CELEBRITY STYLE: Joelle Fletcher, The Bachelorette

How are you liking this season of The Bachelorette? 

I am a big fan of JoJo and definitely appreciate her down to earth personality. Another thing about her I am loving is her boho inspired style. JoJo has a great sense of style and can pull off every outfit that her stylist Cary Fetman puts her in. From plaid shirts and denim, to ultra sophisticated evening gowns. Whatever JoJo puts on looks amazing!

This week I spotted JoJo Fletcher wearing our Maeve gold-filled triangle necklace during her group date in Argentina.

She styled this necklace perfectly with her white v-neck tee and skinny jeans. Our Maeve necklace is a great layering piece that you can pair with our long lariats and large gemstone necklaces, Danielle and Jude.

During this date, JoJo was also wearing our Erin Labradorite ring. This ring features a beautiful faceted teardrop Labradorite gemstone and beautiful arabesque vermeil design.

What have been your favourite outfits so far that JoJo has worn? I LOVED the black sequin gown she wore at the rose cermony during this episode, and the plaid shirt she wore on her one on one with Luke too. Let me know in the comments below! Also, make sure to check out blogger POSSESSIONISTA  for all of JoJo's outfit details, and save 20% off your next order with us with code: POSSESSIONISTA

FLORAL PATTERNED BRIDESMAID DRESSES

Floral patterns are everywhere this season, from fashion to home decor, you can't escape these beautiful and vintage inspired prints. The bridal world is taking notice and incorporating this popular trend with a variety of gorgeous floral patterened bridesmaid dresses. Allowing your bridesmaids to choose a dress in their favourite cut with an elegant floral pattern is a great way to incorporate even more romance to your wedding day. Here are 6 of my favourite floral patterned bridesmaid dresses to help inspire you and your bridesmaids for your special day.

A maxi dress can be incredibly flattering on many different body types, and I love the halter style necklines on these gorgeous bridesmaid gowns from shopbop.com. The bold red colour, and large floral paisley print of this Cynthia Rowley dress is unforgettable, while the combo of pleats, ruffles and a soft watercolour floral print are absolutely divine on this bridesmaid gown by PARKER. A touch of modern and boho blend perfectly in these two floral bridesmaid gowns.

Are you planning an outdoor garden style wedding? I highly reccommend a tea length floral print gown like these two from ASOS. The strapless sweetheart neckline and flowy fabric of this pink floral print dress will look amazing on your bridesmaids. Want something a little different and ultra chic? Choose a structured, pleated tea length dress like this bold beauty from ASOS. Bonus about the tea length gown? Your favourite ladies will keep cool on a hot Summer day in this classically cut style.

These long, sophisticated floral gowns from Nordstrom are both timeless and classic in style. Choose this soft v-neck dress by Jenny Yoo and watch your bridesmaids wear it again and again! I am in love with the high neckline and elegant print of this Eliza J gown. It is grecian inspired and also reminds me of a vintage fine china print with the beautiful blue and white colour combo.

Every one of these dresses could easily be worn over and over by your bridesmaids after your wedding day. Dress them up or down with a variety of accessories, jackets, cardigans and footwear. The possibilities are endless! Are you looking for more bridal inspiration? Follow us on Pinterest and get daily bridal inspo and more!

Boho Bride Style

Congratulations, you're engaged! There are so many exciting details for you to start planning and sharing with your friends and family. What do you think of first? Your bridal ensenble of course! What to wear, your hair, your makeup, and what will it all look like together?! We're here to help you find the perfect dress, shoes and all of the finishing details to bring your bridal fantasy to life.

One of my favourite bridal looks is the Boho Bride. Being a boho bride consists of elements of nature, vintage inspired details and of course, a laid back glam style.

The first place to start is the dress. I am a big fan of Hayley Paige! Her gowns are absolutely stunning, and the details that she incorporates into each dress is exquisite. Hayley's dresses are whimsical and have a beautiful boho chic feel to them. I love the floral lace details she incorporates into her gowns, which would make for a stunning boho bride. If you're feeling a little traditonal, I would suggest trying one of her long sleeve gowns for a beautiful and elegant touch.

For the boho bride, makeup is very important to your final look. Nothing heavy or smoky for this bride! Think light, airy, and natural. A little touch of glitter also doesn't hurt! Think soft pinks and earthy browns that will compliment your skin tone and overall wedding theme.

For your hair, a soft loose curl is definitely the way to go. Whether you wear it down or up, your hair should look effortlessly chic and natural. If you decide to wear an updo for your wedding day, make sure to leave some loose strands hanging around your face, and if you can, a floral crown is a definite must have!

{photos via pinterest}

Jewelry is very important when you're thinking of the finishing touches to your look. For a more boho feel, choose gemstones like Druzy, Crystal Quartz and Rainbow Moonstone. A natural gemstone will look more authentic and bohemian than a super sparkly Cubic Zirconia.

