Every Girl Wants to Get Lucky

Every girl wants to be Lucky and this month, we are!  We're thrilled to be featured in the November issue of Lucky Magazine as part of their Lucky Breaks featuring on-trend jewelry brands.  We've always been a big fan of the Lucky Breaks section of the magazine and have discovered more than a few new go-to resources from the brands and stores featured on its pages.  When launching VisibleInterest.com, it was one of the places we aspired to be -- and now there we are!  

Why don't you try to get Lucky, too?  Enter here to win one of three $500 shopping sprees to VisibleInterest.com.  Good luck.  We see some sleek modern jewelry in your future.

Naturally Modern

When you think about it, Mother Nature is the ultimate designer.  Nothing else we create can match her brilliance, originality and variety.  It’s why her work provides the inspiration for so many visualists in all fields.

At Decidedly Modern, we’re of course taken with the modern interpretation of all things natural, including nature inspired earrings. While one’s mind might go toward something a bit ornate or realistic in its rendering, it is the clean lined, minimalist or edgy interpretation of nature inspired earrings that we adore.

Gunmetal Sawtooth Half Hoops by India Morgan

The animal kingdom is an exotic source of inspiration for India Morgan designer, Hadee Morgan, whose previous life as a wildlife biologist in Africa provides endless takes on the natural beauty of animal skin.  Independent jewelry designer Michelle Chang’s line also frequently relies on the visual punch of creatures for her whimsical, wearable creations.

Snake Hoop Earrings with Rubies by Michelle Chang

The Cactus collection from La Corza gives us organic shapes created directly from the skeleton of a prickly pear cactus.  And Sheri Beryl’s interpretation of the seedpod goes to show that the garden is full of visual stimuli.

Cactus Gold Disc Drop Earrings with Rubies by La Corza

We would never fool with Mother Nature.  But be it flora or fauna, we are thrilled that so many jewelry designers chose to interpret her work in a way that makes nature inspired earrings decidedly modern.

Gold Ring Seedpod Stud Earrings by Sheri Beryl

Portland Style

Decidedly Modern is decidedly West this week, checking out all things Portland, Oregon.  We’re inspired by the unique and individualistic, albeit very casual, approach to fashion.  Here are some things we'd pile up on for an extended stay:

• Boyfriend Jeans
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• Substantial boots
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• Artistic shirt
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• Cool anorak
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• Distinctive bag
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• Uptown punk jewelry

Portland is a mecca for all things handcrafted and the small, independent artisan rules.  No matter where you are, remember to support small businesses who are both creating something unique and creating local jobs and growth in their own communities.

For more Portland inspiration, check out Urban Weeds, a Portland-centric street style blog.

Anorak by Isabel Marant, Sweater by Wildfox, Jeans by Rag & Bone, Boots by Pour la Victoire, Backpack by Everlane, and Jewelry by independent jewelry designer Stefanie Sheehan at VisibleInterest.com

Stack 'em up! The multiple ring trend.

Gone are the days when the fashion set wore a single ring on each hand. Today the trend is more, more, more, with trendsetters artfully piling on rings of all shapes and sizes for a fresh and modern look.

Want to get in on the trend? Here’s all you need to know about how to wear rings today.

Multiple rings or multiple fingers?  

Yes and yes. There’s no right or wrong way to layer rings. Fashion followers are mixing metals, piling rings past their knuckles, and wearing bling on every digit. Don’t be afraid to mix things up.

Stack ‘em high  

The simplest way to wear the trend is to layer multiples of a single narrow style to create a thicker look. The stacked rings can be all the same design, similar shapes in different metals, or set with different stones to create a multi-layered look.  The Hex Band by Selin Kent, below, is a great luxe example.

Knuckle up

Knuckle rings are meant to sit high on your finger between the nail and knuckle.  Mixing a knuckle ring in with rings that sit at the base creates a fashionable staggered effect across the hand.  This Silver Diamond Knuckle Ring by designer Stefanie Sheehan has a great geometric look that works with many other styles.

Go vertical

Many rings have gotten tall, with vertical design elements that stretch well past the knuckle to create a look that is edgy and striking.  The Woven Armor Ring by Westland Jewelry is a bold all finger ring that really ratchets up the fashion statement. 

Go barely there  

On the opposite end, you’ll find rings that are extremely delicate, barely more than a wire, like the 14K Gold Cross Ring by Lumo.  Whether they’re plain or support a tiny stone or adornment, these minimalist rings can be worn across multiple fingers or mixed with weightier styles to create an artful contrast. 

Stacks of rings needn’t require stacks of cash. While you can choose rings with diamonds or other precious stones, modern jewelry designers are also crafting rings in sterling silver or brass, with designs starting as low as $50. So pile them on. Stack them up. And create a mix all your own.

An Apple for Every Day

So much has been and will be written about the Apple Watch since its unveiling yesterday, but as devotees of all things modern design, we feel compelled to comment.

“It’s beautiful.”

