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Handcrafted Jewellery Anne Carson Design

~ blog from Vancouver

Handcrafted Jewellery Anne Carson Design

Category Archives: Inspirations from the Screen

Show Your Colours

18 Friday Sep 2015

Posted by annecarsondesign in Inspirations from the Screen, New creations

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amethysts, suffragette jewellery, suffragettes

The upcoming premiere of the movie Suffragette reminded me of how women lobbying for the vote wore jewellery to make a point in the polite and wealthy circles of Edwardian England.

The cause was so popular that London jeweller Mappin and Webb, which supplied pricey baubles to royalty, also featured suffragette jewellery in a purple, white, and green stones. Often a combination of pearls, amethysts, and peridot or tourmaline.

ACD-Pic-SufragetteAnne

It’s not surprising they designed gems for a cause since jewellery has always been symbolic. Ask someone about necklace or a bracelet and you’ll often find it comes with a story.

Many of us wear earrings or a pendant to important meetings as a talisman  – something for good luck. Or it can be used to mark important milestones in life, like a wedding, a graduation, or a new baby.

And jewellery has always been a way of showing your colours literally. Rings and pins are often used to signal membership in a group.

Which is what the astute British suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst had in mind in 1908 when she made purple (dignity), white (purity) and green (hope) the colours of women lobbying for the vote. They decorated badges, flyers, and flags and soon the colours were found in hat ribbons, scarves, and jewellery.

ACD-Pic-SuffragetteBadges

I like to think it was because they realized that there’s no reason to believe that running the world should preclude being stylish.

I’ve always been amazed by the courage of these women. They were beaten, jailed, and tortured in that fight to earn a vote, a privilege that 40 per cent of Canadians now ignore in most elections. Although that hard-won battle for the vote may also explain why more women than men vote in Canada and the U.S.

As a nod to the suffragettes, I’ve made some earrings in the purple, green, and white combination along with some layering necklaces with amethyst, peridot, and pearl-and-moonstone. They’re lovely pieces individually, but you can layer them with your other purple, green, and white jewellery when you’re in the mood to show your colours.

ACD-E-Suffragettes

The Suffragette’s Earrings: slices of green tourmaline and amethyst crown a pair of bold, baroque pearls. Limited edition, special order, $250. 

ACD-N-SuffragettePendant

The Suffragette’s Pendant: slices of green tourmaline and amethyst crown a bold baroque pearl. Limited edition, special order, $345. 

You can also put individual layers of the colours together.

ACD-NK-PeridotSingleStrand

A single strand of peridot mixed with decorative sterling silver beads is lovely on its own. Special order, $290

ACD-N-AmethystSingleLayering

And it also comes in purple amethysts. Special order, $225. 

My motto has long been, “speak softly and wear a big necklace.” So as a silent salute to the women who won us the vote, I plan to wear some of my suffragette necklaces when I go to the polls.

~ Anne

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Hot blog alert

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by annecarsondesign in Inspirations from the Screen, Pearls

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Who says my TV watching habit is a waste of time?

It just led me to actress Meghan Markle’s lifestyle blog, The Tig, which shows she is just as stylish as her Suits character Rachel.

rachel-zane-outfit-suits

I’m interested in how costuming reflects character, and there’s a great piece about costume designer Jolie Andreatta, who styles the fabulously soapy Suits. As any fan of the show can tell you, Andreatta’s clothes don’t just hint at who the characters are, they help tell the story.

Andreatta outlines how she dresses the characters, describing Gina Torres (the senior partner clad in couture) as her masterpiece — and it’s not hard to see why.

“Suits are like medieval suits of armor,” Andreatta told Entertainment Weekly. “[They] tell us who the person is, what kind of background they [come from], what kind of status they have.”

The show itself is pure fantasy. The premise is that Mike, played by Canadian actor Patrick J. Adams, is a university dropout with a photographic memory that lets him earn easy money by taking the bar exam for lazy law school grads. Through a variety of coincidences he meets a maverick corporate lawyer, played by Gabriel Macht, who likes breaking the rules for fun. Before you can say caveat emptor Mike is installed as an associate at a high-powered New York law firm. Hijinx ensue.

