Who says you can’t learn anything from reality TV? Au contraire! Because of Miss Know It All, I can read, watch and listen to almost anything that involves copious amounts of consumption and call it research. Now thanks to Bethenny Frankel and her show Bethenny Getting Married, I can finally justify what is obviously an embarrassing obsession. On a recent episode, Bethenny had a bridal/baby shower where she gave her guests fantastic party favors – gorgeous sets of bangles by Jennifer Miller. Plug or not, Jennifer’s jewels are worth taking notice.

I love wearing bangles but unless I want to spend a small fortune assembling a collection made of real gold I am left with the cheap, unattractive options so many of us end up sporting.  Always on the lookout for something better, when I saw Bethenny’s bangles, I thought those are really, truly special. While they look like they cost more than they do, they are by no means cheap. Starting at $175 for a set of 10 and moving up to $195 for a set of 27, they are gold plated and feature pretty, faux diamond details. A minor investment for an accessory we use so frequently.

Check out the entire collection at jennifermillerjewelry.com.

xoxo Melina

Charm bracelets are the epitome of jewelry you can “build on”, which, let’s face it, is my favorite kind. So when I got my first charm bracelet (actually my Grandfather’s rose-gold, pocket watch chain that I had a jeweler make into a bracelet), I searched high and low to find a good source for interesting charms. It took two years but it was worth the wait.

With over 300, 14k gold charms, Charmco.com has the biggest selection I’ve seen anywhere. The mother-daughter design team have sophisticated tastes that translate into gorgeous, “heirloom quality, vintage inspired” charms. What makes a charm bracelet special is when it is a personal representation of the life of the woman wearing it. Each charm on the chain should symbolize an element of the woman’s identity and together tell a short story about her. Charmco makes starting your story (and building on it) easy with a vast assortment of categories such as Beauty & Fashion, Sports & Hobbies, Love & Luck, Pets & Animals and many more. And if you still can’t find what your looking for, the owner’s say that they’ll find it for you.

Some of our favorite designs are featured above (from left to right): 1. Star Charm (this can be engraved with a date or initials), 2. Agate Frog Charm (a symbol of fertility in many cultures and perfect for the mommy-to-be), 3. Feather Charm (the feather has many meanings but the most common are celestial wisdom, virtue, and peace – all good things), 4. Flying Pig Charm (anything is possible when solid gold pigs have wings), 5. Stiletto Heel Charm (for the fearless fashionista), and 6. Custom Calendar with Diamond (we love this for a new mom – what a great way to memorialize her baby’s birth).

Personalized service is hard to come by these days, as is a supremely stylish family business so we at MKIA are delighted to have found the women of  Charmco. We hope they inspire you to create your own charm collection or start one for someone special!

xoxo Melina

No one can ever guess my ethnicity. I get everything from Mexican to Moroccan—and every other country populated with dark-haired people in between. Other than when I am “randomly” checked (and sometimes detained) at the airport going through security, I actually like my Mediterranean/Middle Eastern look and often play it up with exotic accents.

That’s why I’m a huge fan of Amarita Singh’s accessory collection. Best known for her bold take on global jewelry designs, Amrita provides a colorful and cultural spin on all of her pieces as she infuses the old with the new. Her Bollywood Collection, my personal favorite, boasts gold stackable bangles, chain necklaces, and twinkling chandelier earrings. With these kinds of ethnic embellishments, here’s to hoping for an Indian Summer!

Then adorn yourself with your own — Zodiac sign that is. Laura James is heralding the comeback of these celestial symbols with her chic, vintage-inspired designs. Her charms come on necklaces or bracelets and both have that cool, inherited look.

Personally, I’m a proud Libran who, as the constellations dictate, is a little vain, very giving, craves attention, loves the finer things in life and is most happy when in a relationship and creating balance.

Buy one for yourself and wear your astrological icon on your sleeve. Or, give a friend one for her birthday…what better way to show your love of her than to celebrate her sign? These would also make a great gift for a new mommy who wants to celebrate her newborn’s stellar significance! After all, this is an ancient science so why not get the stars aligned and wear your birthdays’ influential elements like a badge of honor!

Spotting these in the latest edition of ELLE, I was stopped in my fickle page-flipping tracks. The perfect star – These earrings are so simple yet so rock-n0-roll. I jumped on the computer to find out who the designer, Nicole Mann Novick, was and where I could purchase a pair (read: covet relentlessly until my husband found a reason for me to deserve such an indulgent gift).

To my happy surprise, it turns out Novick created an entire new collection around stars appropriately named “Galaxy”. Earrings (choose from studs or hoops), bracelets, and necklaces all feature what I believe is the most perfectly shaped star. And, if we are very good girls, all the items in the Galaxy collection are available with handset diamonds.

Search the site to find more of her special designs, including her signature “Pendant” necklace that you can emblazon with your personal moniker or anything you deem worth engraving and wearing around your neck. Make sure you share the knowledge so when that special occasion arrives – maybe it’s a graduation, anniversary, birthday, or, yes, even childbirth – you are sure to get what you want. It may be a little pricey but it’s very, very nicey. Garlandcollection.com

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner I thought we’d all want to see some jewelry.Helen Ficalora is heaven on earth – A perfectly pink store (and website) and the prettiest jewelry that’s also personal. Whether it’s a gift for yourself or someone else, you can be sure to find something that will reflect almost anyone’s personality. This is a great resource for boyfriends, husbands and dads. Ladies – Send them here and you won’t be disappointed.

My Helen Ficalora collection started with their signature charm necklace and has since moved on to additional charms (lots to choose from), long chains and a ring (my wedding band). I’m hoping for a pair of gold flower studs inset with diamonds. Fingers crossed! helenficalora.com