Bario-Neal opens a showroom in NYC!!! (Sponsored by, erm, Bario-Neal)

Hello, internet. Hello, world! Helloooooo, New York City....

We are Bario-Neal Jewelry and we are excited to announce the opening of our New York City showroom in lower manhattan. 

Bario-Neal is committed to environmental responsibility, ethical sourcing, and marriage equality. Our work is handmade in Philly with recycled metals and responsibly-sourced gemstones. We are also happy to work with your heirloom stones or recycle your precious metals in our bands. 

The new location offers our custom design services and showcases Bario-Neal’s collections. It’s important for us to be able to work with our customers on a personal level as they search for the right wedding band, engagement ring, or special pair of earrings. With our new space, we look forward to being able to better serve (& get to know) our New York-based customers.

The showroom is only by appointment, but we are having an opening party! Stop by and check it out November 7th from 5-8pm, at 195 Chrystie St., #900A.

Editor's Note: Anna and Page sent me a whole bunch of images to choose from for this post. Rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets (yes, they make all those things, too!).

But it's the RINGS RINGS RINGS RINGS RINGS RINGS RINGS that blow me away every time -- both Bario-Neal's custom work (custom designs begin at $500, see three examples pictured at top) and the engagement rings + bands from their current collection (rings pictured are priced between $255-4400).

I'm so into this.

I'm having a chain moment.

Chain chain chain chain chain.

Vertigo Necklace, Silver Ombre Plankton Bracelet + Ombre Fountain Earrings from Melbourne Metal Collective

Accessorize Me

Dear ESB,

I'm the girl who commented on this post, bought the aaamazing Mara Hoffman dress, and then disappointingly really did not like it on! But, as luck will have it I then found my dress whilst helping my mother look for a dress.

I'm getting married in London next summer. We are having a wedding ceremony in a Georgian space, which is now all white and quite minimalist, followed by a big party in a pub. We suspect as the pub will close at one am, that we will have to head over to our regular late night spot (which also happens to be where we met) which is as close as London can come to a dive bar, and is open until 4am. I'm hoping this will give you a feel for what we've planned.

I'll be wearing this dress, and I thought I was wearing these shoes: 

I'm stuck for ideas on necklace/bracelet/earrings etc. I love long earrings, big necklaces and I never wear bracelets. My engagement ring is yellow gold with a cognac diamond. Although I know what I like, I'm kind of terrible at accessorising and I always over or under-do it. Can you and your committed commenters help?

Finally, I'm not certain about the shoes - although I'm a heels kind of a girl, I know I won't be able to dance the night away in these so I'm looking for something a bit lower to change into. My budget is probably £600 (maybe $800ish) as I know I'll wear them again, along with the dress. I think I want something that won't look too far from the original shoes, but I'm open to ideas and opinions! I liked these but I'm worried that they are a totally different look...

Ahh I don't know. What do you think?

Thanks!
With shoes, without accessories.

*****

I think those shoes are FUGLY. Both pairs. (Okay, maybe the Louboutins aren't fugly, exactly. They look like fancy lady lawyer pumps.)

If you've got $800 to spend, why not go Lanvin?

These snakeskin pumps are just the thing to set off your dress.

And then do something like these dangly chain earrings from Macha.

(If they're anything like my Russian chain ring, they are SEE-LAMMIN in person.)

I FOUND YOUR WEDDING EARRINGS

Turquoise safety pins? Come. On.

L'Agence at Barneys

HOLY SHIT I FOUND YOUR WEDDING EARRINGS

Elegant with just a hint of fuck-off-mom-i'll-do-what-i-want.

Handmade in Italy by Iosselliani at Bona Drag

We interrupt #weddinghorrorstory(week) to bring you....

Bridal accessories from Metier.

I'm in SF as we speak shooting this lil movie. If only I had time to stop in and PAW THE SHINY THINGS.

I'd also love to see this Philip Crangi Men's Hammered Steel Band (with 24K gold lining!) in the flesh.

Found: Victorian wedding earrings

Remember this bride?

BOY DID I EVER JUST FIND HER EARRINGS.

(1880s Victorian Scarabs from Erie Basin)

lil wedding earring roundup

Theodore Stud Earrings from Macha ($265)

Mountain Studs from Mociun ($195)

Gold Ball Studs by Satomi Kawakita at Steven Alan ($528)

Lee Hale Black Rose Thorn Earrings at Erie Basin ($205)

Oxidized Bronze Faceted Earrings from mikinora ($44)

Dots Dot Dots

Dear ESB,

Marrying a lovely lovely man in 3 months. Have a dress but nothing else. (I know, I know. I despise bhldn. But the dress is so pretty!) We're having a small brunch wedding, so pretty casual and possibly an outdoor venue. Any shoe and/or accessory advice?

I've never been terribly comfortable in heels, so I'm thinking a beautiful pair of ballet flats or sandals would do (I'm also short and curvy, so trying to keep me from looking shorter and curvier is a priority), easy to wear but still special for the day. 

Also, my fiance gave me an AMAZING engagement ring (an oversized copper disc with an asymmetrically-placed silver disc inside), and I'd like to be able to keep it as the focus of my jewelry.

Oh, and our general palette for the wedding is bright pink, yellow, and orange (read: citrus). We're pretty non-traditional, and want to keep things light and fun!

Thanks!
Shoeless but Shiny

*****

Dot earrings, obv.

And then…. Would you consider a slight heel?

There is no ballet flat on earth that will make you look less short.

while we're talking about earrings

Dear ESB,

I hate to be one of THOSE people, but for reals, I have a problem. 

