Barbie is 50 - Who cares? Maybe you should!

Wow! Barbie turns 50 this year. Don't we all wish we could get an overhaul every couple of years, stay young, stay current, stay relevant...so do you care that Barbie is 50...maybe you should.

Think of it this way, Barbie connects all girls. At some point all of us had a Barbie. It was like a secret club that boys never will understand. She was every girl, and the perfect woman all at once. We can be divided into three Barbie categories:

1. Those of us that collected Barbie and Skipper, and Ken, and all the others, but never actually took them out of the box. People would walk into your pretty pink and lacy room, look around to your perfectly made bed, and up , high on a shelf would be Barbie in her box, never touched by human hands. I'm going to guess you still have her cataloged away hoping your daughter or granddaughter will get emotional when you give your beloved collection to her. Yeah, um,

creepy, but your choice to make.

2. Then there are those of us that hung out with our older brother and got a Barbie from that aunt that lives in another state that knows nothing about us. These Barbie owners usually dressed her up in GI Joe camouflage and she ended up with short hair and no arms. Maybe Barbie was a good place to take out hormonal aggression. Again, whatever got you through a Saturday, but creepy.

3. Finally, there are the majority of us that loved our Barbies. We had the Dream House, the car, and all the accessories that could fit under the Christmas tree. We dreamed of growing up, having a great guy, like Ken, and having a beautiful figure like Barbie. Playing with our Barbie and all her friends was a perfect time in our adolescence. With the exception of an occasional missing Barbie shoe, life was pretty darn good.

As we grew up, and moved on to music and boys, Barbie didn't get played with nearly as much. Her hair wasn't brushed, her clothes were mismatched...Finally, we made the decision to give all of our Barbie stuff away to the little girl down the street. Or perhaps the decision was made for you by Mom. Either way, at the time, it wasn't a big deal.

I came across a Barbie hairbrush about a year ago while cleaning out some boxes in the basement. Suddenly I was six. The memories of Barbie came rushing back to me. I can't remember the little girls name that received all my Barbie stuff, but I hope she was able to work through the problems of youth. I hope she knew Barbie could be anything, a treasured object, a fighting soldier, a business owner, a stay a home mom, a best friend, or a powerful world leader. I hope those dreams for Barbie translated into dreams for her.

So no matter what your memories of Barbie, you have some, and as she turns 50, I hope those memories make you smile.

This week...Flowers

Oh yes, flower power of the 60's is back in a big way.

Well, let's update that and call it FLORAL! Yeah, that sounds more 2009.

Now that the formalities are out of the way. Aren't you ready for Spring? Let's see if we can hurry things along, shall we?

Mind over matter... you can't think Spring while wearing turtlenecks and gloves. Think florals and feminine colors! That will put you in the Spring mind set!

This beautiful collection is by BOHM. The colors will breathe new life into last year's Spring clothes without costing you a fortune! The earrings and bracelets are stunning, too!

Now, these earrings are a great addition to any wardrobe. Wear them with short sleeve cotton tops or to any of those weddings and baby showers you will be invited to this season!

They are 18k gold plated from the beaches of sunny Brazil. Now that will get you ready for the warm weather!

Whatcha gotta have Spring 09

If you're like most of us, your wardrobe may take a back seat to the groceries these days. It sucks, but this too shall pass.

In the meantime...

there are a few things that you can do to stay current without breaking the bank or taking out a second mortgage. This week...scarves.

Yes, Spring is in the air and Summer is so close you can almost taste the coconut oil, so why are we discussing scarves?

You're thinking one dimensional.

We're not talking wool Burberry, we're talking cotton, silk, light fabrics. Likewise, don't think of scarves as keeping your neck warm, well unless you live in Colorado...regardless, think necessity with versatility, like those pants form the 90's that you could unzip to shorts! We all know someone that had those!

Still not convinced you can pull it off...check out this video that helps you wear a scarf in six different ways...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-ubiuTMuc8.

