When I was in middle school, the ultimate sign of style was how many bangles you wore on your arm. I used to go over to Claire’s Accessories, buy (fake) thin gold bangles and just pile them up to my elbow, mixing them with everything from hemp to plastic (I know, stylish, right?). Eventually I learned that when Coco Chanel advised to always take off one thing before leaving the house she was absolutely right. Though, in my case, I needed to take off about twenty-plus.

My style has since changed immensely save for one permanent accessory: the gold bangle. Fortunately, I’ve upgraded my wristwear from the Claire’s version and removed all the excess rubber band bracelets that once crowded the classic bangle.

There are thousands upon thousands of interpretations of the gold bangle, ranging from wire-thin bands to delicate gold bracelets in various cuts and styles. You can easily find something fun, elegant, or edgy without falling far from the timeless mold.

The bangle is, without a doubt, the most versatile piece in your jewelry box. If I’m wearing jeans and a t-shirt, stacked gold bangles mixed with other jewelry (no plastic, please, and only amounting to an inch or two) funk up the outfit. If I’m dressed up, a single gold bangle with unique and subtle detailing (such as the serpent bangle featured below) brings a little something extra while still keeping the look clean and elegant. There are about a million ways to buy and wear this item.

The most lasting quality of the gold bangle is its inability to get old. A gold bracelet is simply always new and fresh, even when you have thousands of designers creating more beautiful options every day. Take the Cartier Love bracelet, for example. The gold bangle has become one of the most coveted ways to show affection. Alex and Ani, on the other hand, make amazing and affordable bangles thin enough to pile on but special enough to wear alone. Here are some more great options…

GET THE LOOK

Serious Splurge Cartier Love Bracelet, $3175

Splurge Giles & Brother 10K Gold Plated Spiked Bangles, $280

Steal Monica Rich Kosann Sterling Silver Scroll Bangle, $325
http://shop.fineartoffamily.com/product-p/45111.htm

Save Jenny Bird Everyday Serpent bangle, $95

Super Save Kate Spade Give It A Whirl Idiom Bangle, $48

[Photo courtesy of Accessories.co.uk]

A Herve Leger bandage dress pretty much speaks for itself. Speaking as a girl who usually tends to run from overtly sexy, tight, and revealing clothing, this dress is absolutely the most amazing garment in my closet. Though much more contemporary than my usual ¨Built to Last¨ picks (designer Max Azria only launched Herve Leger by Max Azria in 2007), this dress will no doubt go down in history as a timeless style just like the rest.

Yes, it is a bit revealing. And yes, it’s very (to say the least) tight. But, these dresses are so well made that slipping into one makes you feel and look much more like a mythical mermaid than call girl.

What makes these dresses so special is the beautiful construction. The dresses are often made and finished by hand so delicately that the craftsmanship is seamless. With an incredibly wide variety of unique designs this is the kind of dress that will make you feel truly special.

Whether you’re curvy like Kate Winslet or stick thin like Victoria Beckham the style is ridiculously flattering. Both Winslet and Beckham have worn this dress to major events, as have celebrities like Catherine Zeta Jones, Blake Lively and Beyonce. It can be worn to all kinds of events from black tie functions to dinner to a night out to even the grocery store (just kidding, though you´ll want to!).

The dress is made in so many styles (long-sleeve, high-neck, one-shoulder, embellished, etc.) with several variations on the bandage design that it’s easy to find one that suits your style, whether you’re going for something a bit edgy or simple and classic. Bonus: You do not, I repeat, do not need spanx with this dress. It sucks you in like nothing else.

When I say this is my favorite item of clothing in my closet, I am hardly joking. You’ll find it makes an enormous difference in your wardrobe. If you´re not the one pulling it out of your closet every time you have somewhere slightly fancy to go, your boyfriend or husband will be. If I haven’t yet convinced you just try one on for him. I can already tell you what you’ll be getting for your next birthday.

GET THE LOOK

SPLURGE
Herve Leger High-Neck Bandage Dress, $1450

STEAL
Herve Leger Signature Scoop-Neck Dress, $750

SAVE
French Connection Quickasa Banded Dress, $168

[Photography by Seth Elliot]

I know what you’re thinking. Is this week´s column really about the most annoying celebrity/hipster trend ever to appear in the pages of magazines and on ¨Entertainment Tonight¨ circa 2007? The answer is, kind of. In actuality, this week´s column is about the used-to-be trend we love to hate, but secretly love. And you know you do…

In 2007, the fedora trend was nothing short of a phenomenon. To call it excessive would be a major understatement. Every celebrity was photographed lolling around L.A. in one, and every girl I knew who was somewhat in tune with fashion was sporting one everywhere from bars and restaurants to cloudy days on which a hat is far from necessary.