I need some long, dangly earrings (kind of chandelier-y) BUT I don't have pierced ears. I have looked high and low (I even stooped so low as to go into a Claire's at the mall, only to be disappointed and confused as to why there is such a big market for tiaras). Online, I have only found clip-ons that would be appropriate at the early bird special in Boca. HALP. 

Sincerely, 
Need Some Non-Pierced Ear Swag

*****

a) Pierce your damn ears already

b) Buy a pair of earrings you love -- QUALITY EARRINGS, not a shitty $14.99 pair -- and take em to a jewelry store to be converted.

c) EBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. Do you know how many amazing pairs of vintage earrings I've seen that I'm all "Shitbags, they're clip-ons"?

Sometimes I wonder about you guys. Srsly.

Hannah Holman by Simon Burstall for Elle France via Fashion Gone Rogue

Seeking: Victorian wedding earrings

Dear ESB,

Longtime listener, first time caller.

Just got my dress and it was a tad more traditional than I thought it would be: tiny straps, very simple, but with a kinda schmancy lace bolero to go over it. I'm also wearing a black or navy velvet ribbon at the waist. Tres Victorian.

Now that the stress of finding a dress is over — because I hated the search, honestly — I'm looking for the right accessories to gussy myself up. The neckline of this thing will not work with a necklace, so I'm thinking earrings are the key. I'm also wearing my hair down and am thinking I probably won't wear a veil or any sort of head-piece, because of all the lace I mentioned. (Seems like overkill.) At most, I'll be wearing some sort of antiquey barrette in my hair.

So, earrings! I'm generally not a doorknocker earrings kind of lady, and I preferably want to have something I'll wear again. However, I am so confused over what to wear with this get-up, and it seems like earrings are the only accessories I'm going to have, so I need something to balance against the rest. Gold and pearls seems a bit too traditional for something with this much lace. Antique Czech glass might be nice? (Not so into diamonds or shiny things, either.) Simple, smaller earrings seem like a waste. I guess I'm just worried about them being too busy, big or small, I guess. Indecision!

In a nutshell, I want simple and bold. Is it possible? Yellow gold, blue, black or coral are all colors I'm into.

Some ideas I've had thus far:

Gold and pale olive earrings

Black lucite clip earrings

Liquid gold spear earrings

Gold vermeil chip earrings

Black mother of pearl chip

Cheers,
Earrings Coming Out My Eyeballs

*****

I can't fathom why you wouldn't shop at Catbird.

I was gunning for this art deco pair, but Leigh (aka your personal shopper over at Catbird) has some other ideas:

Classic Gold Hoops they put online just for us. Yes, these babies are expensive, but OMIGAH I WOULD WEAR THEM EVERY DAY.

Black Mother of Pearl Leaf Earrings which Victoria herself would be proud to wear.

Sparkling Leaf Earrings that Leigh said "I'm wearing right now - cheap but they really feel luxe and glamorous without being doorknockery."

Emily Blunt as Young Victoria (have you seen this movie? it's pretty great) via Madame Guillotine

faux feather leather wedding earrings?

Just an idea.

Shop: Love Sexton

WTF. I THOUGHT THIS WAS A WEDDING BLOG

How bout this SWEET lil special edition pair of geo earrings by A Merry Mishap? You can get married in em!

$15.99

I know.

You're welcome.

Via Pennyweight

these are some SERIOUS wedding earrings, you guys

swan swan swanswanswan

at catbird. (where else??)

Dear ESB: Should I skip the necklace?

I'm stuck on wedding day jewelry.

I have the dress, which looks like this, except I think I'm going to take off that shoulder and the train during alterations. It should be noted that I look nothing like that girl - I'm 5'1, pale, brunette, and about a size 18.

I'm already wearing these, which I love, but I feel like there needs to be something else going on here. I'd love to wear a necklace, but I'm allergic to some kind of unidentified metal (technically I shouldn't be wearing those earrings, but my ears don't react anywhere near as badly as my neck does). So the necklace would either have to be 14k gold or higher, which I don't have the money for, or not metal.

Can you think of anything that would work? Or should I just skip the necklace entirely and go for a bracelet and something fabulous on my head?

*****

I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED ME THIS QUESTION.

You don't need a necklace, lady.

I saw a perfectly gorgeous bride on a wedding blog recently -- I won't call her out -- but her necklace was TOO MUCH. It distracted from the neckline of her dress and her, um, décolletage (what a douchey word).

Anyhoo. I bet you have a GREAT décolletage.

Desperately Seeking Ear Bling

Dear ESB,

I think you might be reading my mind. I have spent the last three weeks searching high and low to find earrings for my wedding, and when I go to check your blog and see if you might have anything, earrings are the latest post. As lovely as the ones you posted about are, they aren't quite what I am looking for so I am appealing to your excellent taste and supreme internet hunting skills (as well as those of your readers) to help me find something.

My dress is very simple - a strapless column in ivory - and my shoes are a blush suede pump. Net-a-porter has a pair of Aurélie Bidermann earrings I would kill to wear but that are prohibitively expensive (as one would expect from 24k dipped SWAN feathers). Much like the Aurélie Bidermann earrings, I would really like to have something that is large and statement-making, yet not over-the-top or too glam. I'd like to spend no more than $300, and much much less if possible!

*****

Yayoi Forest Feather Heart Earrings

Easiest Dear ESB in the history of Dear ESB's.

p.s. You're gonna kill in that outfit.

the earrings are the hardest

Why don't you wear 1. Dara Ettinger gold crystal earrings from Belljar? (via Kylea Borges via Sasha Darling) or 2. tiny gold flake studs from Mohawk General Store (via I'm Revolting, who took the photo).