Even if you buy a scarf for $175 , your cost per wear is pretty darn good if you wear the thing through the coming Spring and Summer. It will be your signature piece!

Can't we all use a little help defining our style?

Think about what a pretty pink scarf will do to your jeans and t-shirt collection, or your Khaki shorts? Love it!

Over 30?

Ok, so this is personal.

If you are over thirty, listen up!

Although I appreciate the innocence of youth and the ability to have an emotional breakdown without the others in the office raising an eyebrow, seriously, would you go back...not a chance.

Look at all we have when we pass the big 3-0! Confidence, poise, the ability to fake it...(use you're own interpretation). I can only imagine when we hit 40 our senses are heightened and we know who we are even more then the previous decade.

What's the point? When was the last time you made a purchase or made a decision that was outside of your comfort zone, for no particular reason, except to experience the rush?

Always been a blonde, 'cause it looks good in all the bar picture you took in your twenties? How 'bout red for a change?

Wondering where that first crush is? That's what the internet is for, there's no harm in knowing.

How about that tattoo you've been thinking about since college? Are you shaking your head? Come on sissy, I did it...twice.

How about starting with a small decision...

Never tried sushi? It's delicious and you need to stop making excuses. No time like the present. If not now, when? If you're in Annapolis, try Nano!

At the very least, buy a pair of earrings that your mother would say are way too big! Go on, what's stopping you, she can't ground you anymore!

Ok, I am off my soap box, now get out there and be a trail blazer. Create waves, reinvent yourself, try something new... Be the first mom on the block to be called cool by all teenagers in your 'hood!

Get ready for what's next...

So eggplant, hot color, right? Yes, If you're still dating your checks 2008! Store it...and start looking for red in many hues; green, in every shade; vibrant yellow, and a few beautiful soft tones.

Every year Pantone, the global authority on colors, surveys designers at New York's Fashion week to get a vibe on the trends that will be hitting the shelves in the coming seasons.

This Spring, the colors are inspired by the globalization, environmental responsibility and, of course, HOPE.

Consider this your wake up call to prepare for Spring!

Look good, feel good, save the planet...

Recycle, Reuse, recycle, reuse...Great concept, but it's soooo hard sometimes. Lilac Bijoux has come up with two ways that you can participate in the green movement without feeling a thing. You may even save a few bucks.

Really!

First, take a peek at Jillery. All pieces are made from recycled aluminum. It's not the cheesy stuff from the 70's, this is quality stuff here. Beautiful for you or for a gift.

The price is reasonable, it's light weight, and it will never tarnish. What more do you want? We love it

and so will you...

Second, did you know that about 65% of all household trash comes from packaging. Geez! During the holidays that percentage sky rockets. So, beginning December 1, and going until Spring, Lilac Bijoux will be offering you a Lilac Bijoux printed bag, or a brown recyclable bag with your in store purchases.

To make your decision easier, we'll throw in a discount. Say 10%. Every time you REUSE your brown bag in Lilac Bijoux, or RECYCLE a bag from home, or forgo a bag all together, we'll take 10% off your entire purchase. Very cool! Very easy.

facebook friends

Are you a member of facebook? Well, Lilac Bijoux is running a promotion for all of our friends on facebook. Our mission is to get 500 friends by January 1, 2009. We need your help.

So, if you are already a member of facebook, look us up, become our friend, post a "I just joined" on our wall, and receive 20% off. It's that simple. You can forward the info on to your contacts and they can receive 20% off, too! Hey! That's what friends are for!

semi precious stones...betcha didn't know this!

For the past several hundred years, gemstones have been broken down into two categories; precious and semi-precious. Though today we think primarily of Diamond, Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald as "precious", these categories are based mainly on fashion and the composition of these two lists has changed frequently over time.

So what's the diff? Popularity. Doesn't it always come back to that? At one time Cat's Eye was considered precious, and more recently Ameythist was on the list. That is, until they uncovered the mother load in Brazil in the 19th century.

Some of your favorite semi precious stones start out as something very different.



