How To Wear Statement Necklaces

 

We have touched on the topic of wearing embellished statement necklaces, in one of our past posts. To show you the practical side of keeping one; wearing a statement necklace can definitely change the look of an outfit, especially when attending special events and formal occasions. Do not limit yourself to wearing fine jewelry from top to bottom, and add spice to your outfit once in a while. It is wise to keep a few key pieces at hand and ready to wear.  

  

 Here are some styling tips to help you visualize how to wear embellished statement pieces.

Wear a statement necklace over your little black dress

A statement necklace can give added "oomph" to a simple outfit

Choose a piece that's comfortable to wear, even with casual outfits

Different statement pieces change the look of a dress

Choose pieces that will go with the majority of your wardrobe

Who says you can't wear a statement piece over a white tank top?

Here are some photos of our clients wearing their own Palamuti statement necklaces.

Muticolored Vinta Necklace

Amatullah and Aurora Necklaces

Reinventing Amatullah

Hiyas in Shades of Blue

Amatullah

Amaya Necklace

Lily of the Valley

Customized Tulip and Dragonfly Necklace

Bringing the Dolls Customized Necklace

Sea- Inspired Necklace

Palamuti by PJ Valenciano

It becomes a blessing when a client asks us to customize pieces that we dream of making. The best part is when they give you the 'go' signal to exercise your creativity. One of the pieces we have been busy conceptualizing and executing, through bead embroidery, is Catherine's necklace. She loves the sea as much as we do, so when she asked us to make a sea-inspired piece, we couldn't help but to jump for joy! 

The first step is to sketch the design. In the process of sketching, I also think of the materials and techniques that we will be using to turn it into a beadwork masterpiece. 
 

Palamuti by PJ Valenciano

Palamuti by PJ Valenciano

Green is Catherine's favorite color. Then we added a yellow accent to break the monotony of green. We improved our beading techniques and decided to focus on texture and depth. As such, the beads were sewn  protruding outwards, as if to mimic the texture of a starfish lying by the corals. 

Each of the elements seen in the finished necklace were handstitched individually in different felt patterns. When finished, we then stitched them all together, forming it into a neckpiece. We also added murano beads in turquoise and white for balance. 

Power Dressing

As human beings we can't help but rely heavily on our visual perception. It is perhaps this innate trait in human nature that gives substance to the  widely used adage that "first impressions last." We believe that both form and substance coexist, or at least, runs parallel in all things.

In 1975,  the book Dress for Success by John T. Malloy hit the shelves of bookstores far and wide. The book focuses on the concept of dressing for success, becoming an instant bestseller. Following its footstep was another book, The Women's Dress for Success. These two books popularized the concept of power dressing; which to date has become a guideline for every professional who wants to climb the corporate ladder. 

The concept of Power Dressing is usually associated with women, although this concept encompasses both sexes. Women have transcended beyond the housewife role, and have taken a big leap forward in the very realms of corporate world, and dressing up for work has evolved from power suit, to sophistication and femininity.  

One way to spice up your corporate outfit is by adding statement pieces.

Give your collared blouse a flair by adding a bib necklace. 

 

Choose pieces that will complement your office wardrobe. You can break the monotony of your outfit by wearing statement pieces ,with a choice of either necklaces or earrings. 

 

Start using accessories in neutral colors, and eventually experiment with colors to give life to a black and white outfit.

After catching their attention with your style, back it up with your personality, to communicate that you have so much more to offer than just being another rank-and-file employee.

 

Fall Fashion 2012: Bloomingdales Tips

The Fall Fashion 2012 is all about accessorizing with bold and glittering colors. Combine and incorporate these accessories with your wardrobe! Watch these videos from Bloomingdales/Howdini Guru, to get tips on what to wear these coming months

Here are some of our accessories which you can use with your wardrobe, in theme with the fashion videos above. All of these accessories are linked together by their glitter and shine: two main characteristics that  best represent the incoming trends of the Fall 2012 Fashion Season.

 

Sapphire Blue Cocktail Ring 

 Sapphire Blue and Green Earrings 

 Ruby Red Collar Necklace with Multi-Color Infusion

 

Ruby Red Hairpiece with Black Infusion

Statement Necklace with a combination of Sapphire Red, Gold, and Sapphire Green

Her Name Was Amatullah

 Trapped in a barren land.

  One once an Empress.

  Now forsaken.

  Lifeless.

In my mind, Amatullah is my empress, a woman refusing to be stereotyped by the norm of what an empress must and should be; defying tradition and in doing so, exiled. However, this does not stop her from continuing to empower women. For when others thought her lifeless, she breathes life to others who are willing to go beyond form and succeeds to live. 

My fascination with patterns led me to create Amatullah, a collection inspired by Islamic geometric patterns. To date it’s my most loved collection. Making the collection served as my initiation to bead embellishment and its possibilities. 

The challenge in creating this collection was translating the patterns into costume jewelry, using mainly seed beads and making it come alive with the play of colors; and how the design would embody the woman I envisioned being Amatullah. - PJV

Conceptualizing Amatullah

The original pieces were hand sewn by yours truly. 

 The pieces below were sewn by our highly skilled crafts women.

 Last design for the  Amatullah Collection

Suit Yourself With Stress-Free Styling

Sometimes, dressing up for work, gathering, or any event can be such a fuss for a woman and days come that we, ladies, wish to take a break from the pain of carefully assembling an astounding mix of clothes and fashion accessories. On some occasion, we’ll always be happy with putting on easy but pretty wardrobe without going that much hassle.

