And while I don’t think friendship jewelry should be strictly relegated to bracelets, it is the most recognized form of friendship fashion. I found these Scosha bracelets last year when I wanted to buy my bff something special after she held my hand through a very difficult loss. The real gemstones combined with beautifully woven silks and linens in muted colors give them a very rich feel.

Most of Scosha’s bracelets are made from hand woven silk fly line so they are durable enough to wear everyday, even in the shower. The versions with diamonds, rubies and emeralds set in gold and silver are delicate and unexpected, making them the perfect gift for a special friend. Scosha also makes unique rings, earrings and necklaces. The bracelets range in price from $159 to $322 depending on the stone and setting. You can browse their collection at scoshanyc.com.

I am taking a mini vacation with my husband so you won’t hear from me until next Friday. I know, boo. While we are talking updates, the new site will be ready to go live in November – I can’t wait to show it to you all. I think I’ll have to include some photos from this vacation in the new “Musings & Me” section. Ooh la la. Stay tuned.

So when I was visiting Melina in Chicago a few weeks ago and came across Melinda Maria’s “Goddess” hoops in gold, I knew I had to add them to my collection. At first an impulse purchase, I am now proud to say that I wear these almost everyday. Subtle but still significant enough to make a statement, they go really well from day to night.

I was so excited about my purchase (retail therapy does exist!) that I immediately looked up the name of the designer. To my delight, Melinda Maria has a vast collection available on her website. And, not surprisingly, I was not the first to take notice of her talent! She has a long list of celebrity clients that are as stylish as her line – Kate Hudson, Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz and Miley Cyrus (just to name a few).

Here are the links to some of my favorites available on www.melindamaria.com:

1. Goddess Hoops in Gold $70 / 2. Teeny Pod Hoops in Gold $140 / 3. Infinity Pod Bangle $252 / 4. Teeny Pod Ring in Turquoise $58 / 5. Baby Mosaic Earring in Platinum CZ $105 / 6. Galaxy Melted Bangle, Platinum $135 / 7. Moon & Star Necklace (Large) in Rose Gold $170 / 8. Sarah Bangle $58 / 9. Gwyneth Ring in Canary Yellow CZ $64 / 10. Pyramid Spike Bangle in Gold $98

Most of Maria’s pieces are available in various colored stones and metals. I encourage you to take the time to really explore her site because there were so many more pieces worth noting, we just don’t have the room to show them all to you. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

xoxo Lauren

1. Cluster Ring $395 – Buy at neimanmarcus.com.

2. Across-the-Hand Diamond Ring $425 – Buy at neimanmarcus.com.

3. Night Crest Sapphire Stud Earrings $175 – Buy at bloomingdales.com

4. Feather fringe necklace $425 – Buy at bloomingdales.com

5. Feather Ring $395 – Buy at neimanmarcus.com.

6. Across the Hand Bar Ring $95 – Buy it at shopbop.com.

All the pieces are made of sterling silver with either pink or yellow gold details, and some have  pave diamonds and other stones. Each of the sites I linked you to above have different pieces from Elizabeth and James so take a look around and get a feel for the entire collection.

xoxo Melina

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

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

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!

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!

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