For example, Citrine. Most of the Citrine used in jewelry is Green Ameythist with a whole bunch of heat applied to it. The traditional green color disappears, a brilliant yellow shows through, and voila, Citrine!






Blue Topaz, is made by exposing a white stone to radiation to make beautiful blue in a variety of depths. Don't worry, the government puts strict guidelines on the use of radiation to prevent residual effects.

You are familiar with birthstones, and every woman known her birthstone, but do you know why there are stones classified to each month and why they should be important to us? Well, each months stones are chosen specifically with that month in mind. It isn't by chance that people who were born in April are blessed with Diamond as their stone! Anyway, each corresponding stone is said to give the people born in that month inner strength. Can't we all use some of that?




Another popular belief is that certain stones have their own unique “powers.” For example, wearing garnet is said to help ease the pain of a bad breakup, or cause jealousy between lovers. Amethyst is said to protect its wearer against the ill effects of alcohol, slow down intoxication and prevent hangovers. (Keep some Amethyst in your handbag!) Turquoise is said to give emotional strength. (Try it and let us know)


Jade has always had enormous importance in Asian civilization; it is said to have the mystical power to protect its wearer against nightmares and other psychic attacks.



Quartz is said to be among the most important of the semi-precious stones, because it calls upon the power of love — especially the rare Rose Quartz. Wearing Rose Quartz is said to increase one’s chances of finding or maintaining a good romantic relationship. ( I see the demand for Quartz going up at Lilac Bijoux!)


So how do you tell if the stone you are purchasing is a real semi precious or a fake crystal? Easy, the real thing will feel cool to the touch. Yes, it's that simple, no degree required.

You need this...

If you get our blasts, then you know, over sized watches are what you need to complete your wardrobe this winter. After speaking to several watch designers, we have chosen two...


TKO
You may be familiar. Chances are, if you have seen a colorful, large face starring back at you from some one's wrist in recent months, it's a TKO. We fell in love with the watches priced at $128.00, but the customer service sealed the deal. TKO is a team of brothers that take watches and fashion very seriously.

Hip Chic

We know you know them. Famous for stylish watch faces paired with interesting, handmade, silk bands, this designer has asked us to test market her new line of over sized watches for women. How could we say no! Very cute, very practical, very YOU! $64 bucks, seriously.

What the heck is that?

Everyday we have customers ask about the terms we use to describe a piece of jewelry. So here's a little cheat sheet. Your friends will be so impressed...





Gold plated: This is a thin layer of gold over any metal. That means, what's underneath can be sterling silver, pewter, or any number of metals. If you enjoy pieces that are gold plated treat them with care. Don't spray hair spay on your favorite earrings, take your rings off before applying lotion, and spray your favorite Chanel fragrance before you put on the necklace. Some of our favorite gold plated designers are Mgold and Betty Carre.


Gold filled: A little higher standard then plated. Gold filled pieces are regulated by the government (isn't everything these days). Each piece must contain 5% real gold. These items should never chip or peel. They will tarnish like solid gold, but will shine again with a polishing cloth. Local artist, Lotus, is a great example.

Vermeil (pronounced VER-MAY): This is very common. It's actually a combination of gold, silver and other precious metals covered in 14k gold. Jackie Powers does some beautiful pieces in vermeil.







Sterling silver: Contains 92.5% silver (that's why it's stamped with 925) and 7.5% other metals, usually copper. Why add copper? Strength. Pure silver is too fragile to hold it's shape, the copper allows us to keep our favorite sterling silver Lotus necklace for a very long time.






Nickel: I know, you're allergic...so is approximately 20% of female population and 2% of the men (seriously, how easy do they have it?). Anyway, most reputable boutiques work hard to be sure their jewelry is nickel free.

Europe now has strict guidelines and the US is sure to follow. You also get nickel exposure in some nuts, fish, and drinking water. The snap on your jeans and that cancer stick you won't give up also have nickel in them. Who knew?
Next week, stones and crystals!