)

Diversion: Leather Buckle Bracelets


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Don't worry. I haven't jumped off the Juicy charm wagon or anything like that. I had some other stuff lined up that I wanted to talk about and now that I have some time (it's so good to see you again, Spring Break) I will!

I found these really cute little leather wrap bracelets at Target. I believe they're from the Hollywood Intuition line and run around $11 for a set of four. I only saw the one color scheme, but I'd be ecstatic if they came in a wider variety of colors.

These are very basic bracelets that can be mixed and matched to suit almost any outfit you have. The snap/buckle closure can be a little stiff but it's no big deal. The brown bracelet at the top is turned so you can see the snap and holes to adjust to your own size. I'd say that on the last snap these bracelets are easily 8", if not 8 1/2 - 9.

I really love the faux pearl detail all the way around. The blue and brown bracelets are especially stunning. I love to scour Target for all kinds of things, but jewelry isn't usually one of them. I was very pleasantly surprised to see these, and hope they come out with more.

Diversion: MOP Flower Earrings

2.19.2010


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If you're anything like me, I know exactly what just went through your mind: omg omg omg! NEED!

Just look at them! Pearly aqua and blue flower petal earrings, a perfect match to the white and midnight Garden Party rings. Right?? YES!

But you feel like something is off. How can this be, when you've pretty much seen the lineup for spring pieces and although this would fit in there perfectly, there's no way it would be out without you having heard something, right? And where are all of the coordinating pieces in the same oceany hues?

Well, for starters, these earrings are not Juicy Couture. Yeah, you heard me right. They're a spitting image of our beloved MOP flower but they're definitely not Juicy. So who made them? The answer is probably going to surprise you as much as it surprised me.


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In case you didn't catch that, they're by Charlotte Russe. Better yet, they have 3 different colors out. I suppose that I should be a little peeved that some other company practically cloned Juicy's design, but I'm not. Not even in the slightest.

I love this flower design. It may be my favorite non-charm design of all time. I have both wish necklaces, both rings, earrings, and bracelets. I can't get enough of the MOP flower. So if someone else is going to give me a few more I'm not going to argue.

I haven't even told you the best part yet! These are only $6 a pair. Better still, Charlotte Russe's earrings are 2 for $8. You can have two pairs for roughly 1/4 the price of one pair of Juicy earrings.

I'm not knocking Juicy down here. I'm sure that their materials are of a higher quality (though possibly only slightly), and their packaging sure is nicer. But Charlotte Russe really beat them to the punch with these. They're bigger (about the size of a quarter), come in more colors, and cost significantly less.

These are the only three versions I could spot; I have no idea if they have other colors out there. The blue and black are particularly stunning. The peach ones are sweet, but if you're only going to get two I say skip them. Since the earring promo was 2 for $8, I picked up one other pair:

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These are WAY prettier in person. There's a very subtle amber shimmer that runs through the white in the middle.

I was really thrilled to have found these. I actually went into Charlotte Russe looking for nail polish, of all things. These just happened to catch my eye while I was checking out the accessories section. Normally I never get the really good deals. I have no problem finding amazingly cute things before they're sold out or hard to find, but getting them for a good price is an entirely different thing. I wish we had more than one Charlotte Russe in Hawaii so I could see if there are more out there.

What do you think? Good or bad that Juicy's gorgeous flower design is popping up elsewhere?

Limited Edition: Goose


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A tisket, a tasket!

Sorry that my goose charm appears to have only one foot. I promise you that it has two. I really should have taken pictures from the front and the back, but the light was disappearing outside.

So, you know me and animal charms. I love them! The goose is no exception, even if its back end is shaped a little strangely. The egg inside is a fantastic detail; I love that it has small crystals on it instead of being just plain gold.

My favorite part of this charm is the pearly white finish. The flash in my picture washes it out but it's very subtle and just so pretty. Now let's talk about the two things I don't like: the stamp on the butt and the snap. Juicy usually places a logo (either the banner or the crown) somewhere on each charm. I think the crown might have looked better on the chest area than the butt. And the snap is something I always take issue with. Some are too loose, some are too tight, and some can go from being too tight to too loose with just one drop. Like mine did this afternoon when I was taking it out to photograph it.

