Diversion: Gummy Bear Bracelet

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

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

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.

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:

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?

Diversion: Pansy Ring

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

Diversion: Pave Petals Flower Ring

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, voilà! 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

Diversion: Rainbow Heart Studs

When I saw these on Nordstrom's website I didn't hesitate for even a second. It could have been the impatience of the holiday shopping season creeping around, or it could just have been that these were too cute to pass up.

What's not to love? Color? Check. Hearts? Check. Sparkly? Check! If these earrings (and the rainbow charm and rainbow wish necklace) are any indication of what Juicy's spring and summer lines look like then I'm doomed for sure. I love bright, happy stuff and these fit right into that category.

The earrings are studs, and they're quite small -- maybe half the size of my pinkie finger? Absolutely perfect for adding just a drop of cheerfulness to work outfits. Click here to check them out on Nordstrom's site.

Price: 42.00
Box: Brown/Pink
Code: YJRU3642
Misc: The bottom of the box reads Heart w/Rainbow Studs. I titled my post differently because it looked weird writing it out that way.

Diversion: Betsey Johnson Duck Necklace

I have returned! And with a little something special for today.

I've said it before and I'll say it many times more -- I love rubber duckies. When Nordstrom's holiday catalog appeared in my mailbox I found it stuffed with a whole Snow Bunny line from Betsey Johnson that I was swooning for as soon as I saw it. So when I went to check out the pieces online I found this little guy! Why, oh why Betsey Johnson, are there not more duck pieces??

Look at him. Or her? I'm not sure, but I have a tendency to make all animals male at first sight. Anyway, I have included two different sets of pictures because it's really rainy and overcast today which is my kind of weather, but makes for lousy pictures. The first two were taken with flash and you can really see how vibrant the colors are. The other three are natural light and may wash him out, but bring the details into better focus.

The classic yellow color on this one is perfect. It's bright and cheery and is accentuated quite nicely by the gold and orange detail on the wings. Be sure to click on the second picture to enlarge it so you can really get a sense of how amazing the blue eyes are. Perfectly clear ocean blue crystals really bring the face to life, in addition to the gold and orange beak. Topping off the head is a cute silver crown that is adorned with very small fuchsia crystals and orange hearts. But my favorite detail of all? The pearl necklace. At first glance it really looks like your standard little addition of pearls but when I was going through my photos I noticed small fibers on the back of the duck. At first I figured it was dust or an errant cat hair but then I realized that the pearls are actually on their own string and are tied in the back. That's right. The duck is wearing it's own pearl necklace. That kind of detail isn't something you see very often; usually these things are solidly attached in some way or another. This is both good and bad; good because it's just such a sweet finishing touch (to me) and bad because it increases the potential for the little pearls to pop off, and the string lends itself to fraying (hence the fibers). You can see the knot in the last picture.

I adore this ducky necklace. It's double stranded, all gold colored, and the second strand holds just a single crystal that doesn't overwhelm the charm. In fact I was so enamored with this that I totally forgot about the Snow Bunny line! Another bonus for this necklace is the price -- you really can't beat that these days.

Price: 35.00
Found at: Nordstrom.com (direct link to product page)

Diversion: Open Heart Rope Bracelet

I wrote about these some time ago, and did pick them up at the boutique right after they'd been released. I passed on the black version but the small percentage of me with OCD is wishing that I hadn't.

I love, love, love the pink one! It's the most feminine shade of pink there is and makes for a sweet, flirty piece when combined with the open gold heart. The white isn't white so much as it is a very light cream or beige -- it's hard to tell from the pictures, but it definitely should not be described as white. For that reason alone I was a little disappointed with it, but got it anyway. The logo detail on the side is very subtle and small; you really can't see it unless you're specifically looking for it.

One thing to note is that, even when opened fully, these bracelets are fairly small. If you can wear the average sized bangle you shouldn't have a problem getting one of these on, and can cinch it up as much or as little as you need to. I wear mine as fitted as I can since I think they look quite odd when left all the way pulled open.