Macht cuts a dashing, romantic figure dressed in glorious Tom Ford. And as Mike, the unlicensed lawyer, grows more confident so does his wardrobe. His ties get wider; his suits more classic — he’s often seen in Burberry. That’s also true of the paralegal played by Markle, in a wardrobe of pencil skirts, cashmere sweaters, and classic coats by everyone from Valentino and Prada to Burberry.

Harvey&Mike

While we’re on the subject, Markle’s blog is great fun too. A cut above the sort of thing Hollywood actresses seem to be churning out in droves these days. And because Suits is shot in Toronto, many of her food, travel, and fashion finds can be found in-and-around Hogtown.

It’s the perfect hit of style between Suits seasons.

ACD-Greypearls

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No, really, it’s research

26 Saturday Jul 2014

Posted by annecarsondesign in Inspirations from the Screen

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This collar of peacock pearls and amethysts mixed with silver is just the sort of necklace I could imagine Diane Lockhart and Jessica Pearson getting into a high-minded tussle over.

I often watch the glamorous senior partners of TV’s A-list law firms — The Good Wife and Suits — with an eye to the sort of power necklace I’d put on those elegant necks.

Yes, I do call that kind of TV viewing research.

ACD-N-Pyrite&Chain

The wonderful designer suits and dresses are half the fun of these shows about fantasy law firms. And I get distracted imagining necklaces that would complement the outfits and the characters. Half the time I have no idea what is going on in Suits because I’m thinking, “Ooooh, good dress.”

I do wish some stylists would pay more attention to jewellery too. Good jewellery has some presence. It’s subtle, in the way a good fabric or a well-cut suit is subtle, but it makes all the difference in conveying a character’s power on screen. Especially in the era of high def TV.

ACD-B-PyriteBriolette

As Suits’ costume designer Jolie Andreatta told Slate magazine, all the actors are decked out in designer duds — even everyone’s favourite high-powered secretary, Donna, played by Sarah Rafferty — to give the show its luxe look.

“Quality does show on camera: the fabric, the way it stands up,” Andreatta said.

That’s true of jewellery too. The subtle glow of freshwater pearls and the patina of beautiful silver beads can’t be imitated.

ACD-Neck-Chalcedony

ACD-N-Chains&Wings

Although I particularly like Rachel Zane’s working wardrobe of pencil skirts and fitted sweaters in a range of neutral tones, when it comes to statement necklaces, senior partner Jessica is the one to watch. Devoted fans of the show have posted Pinterest boards of some of the best looks. And you can find exactly what the characters wore at blogs like WornOnTV.com.

Would Jessica’s plunging neckline pass muster in a Canadian court? I think not. But a good statement necklace can be worn anywhere and with anything from t-shirts to Chanel.

JessicaPearson

ACD-Neck-SpringChain

ACD-Ads15-RealYou2

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Lady Mary’s necklace

07 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by annecarsondesign in Downton Inspirations, Inspirations from the Screen

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Downton Abbey is airing in the UK this month, I just happen to know, because the publicity photos invariably prompt someone to request a necklace “just like Lady Mary’s.”

I adore the Edwardian era in jewellery and my ropes of semi-precious stones punctuated with silver and marcasite reflect that. So once Downton became a hit, clients made the connection and began requesting Downton-inspired pieces that riff on the show’s vintage jewellery.

Pyrite stones mixed with silver beads:

ImageI rarely do a knock-off since not everything works in the modern era. The cold, hard jet beads that were very popular then just don’t flatter today’s fashions or most complexions. Sometimes that flat black just sucks the colour right out of your face.

But I appreciate the design, so I work with dusky, silvery pyrite beads instead. They have all the sophistication of the black stones but they bring some light to the wearer’s face. And some sparkle. They work a treat to brighten-up that go-to little black dress.

They may not look exactly like the gems found in Lady Mary’s wardrobe, but I like to think that the 1920s fashionista herself would appreciate them. Especially since she’s going to be wearing a lot of black in Season 4. (Matthew’s exit still chokes me up.)

Sparkly, faceted black onyx, mix with silver beads:

ACD-NK-SpinnellOnyx1

 

Another gleaming pyrite and silver necklace

ACD-Neck-PyriteShort

 

Freshwater pearls in purple hues mixed with silver beads and finished with faceted lilac amethysts. Can be worn long or short.

 

ACD-NK-HelenMirren

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Anne Carson Design 
Vancouver, BC, Canada
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