This charm flew off S&C's website like nobody's business. In fact, I never even saw it and I had been obsessively checking the site for days! So I just picked it up when I went to the Juicy boutique today, and swallowed the full cost. Why? Because the Prince Charming swan charm (which I have.. somewhere.. and am dying to find it and post photos because it's so adorable) will run you about $150-$200 on eBay these days. Animal charms, the bird ones in particular, always climb in value once they're gone. This one being a limited edition will only increase the value and is definitely worth picking up.

LE Tag Year: 2010
Price: 52.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3743

Diversion: Pansy Ring


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Grrr. The best intentions, right? I really spaced out on the posting-once-a-day thing. But unfortunately for you and me both, real world things have to come before blogging. :(

Anyway. CHECK THIS BABY OUT! I was waiting and waiting and waiting for this to show up on any website besides Neiman Marcus and it just wasn't happening. I caved in and called Juicy to see if they had it in stores, and sure enough they did.

I won't lie to you; this ring looks significantly better in photos than it does in person. That's not to say that it isn't gorgeous, because it is. It just doesn't exactly have that amazing color depth that it appears to. I absolutely love this ring, though. It is huge; it covers from the base of my ring finger all the way up to the knuckle. The sizes also seem to run a little on the big side. Juicy usually stocks their non-adjustable rings in sizes from 6-8.

Unfortunately, there were no promotions going on that I knew of when I went to the boutique so I got stuck paying the full price. That definitely stung a little bit, especially since I have become pretty accustomed to nabbing things from S&C at a 20% discount. It's hit and miss when it comes to knowing if you'll be able to wait it out for a sale. The white MOP flower ring from a few seasons back stuck around for awhile, but never seemed to go on sale and then vanished entirely. The re-released darker fall version, however, lingered around long enough to be marked down before it was gone.

The pansy was a good choice of flower for this spring, especially since Alice In Wonderland is hitting theaters in a few weeks. This ring is definitely Alice-esque!

Price: 88.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3728

Stash: Pink Roses

1.07.2010


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New Year's isn't even a distant thought yet and they're already rolling out the Valentine's Day stuff. Although I guess this charm doesn't have to be for Valentine's Day specifically..

This is an odd charm. Don't get me wrong because I really really like it. I love that the clear plastic almost acts as a prism out in the sun, I love the metal roses, and I love the thin wiry stems. The colors are vibrant and gorgeous, the bow is the perfect size, and the crystal in the middle really hits one out of the park when the charm is in the sun.

But this one won't be for everyone. I'm well aware of how prone that shiny shiny plastic is to scratching, and how easy it would be for one of the stems to bend or even snap off. Plus I'm a little puzzled as to why the clasp is in the middle -- when worn it hangs completely upside down! That's disappointing.

Still, I like it quite a bit and can't wait for the alleged Prom Queen bouquet to be released so I can take pictures of all three together. A word of caution if you plan on getting this one: mine came from S&C and the roses are totally off-center within the casing (a Juicy manufacturing error, not S&C's fault). So much so that one of the rose's edges is just barely poking out of the side. Really barely; it's more just like a blemish in the plastic. Also, this charm is a pain to get clasped back in the box!

Price: 48.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3788

Stash: Ferris Wheel

1.06.2010


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Okay. My pictures are a little funny because I can't get the exact dimensions right so clicking on them to see them full size would be a good idea.

I. Love. This. Charm. Failure it is not! At least, not in my opinion.

What I love the most are the colored stones on the outside of the ferris wheel. Just look at them! They used gorgeous colors, even though I could stand without the mixture of pastel and primary stones. The gold is a perfect choice to accent the clear crystals and the white pearls (eight little dangling ones, made to represent the seats I presume).

The ferris wheel does indeed spin around, same as the carousel charm. I know this is going to seem like a super short entry, but that's how it usually is when I'm ecstatic about them. There are very few complaints concerning this charm! You might have problems with the pearls occasionally catching along the bottom of the charm, but it's not a big deal at all. Unless your plans are to just sit around and spin it all day, of course.

Also, I'd be pretty careful with this charm. It's totally packed with crystals and we all know how hard they can be to find an exact match to and replace.

It's getting harder and harder to gauge whether charms will sell out or not. The panda had all of the makings of a hit but it's still plentiful everywhere you look. I personally think this one will become hard to find and highly valued - it moves, almost every inch is covered in sparkle, and they've never made a charm like this before. Perhaps Juicy has been producing more and more charms? I'm not sure. Either way, grab this one if you like it if for no other reason than that you want it!