Pink
Price: 35.00
Box: None -- they come in small plastic bags
Code: YJRU3001

White
Price: 35.00
Box: None -- they come in small plastic bags
Code: YJRU3003

Diversion: Bow Bracelet

This popped up on the New Arrivals page at Neiman Marcus. I was intrigued, but to tell you the truth it looks better from far away (or, in this case, I guess smaller)

The colors -- or lack thereof -- are rather dull and the textures of the ribbon leave something to be desired. Still, I'm intrigued and wonder what this will look like in person and on the wrist.

Asking price is $78, which I find to be rather ridiculous. Even starter bracelets don't cost that much and have a more versatile purpose. If I do end up liking this when I see it in person I'll be searching for it at a sizable discount.

Diversion: Garden Party Ring

If you're new to the world of Juicy, you might not know what a feat it was to get your hands on a piece from the Garden Party line last year. My sweet friend Lulu shares my pain, as several e-mails flew back and forth between us whenever we found the pieces online. Even as they were being sold in stores, pieces on eBay were going for twice the MSRP! I passed on the bracelet, which I occasionally regret, but did grab the ring when it was available on the Neiman Marcus website.

Even though this ring is HUGE and busy, I really do love it. It reminds me of the flower scenes in Alice in Wonderland, where the area is packed with color and cheer (well, up until a certain point anyway). I especially love the one lone pearl thrown in at the bottom - you would think that it would seem out of place but it fits in smoothly with the white coloring that takes up a big portion of the ring.

My only complaint about this ring is that it's so chunky and flashy that it's definitely not an everyday ring. You really need to have a coordinating outfit or look to wear it, otherwise it appears really out of place. Unless you have the matching bracelet, you also will want to avoid other jewelry when you've got this on, or risk looking too accessorized (yes, I believe there is such a thing!).

I do have bad news for you if you're hunting for this ring: the average price on eBay hovers consistently in the $130 range. Unfortunately there's really no chance of finding this at outlets, since it sold out almost immediately when it was brand new.

Price: 88.00
Box: Pink/Brown
Code: YJRU1859

Diversion: Pearl Logo Earrings

Since the first time I saw my mother's pearl necklace I've been enamored with the sweet, classic look that pearls lend. So when I saw these at Nordstrom's last year I knew I had to have them.

I'm not often crazy about items that are covered in logos, so I was a little hesitant when I picked these up. Once I actually had them on, however, the print was barely noticeable. I've worn them countless times since and as you can see, they're still in mint condition. These studs are the perfect size (I couldn't tell you what mm they are, but they're no wider than a pinkie nail in any direction) and the white color makes them easy to match to any outfit or occasion. A gold version featuring the crown logo stamped on each pearl also came out around the same time, although they weren't nearly as appealing to me as these were.

Price: 42.00
Box: Pink/Brown
Code: YJRU1536

Diversion: Pretzel Earrings

I know that many of you are excited about the pretzel charm. I'm on the fence about it, but I'm sure it'll come home with me eventually. However, as soon as I saw these I knew I should post them.

I may even like these earrings more than the charm - they're quite dainty (as Juicy's stud earrings usually are) and will, most likely, look like a loose knot unless you're standing close.

The price is a little steep, coming in at $42. That may put a pinch in the wallets of those of you who are nuts about pretzels, since the charm is the same price. But look at them! Super tiny golden pretzels! Yeah, alright, I've convinced myself. I guess I'll be adding these to the list, too.

Diversion: Open-Heart Rope Bracelet

I have something to confess: I'm not exclusive to Juicy charms. Some of you are, many of us aren't and I have a great love for most of Juicy's merchandise, despite how frilly and high-maintenance their stuff can feel some times. I digress.

This bracelet is going on my summer list of "musts" for several reasons. One? Pink. Two? Heart! Three? Well, just look at it. It also comes in white, and I think they'd both make a sweet little bonus detail for any outfit and any occasion. The heart also happens to match a pearl necklace that I just received, so that may have something to do with my fanfare. I'm also excited about the simplicity of the detail - no little baubles and beads hanging off the rope, and the rope itself is quite orderly (which I so appreciate). The price ($35) is reasonable enough that I may just have to get it in both colors.

What do you think?