Mourning Jewelry – Cool or Creepy?

(This is a popular older post that seemed appropriate to share again before the Halloween weekend. Be safe and bedazzle, jewelry hounds!)

Most of us associate jewelry with happy occasions like weddings, birthdays and Valentine’s Day. But many folks are wearing jewels these days that symbolize quite the opposite.

Mourning jewelry is apparently all the rage right now, according to TrendHunter, and with vampire chic taking over our pop culture – from Twilight to True Blood - it’s no wonder.

So what is mourning jewelry exactly?

The earliest examples of mourning jewelry were found in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. Black and white enameled heads or skulls were often set into both rings and brooches and worn to signify a period of mourning after the death of a loved one.

The jewelry category reached its height of popularity in England with Queen Victoria after the premature death of Prince Albert in December 1861. Black jewelry soon became a must-have accessory, as thousands of Brits sympathized with their grieving Queen.


In the United States the use of mourning jewelry increased with the outbreak of the Civil War, which included the emergence of hair jewelry – lopped off locks given to loved ones by soldiers who went off to war, often worn as pendants or in closed lockets.


Today, mourning jewelry is making a comeback, with young designers like Anna Schwamborn from London designing a range of styles made with the hair and cremated ashes of loved ones mixed with black bone china. Her “Mourning Objects” collection includes a rosary, necklace and a watch chain tear catcher, among other styles.

So what do you think about this ‘trendy’ jewelry category? Would you wear the remains of your loved one around your neck, for example, or in the form of a ring? Or is the thought of it too morbid to even consider?

I'm curious. Has anyone out there worn mourning jewelry before? Share your story!

Bone Chilling Jewelry

Is it me? Or is the jewelry world getting a little macabre these days? From Jaws jewelry to creepy crawly couture, designers are letting go of the Cinderella diamond fairy tale and are embracing Freddy Krueger fashion instead.

Case in point? Bone jewelry.

Blogger Nicole Keating from W Magazine spotted this crazy cuff designed by Turkish jewelry designer, Alp Sagnak aptly named, "The Bone Bracelet". He used a dozen oppossum tibia and fibula bones, which he says "in Turkish are unique because they are the only bones with two joints."

Throw in oxidized silver, 24-karat gold, rubies and diamonds and you have a $10,500 bone chiller for the perfect goth goddess to grab for their collection.

But Sagnak isn't the only 'bone collector' out there. Trend Hunter features designs from the "Churchyard Human Bone Collection" made from human teeth, wrist bones - even bones from the human foot!

I don't know about you, but I'm not really interested in accessorizing with poor Mary's metatarsals (rest her soul). Ew.

What star do you think is the most likely to bust out with bone bling on the red carpet? Maybe True Blood's vampire queen, Evan Rachel Wood? Johnny Depp in collar bone cuff links?

Anna Paquin's Wedding Ring Revealed!

Sookie Stackhouse (aka Anna Paquin) said 'I do' to her favorite vampire, Stephen 'SSSSooookie No!" Moyer this weekend in a Malibu wedding fit for all creatures alive and undead.

Her wedding ring was spotted by the paps today as she flitted about town running errands with her mom. The vintage style was custom-made by jeweler Cathy Waterman, who also designed Moyer's simple wedding band (spotted here while he was skateboarding in LA).

Vampires skateboard?

Vintage diamond engagement rings must be popular with the blood-thirsty set. This vintage style was designed by Twilight author, Stephanie Meyer, as a replica of the ring Edward gives to Bella in the series.


To get a live glimpse of Anna's rocks, the happy couple will be presenting at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards Sunday with True Blood costar Alexander Skarsgard. (Come tweet with me and a bunch of other fab jewelry bloggers during the red carpet shenanigans - using #emmyjewelry hashtag)

Here's hoping they all come out like this!

Nick Verreos enjoys "A Night of Emotion" at LA Dogworks!

Vampires Like Dogs...Orange Carpet: Nick Verreos at the LA Dogworks "A Night of Emotion" event

Yes, it's orange. But it's still a "red carpet". Last week, before my trip to Orange County to attend and judge Style Week OC, I was invited to "A Night of Emotion", an event benefiting Good Dog Animal Rescue as well as to raise awareness for the National Service Dogs Foundation and Fidelco Guide Dogs Foundation. Not Benny: Rita and Nick Verreos hold a Chihuahua puppy at the LA Dogworks "A Night of Emotion" event

As some of you may know, I own a beautiful Dachshund/King Charles mixed dog whom David and I rescued over a year ago, so ever since, I have become a "Dog Poppa" as well as a big supporter of all things canine. LA Dogworks is a fabulous "Doggy Hotel"/Kennel where we leave Benny when we have to go out of town (insert "sad face" here) and the location of this "orange carpet" event.Sisterly Love: Rita Verreos in ivory and printed silk charmeuse NIKOLAKI dress, LA Dogworks "A Night of Emotion" event

I didn't bring Benny so instead I brought my sister, Rita Verreos, who had been visiting in Los Angeles while filming a pageant runway coaching video (she coaches pageant girls by the way).
She came over to my studio and of course I let her borrow a little NIKOLAKI cocktail dress for the occasion. I showed my sister where Benny stays while we are away and we enjoyed some delicious Joe's Pizza slices as we surveyed items up for auction. Dog-Loving Couple: Actors Stephen Moyer and Anna Paquin from HBO's "True Blood"

I spotted Stephen Moyer and his fellow "True Blood" actress Anna Paquin. Aren't they engaged? I wanted to say "Hello" to Anna and commend her on how pretty she looked but it was a "No-Can-Do" situation: She was either holding on to Stephen for dear life and looking frazzled, or she was surrounded by too many people. I didn't want to be an added bother, as they say.Nick Verreos and stylists George Blodwell, LA Dogworks "A Night of Emotion" event

I did get to hang out with stylist George Blodwell (clients include Bill Maher, Helen Mirren), who was looking very dapper as always. The event was great and I'm glad to have attended for such a good cause. I think my Benny would have enjoyed it though. Maybe next time!

Vampires, Diamonds and True Love

Of all the recent celebrity diamond rings I’ve been spotting this summer (from Ivanka Trump to Bethenny Frankel), this one takes the cake! True Blood’s first couple is getting hitched in real life!

For those of you who aren’t into HBO's latest vampire screen sensation (if not, you really oughta be), Anna Paquin plays telepathic Sookie Stackhouse who falls in love with a sexy 200 year-old vampire played by Stephen Moyer. You follow?

The lovebirds hit it off during the audition two years ago and news hit yesterday that they’re making things official.


No wedding details are available yet, but OK Magazine spotted Paquin flaunting her stunning new diamond engagement ring while walking her dog in Venice this morning.

Awwww…..

Moyer, 39, has two children from previous relationships: a son, Billy, born in 2000, and a daughter, Lilac, born in 2002. This will be the first marriage for both.



Last month, Paquin, 27, said of her steamy love scenes with Moyer: "Obviously, if you're already with that person then you're not having to sort of get over the 'Wow, I'm naked with someone that I don't even know the middle name of!"

Anna? You are one lucky telepath.

What do you guys think of the happy couple? A match made in TV heaven or an odd couple destined to fizzle?