Brooklyn Designs Rachel Earrings, Calia Earrings and Charlie stud earrings.

Adding a golden element is also a great way to add a vintage, non-traditional touch to your overall bridal look. You also want to choose delicate, dainty jewels for your wedding day, when you're choosing boho chic over traditional.

Brooklyn Designs Becca necklace, Daphne bangle, Charlie cuff and Charlotte necklace.

What about the shoes? When choosing boho inspired shoes for your wedding day, you definitely want to keep your dress in mind when making a decision. Something whimsical and feminine is always a good choice, and embelishments are a definite must. You also want to be comfortable in the shoes that you choose, because you're going to be standing, dancing and walking around for hours in them!

Badgley Mischka, Vince Camuto & Vince Camuto from Nordstrom.

I hope this boho bride style guide helps get you started on the planning for your big day! Please leave any other recommendations below in the commments and let me know what you think of the boho bride style. I LOVE bohemian elements and hope you're able to incorporate some into your wedding day.

CELEBRITY STYLE: The Bachelorette JoJo Fletcher

I don't know about you, but I was really happy when they announced JoJo as the new  Bachelorette for this season. Not only does she have amazing style (love a boho inspired girl!), but she has a great attitude and seems to be a really genuine, friendly person.

Last week on The Bachelorette we spotted JoJo wearing our Chloe Pacific Opal earrings in gold! 

The Bachelorette JoJo wearing Brooklyn Designs Chloe Swarovski crystal earrings.

These dainty little gems are a great pair to wear everyday and have a lot of sparkle packed into such a small earring. I love the Pacific Opal Swarovski crystal. They are a great match to Aqua Chalcedony, and have a tropical ocean inspired hue to them.

We also spotted Brooklyn Designs jewelry on a special Good Morning America segment last week, featuring stylist Cary Fetman. JoJo shared her amazing closet for The Bachelorette, and if you're like me, you probably can't wait to see what she wears next.

Want the full update on what JoJo is wearing this season? Make sure to follow Dana from Possessionista for a full (hilarious!) recap of each episode, including everything JoJo wears. I have also given Dana's readers a special coupon code for 20% off, so make sure you follow Dana's posts!

Bridal Accessory Alternatives: A Vintage Twist

{Guest blogger Micaela Armstrong}

I’ve always loved art deco style (fashion and design reminiscent of the 1920’s and 30’s). It’s one of my favourite eras, and it’s making a comeback in many ways as people are clamouring to incorporate it into their daily style!

In this post, I’m going to approach how to incorporate art-deco style accessories in lieu of traditional bridal accessories, in the hopes of offering options to the bride in search of a unique twist.

  1.) THE HEADPIECE

{photos via Pinterest}

One of the first questions I asked myself was, "How can I bring flowers into this equation?" Over at Beyond the Brush, they have beautiful examples of floral headpieces that made my head spin with possibilities! So many beautiful arrangements and styles are possible, and a floral headpiece is absolutely in the DIY range (perfect for the frugal, savvy bride!). Make it extravagant or minimal depending on your personal taste.

2.) THE CLUTCH

{Photos via www.vintagestyler.com}

Never underestimate the usefulness of a clutch on your wedding day! Depending on its size, your clutch can hold not only your phone, but a bundle of emergency supplies: a sewing kit, lint roller, tissues, makeup - you name it, you'll probably need it at some point. A clutch is not only useful, it is a beautiful accessory to your look. With regard to my ongoing art-deco inspired theme, I found a few examples of gorgeous embellished clutches that use three of my favourite things: pleats, beads and/or brooches. This accessory doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to look that way. 

3.) THE SHOES

 In looking for art-deco inspired shoes, I didn't have to look any further than John Fluevog (I am a Vancouverite, after all). John Fluevog is an unconventional Canadian designer whose flagship store has been running in Vancouver's Gastown since the 1970's. If you want something different, this is the way to go. The styles I chose to include in this post are the Vanessa and Estella heels. Although these two pairs are vastly different from one another, both of them ultimately borrow art deco style, with a modern/contemporary flourish which I think suits my theme well! 

The above accessories are simply ideas to go off of if you're on the lookout for traditional alternatives. There are so many - ranging from decadent to casual. If you want details your guests are sure to notice, take a pass on traditional accessories and go vintage!

Micaela Armstrong is Executive Assistant at Brooklyn Designs and a full-time student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

CELEBRITY STYLE: Felicity Smoak on Arrow

This season on Arrow we've seen a few of our favourite designs being worn by Felicity Smoak. One piece in particular that I was hoping to spot is our Purple Turquoise Leandra Necklace.

Felicity Smoak wearing Brooklyn Designs Leandra Purple Turquoise Necklace.

This is a piece from a couple of years ago and it was always one of my favourites. I love the dark eggplant purple of the gemstone, and the size of the turquoise is enough to make a statement. Another one of my favourites worn this season on Arrow, is our Casey bar necklace. Casey is the perfect layering piece to wear with any of your sterling silver jewelry. You could even pair it with a gold necklace, like our Bobbi for a modern mixed metal look.