One thing caught my eye , Luanne Dy — one of the beautiful correspondents of Unang Hirit on GMA 7 — was wearing a remarkable neckpiece that glistens over her simple coral-colored dress.

I looked closely and recognized it as Malaya — a refined collection made by Palamuti by PJ Valenciano in commemoration of the Independence Day we all celebrated last June. The shades of Malaya reminded me of the colors of our flag which gave me a feeling of representation. Proudly Filipino, I must say.

I made a mental keynote: a simple dress + an attractive statement necklace = Voila! An appealing guise of unpressured get-up! Surely, this necklace alone can dress up your attire. You can just simply grab the plainest of all pieces in your wardrobe and match it with an eye-catching necklace. It’ll make you a fashion icon, in your world, in no time.

Luanne Dy, wearing Malaya Necklace on GMA7's Unang Hirit

Ali Sotto: Up Close And Personal With Palamuti

On the third week of August, GMA News Tv 11’s veteran host Ali Sotto will be wearing one of our Amatullah Necklaces in the next episodes of “Personalan,” the new drama talk show that features restrained confrontations and real-life issues between different people.

When Ali saw the bibs, she loved the necklace and appreciated the craftsmanship behind the pieces. The first necklace Ali will be wearing is the Amatullah 2 that is deliberately handstitched and polished. This piece, as well as its other counterparts in the collection, took 6 days (eight hours straight each day) to finish.
 
Ali will also be wearing Amatullah 1, a special design that is detailed with geometric shapes figures and interesting colors.

When it comes to accessorizing for her shows, Ali swore by her taste for simple yet classy statement pieces. Most of the items she adores are long necklaces and butterfly accents. Since we at Palamuti specialize on custom-made accessories, we have been given the opportunity to show her a variety of our collections. Among the selections is The Amatullah Collection which is a set of big bib necklaces characterized by colorful geometric patterns that were prevalent as Islamic decorations dating back from various early cultures like Greek, Roman, Asian, and Persian. Local artisan PJ Valenciano was very much fascinated by these artful figures that she incorporated them to her works.

Palamuti by PJ Valenciano will be releasing the full Amatullah Collection on September 2011. The collection was inspired by Geometric Islamic Patterns. Watch Personalan on GMA News Tv to see Ali wearing our necklaces.

Accessorizing anytime, anywhere

Last weekend, I had to be at an event where we were required to wear our national costumes.  It was a Global Leaders Summit attended by YFC's from Canada, Australia, Singapore, Kenya, USA, and the Philippines, and I was part of the production team.  If you are a Filipino commuting from QC to the Mall of Asia in Pasay City, in this unpredictable weather and with a laptop and camera in your backpack, you might have some apprehensions about wearing a Filipiniana costume.  It's really impractical!  And taking a cab will set you back too much, given the horrid traffic in the city.  What's a girl to do?

Then I realized, if there was something that could help me achieve the effect but won't leave me worrying about accidentally tearing the delicate pina of the baro't saya, it was the RIGHT ACCESSORY!

I didn't want to wear a terno or a saya, so i grabbed an old tribal-looking, woven fabric at home--it's probably a table runner--and wrapped it around like a skirt under a black mini.  I wore it with a basic white button-down blouse and completed the look with a huge embellished bib from Palamuti (Stillness of the Butterfly, Wildlife collection) that was beaded in tribal colors too and voila! Instantly cool outfit! It was quite unique, I felt great, and I was 100% comfortable.  I had no trouble moving around the place or commuting either.

Everyday, we get dressed to go to work or to school and sometimes it can be a hassle to look good.  There's always so many things to consider--the event, venue, the weather, the mode of transport.  But if there is one thing that can make you look good without leaving you to sacrifice comfort or safety, it's good accessories!  So whether yours is a statement necklace or eyecatching earrings or a classic belt that cinches the waist, use it to your advantage! You can be practical and still be pretty!

a taste for tribal

A few days ago, we talked a little bit about the Tribal trend that is sweeping THE WORLD! I don't want to oversaturate you with all this gushing, but the ethnic/tribal trend is really one of my favorites.  In the last few years, it has been getting stronger and stronger, particularly during the warmer seasons, and it looks like it has no plan of stopping!

Another great thing about this trend, apart from the beautiful colors and bold and intricate patterns, and the boost it gives to tribal communities, is that it is so easy to incorporate them into ANY wardrobe. seriously!

There are so many versions out there to suit your needs.  If you're a simple gal, you can go with a big statement piece, or something with subtler tribal hints to dress up your minimalist wardrobe.  In fact, this makes the look stronger and really helps the ethnicity of the piece shine through!

You can also go the "traditional" tribal route, which means layering the prints and colors.  For the longest time, we've always been hesitant to use more than one print in an outfit.  But whenever you see the Ifugaos up in the mountains, or even the Badjaos who are playing on the streets in modern clothes styled according to their taste, the explosion of color is always a pleasant surprise.

Girly? Rocker? Serious, no-frills type?  There's a tribal girl in you, roaring to be unleashed. Roaring, get it? eh, oh well!  The joke may be the lame, but the trend is far from it.  Enjoy!  And watch out for the upcoming Gameng ni Maria collection for summer! it's gonna be H-O-T!!!!

The very first piece from Palamuti's Summer 2011 Collection