“Jewelry is an accessory; and accessories should tell the story, and build the narrative” is how award-winning wardrobe director, Patricia Field responded when asked about the role played by jewelry, on screen, by jewelry editor, Marion Fasel; at the recent JCK Las Vegas show, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.  Field continued by explaining “If a piece of jewelry furthers the development of the story and/or the character – great!  But it has a job to do.”

For more than an hour, during the JCK Talk entitled “Expressing Style through Jewelry,” Fasel and Field discussed an array of topics, from a pair of Field’s favorite fine jewelry collaborations from Sex and the City (Kwiat and Faraone Mennella); to the fabulously chic white hairdo sported by Meryl Streep, in The Devil Wears Prada (created by Streep’s longtime hair and make-up artist, J. Roy Helland).

One thing that Field was very keen to point out is that while precious jewelry is lovely, oftentimes it’s too dainty for the screen, especially when that screen might be a television, a smartphone, or – as we’ve recently learned – a watch.  As such, a pair of elegant earrings might look exquisite in “real” life, but will get lost, on TV.  And thus, the raison d’être for costume jewelry, on screen (that, and the myriad administrative headaches attached that come with using fine jewelry, such as insurance, security guards, transportation, etc.).

Furthermore, Field has never cared much about labels.  This isn’t to say that she is opposed to using major brands (quite the contrary, as evidenced by the likes of Jimmy Choo, Fendi, Dior, and the other fashion houses, that were actually written into the scripts).  At the end of the day, said Field when asked about the impetus behind using the Bulgari watch sported by Sarah Jessica Parker, “Who cares what time it is, so long as it’s pretty?”

Throughout the presentation, a quintet of models showed-off different looks – among them the cocktail party attendee, the executive, the club-goer, the daytime lady, and the bride.  Each of these was dressed in clothes brought by Field, from New York; and then accessorized with jewelry that she found while walking the floor of JCK.

The two big takeaways that I left with were (a) the influence of American style, around the world (“wherever you go, there’s someone wearing jeans, a t-shirt, and tennis shoes”); and (b) diamonds for daytime (echoing what I’ve been preaching and living for years).

At the end of the session, Fasel asked Field how the person at home can put together one of the seemingly complex looks featured that day.  Replied Field, “The bottom line is that you’ve gotta have the confidence to believe in yourself.  Use your imagination!  Just pour yourself some wine, turn on some music, and start pulling things from your closet.”

JCK Vegas
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
May 29 – June 1

Get into it!

Marion Fasel has authored seven books about twentieth century jewelry (most recently, Bulgari: Serpenti Collection), and has served as consultant, collaborator and/or curator, on projects for such high-profile jewelry houses as Bulgari, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Van Cleef  & Arpels, and Verdura.  After nearly a decade as an editor of Fine Jewelry & Watches for InStyle; Fasel co-Founded The Adventurine, an online magazine and advisory service, launching this fall.

Patricia Field is an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated wardrobe stylist (Sex and the City, The Devil Wears Prada).  Her eponymous retail emporium, Patricia Field, has been a staple of the New York fashion scene for more than a half-century; while the House of Field has created custom looks for everyone from Beyoncé and Britney to Bette Midler.  Field’s current project is the TV Land original series, Younger, that has just been renewed for a second season.

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