This green, black, and silver floral bohemian beaded necklace, along with the earrings (and a bracelet that is still a work in progress), were part of a custom order for a matching set. Similar in design to the  whimsical bohemian necklace I posted last week, this necklace measures 16-17 inches- falling just over the collarbone. This necklace is elegant, whimsical, and fun, and definitely is versatile enough to be worn with any style of dress- although it was made to be worn for a more formal cocktail event.

Quick Style Tips (and several tangents) On Accessorizing Different Levels of Attire: 

Obviously the style of necklace you wear depends on what event you are dressing for.  Shorter necklaces, sometimes called chokers (depending on the length), are usually the best accessories for the traditional formal dress styles.  (Side note: it is really difficult for me to refer to these necklaces as chokers, because to me, chokers invoke images of those black stretchy necklaces made from a pair of old tights, or the plastic, barbed wire looking ones most memorably worn by the Spice Girls. However, fashion is constantly evolving and so is the terminology, so I will try to move past it.) 

As I said before, for formal event, a necklace with a shorter length (like this one) with either a drop pendant, stone, or charm is usually the most appropriate & the safest bet style-wise- as long as the neckline of your dress is, as with most formal dresses, an (appropriately) dropped neckline. If the neckline is too low, that would make the dress a style called Jersey Shore Reality TV Formal, which, translated, is a style, as recognized by the rest of the world, simply called ‘trashy’.  (This style is not to be confused with those worn by the unfortunate residents of the Jersey Shore who have no MTV ties.)  A finish with some sort of metal, and not leather or suede, which (for the most part) are materials that tend to imply a more casual look, is also best for dressier occasions.

Ok, back to this jewelry set. Annnnyways, I loved making this set because I was able to take my time (this awesome buyer gave me almost a month of advanced notice and time to work) and include so much intricate detail, highlighting each bead by using the headpins as links between the beads. I love the way the different shades of green in the jade beads, the translucent murano glass beads, and the freckled green ceramic beads create such a great range of color without clashing, and how they create such a nice contrast to the black onyx tube beads and the silver metal embellishments. In the earrings, as well as the bracelet (which is not pictured because it is still in progress) I used some of the different components of the necklace, but didn’t use all of them in both, nor did I repeat the exact combinations I used because, a. that would be boring, and b. I think that a matching set should have variations among the pieces. Without variation, the pieces work together can be too much, too matchy-matchy, or slightly overpowering and tacky. This is just my opinion, butttt it’s basically a fact. ; ) Later, I will add pictures of the finished bracelet to show how the pieces go together to create a set, but for now, here are the necklace and earrings:

Go to etsy.com/shop/lakeshorelavaliere to browse the different shop sections OR to request your own custom order:

• If you have any questions, or would like to make a request for a custom order while browsing the lakeshore lavaliere  online shop,  Etsy convo me by clicking ‘contact’ on the left hand side of the page
• For other Inquiries/Requests/Custom Orders, Feel Free to Contact lakeshorelavaliere@gmail.com

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Hope you like it & thanks for reading!