Stephanie A. Wells - The Earring Style Book

Copyright 2010 by Stephanie Wells

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.pottercraft.com

POTTER CRAFT and colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wells, Stephanie A.
The earring style book : making designer earrings, capturing celebrity style, and getting the look for less / Stephanie A. Wells.
p. cm.
Includes index.
eISBN: 978-0-307-96550-9
1. Jewelry making. 2. Earrings. I. Title.

TT212.W42 2010
745.5942dc22

2009051998

Photography by Marcus Tullis

: clockwise from top, Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images; John Sciulli/WireImage; Armando Gallo/Retna Ltd./Corbis.

v3.1

I would like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude to the following persons, who have made the creation of this book possible.

My amazing husband, Jared, whose love, support, friendship, humor, and intelligence keep me happy and sane.

My fabulous parents, Harlene and David, who taught me to never be afraid, who continue to be wonderful role models, and whose tireless babysitting efforts gave me time to write.

My sister and best friend, Alisa, who was the first to believe I could design, and who walked the streets of New York City to sell my first collection, pounding the pavement just to get the pieces seen. Thanks to her amazing publicity talents, Double Happiness Jewelry is now known all around the world.

To my sweet little love, Geffen, whose every waking moment is of happiness and exploration, and whose zest for life and quest to understand the world inspire me.

To the ladies of Double Happiness Jewelry, Portia, Ann, Jessica, and Lindsay, who are all amazing, strong, and smart women. Their ability to run brilliantly with any task I throw at them continues to amaze and humble me. It is a true honor to work with these women.

To my two grandmothers, Anna and Sally, whose friendship and life experiences continue to motivate me.

And, finally, I want to thank Random House and Potter Craft for helping to spread the joy of creativity through this book. I am very thankful and grateful to work with my amazing editor, Rebecca Behan, whose meticulous attention to detail, ability to truly absorb, comprehend, and help clearly explain brand-new concepts is astounding. Grateful acknowledgment is given to Betty Wong, Chi Ling Moy, La Tricia Watford, and all those at Potter Craft who believed in and worked on this book.

Singer Alicia Keys wears the .

I love to wear earrings. They are usually the first thing I think about while getting dressed, even though they are the last thing I put on. Earrings are my personal billboard: They project to the world a message about who I am and what Im feeling. If I wear my big, funky, curvy Osiris earrings, I am saying, I am feeling fun, edgy, and confidentso watch out! If I have to attend a business meetingand am feeling classicI might wear my smaller, more conservative Judy earrings. Translation: I am taking this meeting seriously. Maybe I want some attention from my husband, or I am just feeling prettyI will put on my dangly, boho-chic Gisele earrings and strut through my day.

I wear my earrings everywhereto work, to yoga class, on shopping trips, and during nights out on the town. All by themselves, earrings can create a look that speaks volumes. Jeans and a simple white tank become a fabulous outfit when they are topped off with a standout pair of earrings. A simple black dress and classy chignon ooze excitement and sex appeal when worn with dramatic, sparkly earrings. Why? Earrings make statements. They are worn close to your eyes, and they get noticed. They usually have sparkle and move or swing when you walk. For all these reasons (and many more), they call attention to themselvesand to you.

With clothing and accessories, society dictates certain norms: A business meeting means studs, while a night out means hoops. Before you know it, your personal billboard is on default mode and you are reaching for the same old accessories. Where is the fun in that? And where is that extra burst of empowerment you get from wearing something new and exciting that just makes you feel great? While your classics will never go out of style, if you wear them every day, you stop noticing them, and so does everybody else.

Celebrities are good role models when it comes to keeping their styles fresh and exciting. They have to befor them, projecting a glamorous lifestyle is their job. Whether they are walking the red carpet, on a shopping spree, or at the beach, they are always using fashion to say something to the world. Their of-the-moment looks seem to effortlessly project confidence and make them feel desired, strong, and sexy.

Yet, the truth is, celebrities dont look that fabulous on their own. They have a slew of makeup artists, hairstylists, and clothing experts working together to create the looks we all love. And the resources these celebrities have are unbelievable. I recall meeting a well-known celebrity stylist to go over jewelry she needed for a famous client. I marveled at the vast quantities of clothing and shoes around her office. There were racks of designer clothing, bins of high-end shoes, and, of course, boxes and boxes of earrings. Can you imagine having these options at your fingertips? No wonder celebrities make a statement with every look.

In the ten years since Double Happiness Jewelrys founding, I have learned how celebrities and their stylists work. It has been a crazy, interesting journey, from the companys humble beginning in my garage to todays worldwide distribution at more than four hundred stores; monthly features in major magazines such as Elle, In Style, Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, and Lucky; and, of course, happy celebrity clients, such as Oprah Winfrey, Jessica Simpson, Alicia Keys, Tyra Banks, Britney Spears, Rachael Ray, and Beyonc, to name a few.

The Earring Style Book teaches you how to create the same earring designs that you have seen featured in fashion magazines and worn by your favorite celebrities, so that you can make your own fashion statementno stylist required. Whether youre drawn to Everyday Chic or Rock and Roll, feel like a Bohemian Beauty or a Glamour Girl, youre sure to find the earrings to help you shout your message to the world. I think every woman has a bit of each style within her. I know I do. From the intricate Lourdes earrings to the elegantly simple Marra,