by Karla Stevens
 Hello fashionistas and fans! I think it's safe to say that dinner tonight with Marissa and Mom was all about the bling and the anti-bling. Marissa is wearing a nubbly white knit sweater top with gold sequined straps over a sexy pair of jeans. She's got her black Coach patent boots on and she's sporting her baby pink Chanel bag. Her mom, Julie Cooper, on the other side of the table, is wearing a
turquoise fur collar and has enough jewelry on to sink a ship...or at the very least, cause momentary blindness in the maitre d'. We love the rebel in Mischa, when she goes all classic, tasteful and really cutting-edge chic. There's nothing gaudy about it. Right down to the pair of Angus necklaces she is wearing oh-so-tasfully around her neck.
Between you and me, it was the find of the century, and it was right under my nose the whole time. One afternoon between calls from the Director and ordering up heaps of Coach, Sass & Bide and Chanel, I happened to notice a necklace on one of my fabulous costumers, Angelique Curtis. We're talking gold, sparkly, artistic and tasteful.
Who knew I had a budding sculptor and artist working late hours and weekends to get her jewelry company, Angus, off the ground? In the spirit of true solidarity, I started wearing her pieces, and so did the other costumers in the department. Bingo, it was all the buzz on the set of The OC.
I asked her about her inspiration and found myself captivated. It all went back to a National Geographic issue about Pompeii. "I remember being fascinated that the only thing that they found was their pottery and their jewelry and it helped them answer all sorts of questions about the culture," she said. "I loved the way the jewelry was raw and rough but at the same endured the test of time and told their story." Throw in a few metal working classes in high school and a degree in fine arts - focusing on Sculpture - and her passion for jewelry continued. Flash to contemporary times in her Echo Park studio where she creates: "I want all my jewelry to be art pieces," she said.
The necklaces Marissa wore, the rattle charm pendant and the starry pendant, which is encrusted with diamonds, certainly made a statement. A solid gold statement, I'd say. And Angelique's love of gold is in her blood. Her Great Grandfather was a true California gold miner. "I was thrilled because Mischa Barton took them home off the set and wore them all week long. I think she really liked them." Angelique's hope is that her jewelry will take on an heirloom quality.
My solid gold fashion tip: Wear your Angus jewelry at the beach in your tiny bikini to give you that little extra something. Throw on a colorful tank and a mini and you're ready for a quick a bite out at lunch time. Finally, add your favorite jacket as the sun sets with your Marc Jacobs espadrille wedgies, and we'll see you on Rodeo. If my instincts are correct, I'm predicting a gold rush.
Find Angelique's creations at www.angusfinejewelry.com |