Price: 58.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3615

Limited Edition: Ring (Purple Neiman Marcus Exclusive)

1.04.2010


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Much like the shoe, purse, and snowflake charms I'm not really one for the ring charms either. Juicy has done several different versions of the engagement ring, and I think I only have two including this one.

But there is a very good reason for having this one: it's the only colored stone they've done on an engagement ring charm. And it's beautiful. I purposely used flash on the third photo so you could see just how many colors are hiding inside of the purple stone.

I really love the detailing along the inner sides of the ring. It's intricate and rather than overwhelming the entire piece, it really elevates the purple stone and brightens everything up.

Now the bad news, as there usually is with older charms. This was a limited edition piece made exclusively for Neiman Marcus in 2008. That means that even if this charm had made it to the sale tables it would have eventually gone to Neiman Marcus Last Call outlets (of which there are quite a few less), not Juicy outlets. Your odds of finding this in a retail establishment are about as good as Juicy re-releasing the original globe. You will have to resort to the secondary market for this one, and it is still hard to come by. Prepare to pay (on average) double MSRP!

LE Tag Year: 2008
Price: 38.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU1729
Misc: Produced exclusively for Neiman Marcus; make sure their logo is on the tag.

The First (and Only?) Juicy Charm List

One of the greatest mysteries when it comes to Juicy charms is authenticity. If you're new to collecting then sometimes you're unsure of which charms Juicy actually made and which ones they did not. Even for those of us who have been collecting a long time there are still lingering doubts on some of the oldest charms.

Have no fear, though! There's an answer to your problems. Rebecca (the famed Lvbabydoll for you PFers and a sweet, sweet friend) spent a great deal of time compiling information and photos on every charm she could find, creating the first comprehensive list for Juicy Couture charms.

I'm posting a link below to her blog, where you can find the information on how to get the list. It's totally free but you need a valid e-mail address to obtain the list. Throw a little love Rebecca's way for all of the hard work she put into it!

Rebecca's blog:
http://ritzeerebel.blogspot.com/

Post on how to get the list:
http://ritzeerebel.blogspot.com/2010/01/favorite-blog-1.html

On The Horizon: Pansy Ring

Again I must take a slight detour from the world of charms to rave about something else.

The Pansy Ring popped up on Neiman's website not too long ago, along with a whole other slew of spring jewelry pieces by Juicy. I may be more excited about this ring than I am about any of the upcoming charms (including the chocolate bunny!).

It's gorgeous. Of course this is only a stock photo but I just can't stop myself from tripping head over heels for it. I love the blending of the purple hues and the almost-black color that is skirting around the edges of the petals. I'm sure that the large crystal in the middle will attract an insane amount of sparkle, and I love that smaller crystals are intermittently sprinkled all over.

I'm also excessively happy that this ring isn't "adjustable" and comes in sizes 6, 7, and 8. Ship date is listed in February; pay no mind to the "back order" status that nearly every item has. The pieces aren't actually back ordered, this is just Neiman's way of letting you know that things are immediately available for shipping. You can check out this ring and all of the other upcoming accessories by Juicy on Neiman's Juicy New Arrivals Page.

Diversion: Pave Petals Flower Ring

1.02.2010


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Oh. No.

The Neiman Marcus website has a window into Juicy's spring offerings and I have to tell you, it's kind of thrilling.

On the horizon are a plethora of flower rings. If Juicy can really hit something out of the park, it's flowers. Their Garden Party lines have sold out repeatedly, and fetch some big dollars on the secondary market. I suspect that this spring's line won't go quite as quickly, seeing as how many pieces they're putting out.

Some are already available and this is one of them (though this came from Nordstrom's, not Neiman's). Behold the Pave Petals Flower Adjustable Ring! So many beautiful elements! Cannot.. contain.. excitement!

Let's get the box talk out of the way. Appealing packaging is a great marketing move; I'm not too proud to admit that I'm shallow and have caved in to things based purely on their packaging once or twice. The box itself looks a little boring from the outside - standard cylinder shape with a lid and some girly designs scrawled on there. When the lid comes off, however, it's a completely different story. A pink rose full of soft petals blooms as soon as it's released and, voilĂ ! A creamy white flower with pave crystals sprinkled on the petals is revealed.

