Television has finally produced a housewife I can relate to, fictional though she may be. After years of watching stay-at-home mothers like TV's "Rosanne" portrayed as sloppy out-of-shape women festering in their overly trashy homes, to the completely opposite and very unreal "Real Housewives" who purchase their looks and rent their elaborate mansions, its nice to finally watch a homemaker on TV that seems very authentic. If you follow the show, then of course you know I am referring to Claire in "Modern Family". Like many stay-at-home mothers, Claire left her mid-management job to raise her family. One gets the impression that she would have been moderately successful and confident in the corporate world, but the challenges of raising children (to include her husband) and manage a home leave her a bit on edge. Her parental angst and insecurities are wildly entertaining in and of themselves and the writers don't have to rely on gimmicks in dress or staging, to get a laugh. Claire's lovely home is moderately cluttered yet wonderfully decorated and she, though casual in her dress, always looks great. Claire's style is somewhere between 80's wrinkled college girl prep and a woman embracing middle age. She is often shown in casual button down shirts (80's) that are pressed and tailored (mature woman). But what does Modern Family have to do with my blog which is supposed to be about my trials and tribulations wearing my vintage jewelry? I'm beginning to realize that this blog is less about my actual experiences and more about how I can incorporate these very opulent pieces into my daily attire, which is decidedly "Claire" causal. Today I pulled out this fabulous triple strand necklace which is made of turquoise foiled glass beads and crystals.
These vintage beaded necklaces from the 50's & 60's are amazing, and of the several I own I consider this one my show stopper. That is probably the reason I never wear it, I've come to believe it needs to be on display around my neck rather than a fun accessory to an outfit. This necklace is happy hour material and looks fantastic with a classic black cocktail dress or paired with a low scoop neck blouse and jeans, but somehow I think I might look just a bit out of place wearing either one of those outfits while shopping at Target. That's where Claire came in, why not emulate her style? I pulled out a white button down shirt, ironed it of course, paired it with my favorite jeans, and added the necklace. It looks great! Behind the collar the necklace shines but doesn't shout "free hors d' oeuvres from 4-7pm". I added a turquoise sweater and I was ready to begin the day of a real housewife.
Many of these beautiful double and triple strand necklaces were made in Japan and are often passed up by collectors since they cannot be attributed to a particular designer or manufacturer. When I'm buying a piece of jewelry I always look to see if the item is signed, but only after I've decided I like the piece and that it is of quality construction. Remember, a signature may add cost to an item but it doesn't always guarantee style, so don't pass up on that unsigned beauty if you really like it.
No comments:
Post a Comment