Felicity Smoak wearing Brooklyn Designs Casey bar necklace on Arrow.

Shop all of our other as seen on Arrow jewelry here.

TV STYLE: Mia Parres of The Expandables

Are you an HGTV junkie like I am? I love HGTV and find myself watching it every single day! There is something about real estate and home design that I can't seem to get enough of. Have you had the opportunity to watch HGTV Canada's show, The Expandables? It features designer Mia Parres and builder Rob Evans. This is a must watch show if you love home improvement, real estate and design. What's even better? Mia wears our jewels during this season's episodes and I couldn't be happier! 

Designer Mia Parres of The Expandables wearing Brooklyn Designs Marilyn studs & Monica necklace in Aqua Chalcedony.

I love seeing talented, strong women wearing Brooklyn Designs jewelry and Mia is a not only a design expert, but she gets her hands dirty creating exclusive handcrafted home decor and furniture pieces for each episode! HGTV is such a great resource for women role models, featuring so many capable, powerful women who can do whatever they set their mind to and that's one of the many reasons I love this network. What's your favourite HGTV show? I have too many to list I think, but The Expandables is definitely one of my top favourites! Make sure to tune in every Thursday for a new episode and don't forget to watch Home To Win featuring Mia Parres and Rob Evans every Sunday night on HGTV Canada.

TV STYLE: Felicity Smoak on Arrow

I am a big fan of the show Arrow. I love that the women on the show are strong characters who can fend for themselves. I especially like Emily Bett Rickards character, Felicity Smoak. Nevermind the fact that she's a dead ringer for my cousin Alana, her character is a little sassy and a whole lot of smart! (and great fashion too of course!)

This week on Arrow, Felicity wore our Mini Jorja necklace in gold-filled.

Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) wearing Brooklyn Designs Mini Jorja Necklace.

This is one of my favourite necklaces to wear. It is dainty and feminine. Perfect for wearing every day, you can easily layer our Mini Jorja necklace is all of your favourites. This piece is also available in sterling silver.

Are you a big fan of Arrow? Shop all of our jewels worn on the show here.

TV STYLE: Jillin Harris on LIOLIV

It's true, I am a HUGE Jillian Harris fan. She is so darn cute and talented! Her style is amazing (laid back west coast with a touch of girly girl), and her interior design style is very covetable.

The new season of Love It Or List It Vancouver started the other week and I couldn't be more excited! I love this show so much and especially because it's filmed right here in Vancouver. I have to say that where I live is pretty amazing and if you have ever been to the west coast of B.C. (Canada) then you know exactly what I am talking about.

I was lucky enough of spot Jillian wearing our Cece Rainbow Moonstone stud earrings on the season premier episode. It's always a treat to see people on TV wearing my designs, but when they are someone I really admire it is extra special!

Jillian Harris wearing Brooklyn Designs Cece Rainbow Moonstone stud earrings.

Are you a fan of Jillian too? Follow her on Instagram and visit her site for great

 recipes, style & home decor tips.

BROOKLYN BEATS: Playlist Favourites

Happy 2016!

I love the new year, it brings an opportunity to say goodbye to the past year and to restart with fresh new goals and aspirations. Goal setting is a very important part of my new year beginnings, and it's a great way to get yourself excited for the new year and all of the possibilities it might bring you. But with all of these new goals to tackle and bring to fruition, how are you to stay focussed and keep your energy up (without having to drink a couple extra cups of coffee per day!)?

My solution is music!

I love a great playlist, and what better way to feel energized and alive than with some great music to keep you motivated and going strong until your work day is over. I recently made a new playlist for the studio to keep Micaela and I working at full speed, and here are some of my favourites.

1. Ramble On - Led Zepplin

Love Led Zepplin. That's it.

2. Think I'm In Love - Beck

I could easily make a Beck playlist and dedicate a blog post or 4 to why and how much

I love his music. Too many to list. I think he is so incredibly talented and I love all of his

weirdness and creativity.

3. Driver's Seat - Sniff n' the Tears

This brings me back to being a kid in the 80's and hearing this all of the time. A great

song, and what about the band's name?!

4. 10,000 Emerald Pools - BORNS

Great song! Super mellow and just plain awesome.

5. Reaper - Sia

I am becoming a big fan of Sia. Her music is fantastic, and I like how she

portrays herself in person and tries to let her artistry and music do all of the talking.

6. Vibrant Scene - Jon & Roy

Another band that I could go on and on about how many songs I love.

These guys are from Victoria, BC and their mellow tunes are exactly what I need in life

sometimes. You should definitely check them out if they come to town and buy their

songs on itunes if you can.

What are some of your favourite songs on rotation right now? I'd love to know! I love discovering new music. Let me know in the comments below.