On the other hand, I despised them. Not because they didn’t look good, but precisely because they did! I loved them and always had. But the fact that so many girls I encountered had made it her “new thing” kept me from giving in. And I swore I never would.

Then something amazing happened. The fedora trend disappeared (for a short while anyway). And when it returned, it was because classic brands like J.Crew were bringing it back as the lasting, tomboy-chic accessory it is. The current mindset behind a fedora evokes the image of the one Humphrey Bogart wore in Casablanca, and the ones worn by movie stars Warren Beatty and Robert De Niro when they portrayed infamous gangsters like Bugsy Siegel and Al Capone, and you rooted for them (even though you knew you shouldn’t). The fedora was original known as the gangster hat, and that’s exactly what it is. No matter how girly, classic, or conservative your style is, it makes every woman feel like she is taking a little bit of a risk.

So, I gave in. And I haven’t regretted it since. It seems others feel similarly. My sister, no lover of fedoras, called me just the other day saying she bought one. Like all fashionable items it has its good years and bad years, but a hat is the ultimate statement piece, and the fedora is just enough to make you feel like a gangster (but not the kind that robs a bank).

GET THE LOOK

SPLURGE Rag & Bone, $115

SAVE J. CREW, $40

STEAL Forever 21, $7.80

[Photography by Seth Elliot]

Next time you walk down a crowded street, take a moment to lower your gaze and a look at women’s feet. You’ll notice many, if not most, are wearing ballerina-style shoes. No, everyone around you isn’t dashing off to dance class. However, they are hot on the heels, or rather toes, of fashion in these sleek ballet flats.

The fashionable footwear first evolved from dancing shoes when audiences spotted the beautiful (and trendsetting) movie stars Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn wearing a pair in the classic 1950s films And God Created Woman and Funny Face, respectively. Looking feminine chic in skinny pants, striped shirts, and ballet slippers for the street, these style icons instantly inspired women and girls, at the time, to desire a pair. Brands like Repetto, the French shoemaker of ballet slippers for the most famous ballerinas since 1947, quickly became the go-to source for the trendy flats in nearly every color.

However, that was more than half a century ago. So why is Vogue’s well-respected editor Anna Wintour still declaring ballet flats a must-have? The answer is simple. Not only are ballet flats timelessly stylish and tasteful, but also they are the sublimely perfect alternative to sneakers. No, I wouldn’t use them to go for a run (unless I’m hurrying to catch a bus or train). But they totally reliable as an everyday shoe you can wear to walk around town, run errands, commute to work (and keep them on, no need to change into heels) and swing by a casual cocktail party. From Repetto to Tory Burch to Lanvin, designers have consistently turned out incredibly classic ballet flat looks that continue to pirouette off store shelves.

What makes the ballet flat truly enduring, besides wearability, is the class factor: The fact that a simple flat shoe could be worn in place of stilettos and still be stylish, elegant and effortlessly sexy—and almost as comfortable as sneaks—is all-around good for the sole.

GET THE LOOK

Splurge Lanvin, $515

Save Repetto, $164

Steal Steve Madden, $29.99

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]

Forgetting to put on a ring (or several) before leaving the house in the morning is like walking out with no shoes on. It’s a bare essential for me, no matter how dressed up or down I am. It is probably the only jewelry piece I wear every single day without fail. I feel naked without it, especially my cocktails rings.

My collection of cocktail rings cover a wide range of styles to match my mood, from vintage to contemporary—the latter are mostly gifts from my boyfriend who knows better than to buy me anything but. I also own a few cocktail rings that are more like costume jewelry from stores like J. Crew and Claire’s Accessories. They’re incredibly fun, very fashionable, and totally affordable. I tend to mix and match the rings, piling them on only to take them off throughout the day (they can be a bit of a nuisance while typing). In fact, a few are safely lined up by my keyboard as I write this. But generally, I’d say one of my style mottos is “the more rings, the better the outfit.”