That’s our comment.  When we first saw the pictures, we were stunned that this was truly a wearable computer, then thrilled that there will be something so sleek and stylish, yet so useful and, well, technical to pair with our equally sleek and stylish attire.  Up until now all the wearable tech has looked a bit literal, a mini computer that you strap on your wrist. Even the efforts of the fashion brands that teamed up with tech firms have been good but not great.  Certainly not something you would wear everyday with everything.

 But the Apple Watch is, and in so many iterations, we want multiples.  Kudos.  Truly, truly modern in every sense of the word.

Modern with a Capital T

Anyone who reads fashion magazines or websites, or even the newspaper in a major market, would have to have seen the ad campaign for Tiffany’s new T Collection, which touts the clean lines and simplicity of their frankly beautiful jewelry.  One headline professes “Unapologetically Modern.” That line embodies a notion that we at Decidedly Modern can certainly embrace.

When a major stalwart of refined traditional jewelry such as Tiffany’s makes a strong leap into the modern jewelry arena, you know style trends have been heading that direction for some time. And we couldn’t be happier, because we know that modern, streamlined pieces are what women searching for today.  Take the minimalist simplicity of Selin Kent, the geometric beauty of Lauren Chisholm, or the Southern California vibe and spare shapes that define Lumo.

Selin Kent

Lumo

Lauren Chisholm

But what can further add to this modern mindset is the inherent uniqueness in pieces created by independent jewelry designers, versus the ubiquity and wide availability of styles from large corporations, manufactured in bulk.  In today’s age of individuality, the truly modern want to sport a look that is theirs alone.  One that might offer up the imperfections of the handmade.  So not only do they not have to have a “who wore it better” moment, they know that their piece was made for them and is like no other. No offense to Tiffany’s, with a capital T. 

The very modern Nico Ring on a very famous hand

We love it when VisibleInterest.com hits the press and this month is starting off with a very modern bang.  The Nico Ring in Yellow Gold with White Diamonds can be seen on Kourtney Kardashian in the September issue of Natural Health Magazine.  The Nico Ring is by Selin Kent whose whole line of understated yet edgy pieces are characterized by a minimalist take on clean lines, architectural forms and simplified shapes.  Each piece in her line is simply stunning and it seems Kourtney agrees.

The Perfectly Imperfect Piece

There is something perfectly imperfect about a piece of handcrafted jewelry.  It might not be exactly symmetrical or the finish might show slight flaws, but that is part of the allure.  When purchasing a piece of handcrafted jewelry, you know you are getting something that has been lovingly thought about, planned, designed and made by a single individual.  In the end, any imperfections are what makes each piece unique and a mini work of art.  It looks different and feels different than a mass-produced item and makes the wearer feel different too, knowing their look is as individual as they are. 

Typically most jewelry today is created by a team working from a sketch or a simple line drawing. Most is designed on the computer with a technician modeling the piece of jewelry using CAD programs that are preconfigured with libraries of thousands of parts that can be quickly configured together to build a piece.  These CAD files are then printed and molded for mass production. This way of creating jewelry is not an art and it is not true design. This type of jewelry is typical of what you will find at most retailers and is hallmarked typically by a mass-produced uniformity to its look and feel. 

Handcrafted jewelry, on the other hand, is just that – crafted by hand.  The techniques used are as  Whether it be creating a model in wax, beading, welding or hammering fine metals, the results are individualistic, unique and full of character.  Devotees of handcrafted jewelry believe that true style lies not in sameness, but in difference. 

numerous as the independent jewelry designers who devote themselves to this artistic expression.  Almost all of the pieces on VisibleInterest.com are handmade.  From earrings, to necklaces, bracelets or rings, our indie designers have come up with exceedingly modern looks and taken them from concept to something we personally can't wait to wear.

When you buy a piece of handcrafted jewelry, you know that the piece has been lovingly created from inception to end by an individual devoted to their art.  You’ll feel good about supporting an individual artist, not to mention look good as well.http://www.visibleinterest.com/

Decidedly Modern

Ever had a style crush on a local boutique?  Where the owner had an uncanny sense of your unique, modern style and you always found something you loved? 

Welcome to VisibleInterest.com and our blog, Decidedly Modern.  

Visible Interest is an online boutique that features a handpicked collection of modern jewelry by vetted independent jewelry designers. There, you’ll discover pieces by indie jewelry designers who share a passion for the uniquely fresh and modern. 

It's a place for those who believe in difference over sameness. Who covet the charm of individuality. Who know there is something truly wonderful about a piece of jewelry that a single person has conceived, designed and lovingly made. 

It looks different. It feels different. Be it fashion or luxury jewelry, each piece has that certain something – an effortless cool. 

Visible Interest carefully chooses no more than 20 pieces per designer. New jewelry is cycled in often to keep us all looking fresh.  

Shop by look, by price or designer. Or focus just on handmade designer jewelry or our limited edition and one-of-a-kind collections made exclusively for Visible Interest.  

All of our jewelry is made by hand or in small batch processes and most is made in the USA.  And while our contemporary jewelry designers can vary greatly in their process and materials, their pieces all share a striking, clean-lined and decidedly modern aesthetic.

Just like you.