Indie Jewelry Spotlight: The Hatters by Michelle Kim

In case you haven't noticed, we have a thing for jewelry and accessories here at Everything She Wants. We also love to showcase talented indie designers, and Michelle Kim fits the bill.  Via email, we chatted with the 22-year-old designer-- who studied psychology at the University of California Irvine--about her handmade jewelry line, The Hatters. The fun and fashionable line includes 14-karat gold-filled and sterling customized name necklaces and rings, and zodiac sign and birthstone bangles.

Designer Michelle Kim.

Everything She Wants: Why did you decide to pursue a career in fashion rather than psychology? 

Michelle Kim: Throughout college, I found psychology to be an interesting subject to study. However, when I began to think of my life after college, I didn’t see myself being happy pursuing a PhD.  Conducting research or being a clinical practitioner without a love for the field would have definitely detracted from my drive and ability. I have always had a passion for altering and making my own jewelry so I decided to take a chance and pursue jewelry designing.

ESW: What do the fashion industry and psychology have in common? 

MK: Majoring in psychology has taught me valuable skills that I have used in the fashion industry. It taught me how to work well with different personalities (customer service), conduct sales, and analyze business data.

ESW: When did you launch The Hatters and what's the significance of the name? 

MK: Actually, my boyfriend and partner, Stephen Davis, came up with The Hatters [name]. Our company launched in 2013.  The Hatters campaign is about bringing together artists each versed in their own medium of expression. To meet at a common crossroad and create something that someone somewhere will find a smile in.

The Hatters jewelry by Michelle Kim.

ESW: What inspires your jewelry designs? 

MK: Nature, architecture, street style and different cultures all inspire me. I mostly create pieces that speak true to my personal style, which is feminine with an edgy twist!

Memorial Day JoJo Loves You Bling Jewelry Sale!

We love a good deal, and here's one for Memorial Day weekend from online jewelry store JoJo Loves You. The Boston-based company is known for its "Bling" earrings, and here's your chance to scoop up 3 pair for $50 or 3 pair for $60 (the Oval and Navette Blings are our fave!).  The sale runs May 24-27.

Great Gatsby Inspired Jewels from Swarovski Crystallized

Doll up like Daisy Buchanan in Swarovski jewels inspired by Baz Luhrmann's opulent film adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, The Great Gatsby.  Available exclusively at a Swarovski Crystallized store (the only U.S. outlet is in New York City's Soho nabe), the three new dazzling collections are the Ben Amun Iris Deco Collection; the Martine Wester Ivy Collection; and the Kenny Ma clutch, all made with Swarovski Elements.

Everything She Wants adores the subtly sparkly Ben Amun Iris Deco Collection (see photos).

Bracelet, $185

Necklace, $320

Earrings, $120

Ring, $144

Images courtesy of Swarovski Crystallized

Met Ball Gala 2013 Fashion Hits and Misses

The theme of the annual Met Ball Gala to kick off the Metropolitan Museum of Art's yearly Costume Institute exhibit was "Punk: From Chaos to Couture."  While some of the stars took a walk on fashion's wild side, some apparently didn't get the memo.

Kim Kardashian/Getty Images

What do you think of these Met Ball fashions?

Uma Thurman

Katie Holmes/Rob Kim for Getty Images

Jennifer Lopez with her beau Casper (l) and designer Michael Kors (r)./Rob Kim for Getty Images

Mother's Day Gifts $25 and Under from Jill Zarin Jewelry

Since her departure from The Real Housewives of New York star Jill Zarin has launched a chic collection of costume jewelry, which is full of Mother's Day gift possibilities. Better yet, many of Jill's fashion-forward, standout statement pieces are $25 or less!

Jill Zarin

"The inspiration behind the Jill Zarin Jewelry Collection came from my desire to have a line that was affordable and clearly represented my taste and style," the reality TV star says in a press release.  "I like my jewelry to be bold and colorful.  They should be something someone notices and become a topic of conversation.  Jewelry can often be a way for people to connect."

The collection features designs that embody Jill's socialite status and includes two distinct lines--NYC Signature Classics ($18 to $78) inspired by her jet set New York City lifestyle, with vignettes named after NY locales (Upper East Side, Central Park, Lincoln Center, etc), and the Fashion Statement Collections ($28 to $150) inspired by Jill's travels around the world.

Within the Fashion Statement Collections, the author of Secrets of a Jewish Mother offers the Fashion Week-inspired "The Runway" collection and the new "Hamptons Collection Summer 2013" that features hammered metal and has an "ultra beach chic" vibe.

Manufactured by GLITTERINGS, the Jill Zarin Jewelry Collection is fashioned with high quality materials like 14K gold plating, fine Austrian crystals, Abalone stones and genuine leather.

"Fashion jewelry is often thought of as disposable due to the wide array of low quality products that flood the market place," she explains, "however, my customer recognizes phenomenal value."

Purchase Jill Zarin's jewelry online or at Lord & Taylor's flagship store in New York City.

Charitable Mother's Day Gifts from UNICEF

Everything She Wants is all about shopping for a good cause.  For Mother's Day, UNICEF has some great gift ideas for Mom that assist the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's mission of reducing the number of daily, preventable deaths of children under age five from 19,000 deaths to zero.  Here are a few of the lovely gifts ($5-$50) available at UNICEF online.

 Peacock Bangle (18.00) – A symbol of grace, joy and beauty, India’s national bird stars in this exquisitely crafted, exclusive design.

 Cast Iron Lanterns in Yellow ($45.00), Orange ($25.00) and Blue ($40.00) – These beautiful hand-forged and durable cast iron lanterns in vibrant colors, made in India, will surely light up the season. For use with flameless candle (available for $10.00).

   Mother and Child Sculpture ($50.00) – In Léogâne, Haiti, carver Jean Claude Dumas and his team of artists hand carve these sculptures from Haitian soapstone mined from mountains some five hours away by foot. The sculptures help the hardworking artists provide for their families and pay for their children’s schooling.

Mother's Day Jewelry Gift Pick: Get 20 Percent Off Freshie & Zero

Everything She Wants has a jewelry love jones for Freshie & Zero.  This classic and simple handcrafted jewelry line is created by Beth Lawrence, a.k.a. Freshie.  And Zero is the talented Nashville native's adorable Jack Russell Terrier.

As an introductory offer, Freshie & Zero is offering Everything She Wants' readers 20 percent off any purchase (excludes gift certificates) until May 25th.  This is the perfect time to pick up a an elegant gift for the modern Mom. At checkout, just enter the coupon code: everythingshew

All of the jewelry is ah-mazing, but here are the two styles we absolutely gushed over when they arrived in the mail (thanks, Beth)!

Me wearing my favorite everyday pieces from Freshie & Zero.

Lolly earrings (sterling silver),  $40

Honey Petals necklace (gold-filled), $56