Why am I so obsessed? Because I tend to always have on a simple pair of jeans and a t-shirt, I never feel underdressed, messy or too casual when I’m wearing a great cocktail ring. It’s hard to believe that one piece of jewelry can bring relief to the usual “I have nothing to wear” woes, but that is precisely what an amazing ring can do. No matter what I’m put on, a big and beautiful cocktail ring always ties the look together—adding a hint of glamour to what otherwise might have been a drab outfit. Statement pieces don’t tend to go with everything. This is the exception.

Mind you, these oversized rings also look stunning (probably even more so) when you’re dressed to the nines. The aptly named cocktail ring actually became popular during the Prohibition era, when women wore these flashy pieces to notify others that they were drinking alcohol. Not only were these ladies enjoying illegal libations, but also they were doing it in style.

I think the cocktail ring is also the easiest type of jewelry to shop for. Though inexpensive rings can sometimes look garish, you can always find a gum-ball size ring at a decent price that suits your style whether it is simple and pretty or enormous and edgy. However, if you are willing to spend a bit more money, Yves Saint Laurent makes the most stunning cocktail rings, like this one that costs $375. Kendra Scott also has a fabulous one for $75 and H&M offers a few for $10 that are equally as fun.

For Monica Rich Kosann cocktail rings, visit shop.fineartoffamily.com.

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]

I can just imagine how some family dinner conversations must go. I bet the Clintons talk about politics, the Weinsteins talk about film, and the Missoni’s talk about (or rather look at) stripes and patterns. Who knows if any of that’s true, but I wouldn’t be surprised. At least that’s been the case for my family. Since my mom started her own fine jewelry and home accessories business seven years ago, the conversation at my family’s dinner table has been largely about jewelry, specifically lockets. Now people know that asking a Kosann kid why she loves lockets is like asking Chelsea Clinton why she’s a democrat. No need for explanation.

Having said that, I believe it is important to tell you that lockets are the ultimate heirloom. I realize I’m biased, but hear me out: Lockets have been a fashion favorite since the Victorian era. The fact that they are not only meaningful and beautiful, but also a way to carry a loved one with you (close to your heart) wherever you go is what makes this accessory so personal, timeless and special. Finding vintage lockets–at flea markets, in antique shops, or on eBay—isn’t difficult. However, finding one with an incredible back-story (my mom’s specialty) is. Its no wonder many people resort to buying a new one (a great consolation prize) and creating their own back-story from scratch.

My personal locket story starts with my mom’s passion and my love for fashion. While some people still prefer to wear a traditional single pendant on a simple, short chain, like actress Katie Holmes, I personally love to pile on jewelry all around my locket. Layering is a stylish way to modernize a classic piece, not to mention make it more versatile. My mom loves mixing and matching her lockets with other necklaces, too. The only difference is her lockets all have pictures of me and my sister. Mine, on the other hand, are filled with photos of my dogs.

With Mother’s Day around the corner, a locket is a perfect gift for any mom. Unfortunately, it’s not a present I can give my own mother. She already has one (or more likely 20). But maybe my gift to her this year is to finally fill my lockets with the familiar faces of people I love…like, you, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day!

Would you like to win a Monica Rich Kosann Sterling Silver Round Hammered Locket (estimated value: $400)? To enter your name in this special Mother’s Day giveaway, simply sign up for our free e-weekly newsletter before May 9th (the day we announce the lucky winner). For more information on Monica Rich Kosann collections, visit shop.fineartoffamily.com.

Some years ago, I spotted Kate Moss in an online photo wearing a chic dress and a pair of rubber Hunter rain boots at the famous Glastonbury Music Festival in England. What? No heels? Naturally, I had assumed stilettos were a key ingredient for completing a glamorous look. However, I learned that day while admiring her beautiful, cool, care-free style that my mother may have taught me the rules of feminine beauty, but Kate taught me how to break them. She also taught me that it’s not always what you wear, but how you wear it.

Often called “Wellingtons” or “wellies” after the Duke of Wellington who had a shoemaker design a pair made of calfskin in the early 19th century, rain boots are an essential shoe, rain or shine. Hunter rain boots, in particular, are one of the best pairs to own.

Made in 1856 by the North British Rubber Company (later renamed the Hunter Boot Ltd), these impermeable, thick-soled boots quickly became very fashionable and gained even more popularity during World War I and II. More than a century later, in 1977, Hunter was awarded a Royal Warrant, making it the only boot provider for the royal family. Apparently, they were happy customers, too: The Queen granted Hunter a second warrant less than a decade later.