The pave petals are kept to a minimal two; this is good. Any more and they might become overwhelming. The larger crystal in the center is very eye-catching and looks amazing in the sun. I forgot to take pictures of the band, but Juicy's idea of 'adjustable' is really only adjustable to a certain point. There is a solid band that is probably a size 8 with a smaller, thin sideways C shape inside of it. This is the part that's adjustable. It's hard to explain, but the smaller band inside will expand or shrink with your finger to hold the ring on.

Don't expect to wear this ring on your pinkie; not only is it huge (maybe about an inch across, if not a little more), but it's heavy. Your hand will definitely feel unbalanced if it's not on one of your three inner fingers.

As much as I love Juicy's rings, they are always way way way too expensive and aren't usually stocked on websites that offer frequent discounts, like S&C or SBB. Juicy has been offering a lot more in-store promotions lately, but they're sporadic and sometimes don't apply to regularly priced jewelry.

Price: 78.00
Box: Round Pink Rose
Code: YJRU3625

Stash: Carousel


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So maybe this charm fell a little short of everyone's expectations. The stock photos are terrible (really, Juicy.. hire someone to do justice to these things) and flat disproportionate ponies are not what one thinks of when they hear "carousel!"

But you have to give this one a chance. I promise you several things: first, it looks SO much better in person than it does in any picture you're going to see of it, and second, there is a lot of great detail in this charm that's hard to capture.

My favorite thing on this charm is the top. Which sounds weird, but it just has that classic "big top" kind of feel to it. Black and cream (not white, as the pictures suggest) stripes that all tie together nicely at the top give it a more modern spin. There is also a black and cream striped pole that runs down the center of the charm; you can see it barely peeking out from behind the horse in the first picture.

The horses themselves are my main disappointment with this charm. Carousels should be a huge source of inspiration; they've had everything from horses to zoo animals to movie and book characters. So why just horses? I'm not sure. What's worse is that they're totally flat! I'm sure this was more of a physical constraint than a design flaw; I can't imagine that it would have been easy or cost efficient to make fully 3-D horses that small. The pink color ties in nicely with the black and white, and each one is anchored by a crystal set in the middle.

Each horse is attached to a twisted golden pole. This is one of those little details that I'm talking about; it really contributes playfulness to the charm. There's also a ring of crystals that run all the way around the bottom, and let's not forget that the horses DO spin around on this one!

Overall, I do like this charm a lot. I think I've said it a few times before, but my childhood bedroom was nothing but carousel horses for 10 years. Even if this had been a completely ugly charm (like the prototype photos many of us saw floating around a few months ago) I still would have gotten it just for the sake of nostalgia. If you're going back and forth on this one you should definitely go check it out in person before deciding. The price is slightly absurd, but I can kind of understand it for a charm that has a moving piece. Still, seek out all possible discount codes and websites before committing to the MSRP!

Price: 58.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3614

Limited Edition: 2009 Snowflake

1.01.2010


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I've never been particularly interested in the Snowflake charms, despite this being the only charm so far that Juicy changes every winter season. The concept is great; it immediately creates a set for anyone who is ambitious enough to get them every year.

Even though I love snow, they just never swayed me enough to spend the money on them. Not to mention that they all kind of looked the same, even if they were different. However, I was totally sold on the 2009 Snowflake when I saw it in person.

Perhaps because it looks more like a starbust than an actual snowflake? Whatever the reason, it's gorgeous. It has a wild amount of sparkle! The size crystals that Juicy chose for the tips of the flake are amazing; they're so big you don't even need much light for this charm to shine. 6 lines with pave crystals come streaming out from the center to add a little big of weight to the otherwise delicate lines holding the larger crystals in place. Even the back of this charm is pretty -- how often can you say that??

If you haven't picked this one up yet but are feeling like you should, then you're in luck. The ones that are left have made it to sales tables, and are discounted on websites (check Nordstroms.com!). I am fairly confident in saying that this particular charm will not be reissued; Juicy has been putting out a different Snowflake every year and doesn't do repeats of these, that I'm aware of.

LE Tag Year: 2009
Price: 58.00
Box: Gold/Pink
Code: YJRU3317
 
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