What I love most about these boots, besides the fact that they hit your leg at a flattering spot, is that they are unlike any other item we’ve featured in this column. It may seem odd to be refer to rubber boots as a timeless style. But that is exactly my point: These boots are (water) proof that sometimes the most classic items are the ones you least expect. You can wear these to the office and not have to change into that extra pair of shoes hiding under your desk. Rain boots, especially Hunters, will not only keep your feet dry, but also elongate your leg when paired with a dress, jeans, or skirt. Take a cue from style icon Kate Moss. You may just end up wearing them on the sunniest days of the year.

GET THE LOOK Hunter’s Original Tall Woman, $115

Here are two other great alternative rubber rain boots:  Gucci rain boots shoes Tall boots for women ($375) and Tretorn Shoes, Skerry Rain Boots ($55)

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]

There’s a good reason the little black dress, dubbed LBD,  has always garnered lots of attention from blogs, magazines, fashion designers, and celebrities. Not only does the black silhouette look good on everyone and go well with everything, but also it’s appropriate to wear just about anywhere (day or night). So why is it so hard to find?

Though any woman can easily describe the LBD (most commonly defined as “the dress for every occasion”), the classic garment appears to have lost its way somewhere between the collectively understood concept (implanted in our minds by Coco Chanel in the 1920s) to stores’ dress racks. Sure, there’s an endless array of black dresses out there—some with plunging necklines, others with short, short skirts—but many of these aren’t the kind that will seamlessly segue from one situation to the next. What’s just right for a cocktail party or date may set off a frenzy of gossip at work or send your Grandma into cardiac arrest. –>

On my infinite quest for the ideal LBD, I’ve accumulated quite a few in my closet—all great, none versatile. After a while, I started to believe that perhaps the idea of the LBD was something that sounded good in theory, but didn’t work in practice. That is, until I came across this Elizabeth & James black dress (pictured above) a few weeks ago.

The front of the jersey dress appeared almost too simple with a high neck line and long sleeves. Then I picked it up, turned it around, and noticed the back. Wow. From the nape of the neck to the base of the spine was an elegant black mesh, which was sexy, subtle, and simple all at once. As soon as I put it on, I knew that I had finally found the impossible. The front was Audrey Hepburn, the back was Angelina Jolie. Can you think of a more perfect combination?

Moral of the story: Yes, the perfect LBD does exist! In fact, after I found this one, I soon discovered three more fabulous designs. See which one best suits your style: Preen LBD ($433), DVF LBD ($298), or Backless Dress by Boutique ($112).

[Photography by Inessah Selditz]

Just think about all the photos you’ve seen of celebrities and socialites waiting in airports or coming off their private planes. Rarely are they snapped without the ultimate jet-setting accessory: Louis Vuitton luggage. Synonymous with travel and luxury, these easily recognizable bags have long represented a timeless way to escape in style.

Louis Vuitton luggage is just as popular now as it was to world travelers in the 19th century, when the label first launched. Vuitton was the apprentice for a trunk maker in 1854 when he decided to open his own store in Paris called Louis Vuitton Malletier (trunk maker). Once on his own, the 33-year-old craftsman was able to freely create the most elegant and sophisticated trunk of all time. His son, Georges, later improved his dad’s brown and beige leather canvas by adding the unmistakable “LV” monogram in 1896 as a way to deter copycats.

Though the brand started out as a luggage company—giving the wealthy a means of transporting their precious belongings in extravagant leather containers, complete with protective golden brass lock and key hardware—over time, the logo has come to stand for much more. Beyond bags of all shapes and sizes, LV’s company has grown to include shoes, clothes, time pieces, sunglasses, and fine jewelry.

Of course, you don’t need a Louis Vuitton trunk to travel in style – beautiful, less cumbersome luggage is a dime a dozen. But in truth, there is no replacement for this iconic and historical piece. Proof lies in its worth: Last year, Forbes magazine reported that people have paid up to $42,000 for an LV trunk made between 1880 and 1950. Considering that they are still handmade and take six to nine months to be delivered, even purchasing a new one now is, as Forbes put it, a “sound investment.”

[Photography courtesy of MoonSoleil and ilvoelv.com]