Arrested developments...(Part 11)

Salut Cuffies,

Need a little cafe au lait to start your day??? This snazzy cuff bracelet may be just the ticket! A city skyline silhouette is created in 14K gold plated metal. The "skies" are a sensual wet sand color, and are made of authentic stingray skin. This piece by New York based designer, Kara Ross, exemplifies both her love of nature and her passion for the "exotic". Her extensive world travel experience is reflected in her one-of-a-kind design aesthetic. Perfect for beach combers and city slickers alike this cuff sparkles like a diamond in the sand.

Bisous,
Lee

Work Chic by dianelynn-catchinguponfavesagain featuring Lanvin bags

Items in this set:
Marni Dot print dress with drawstring waist, 730 GBP
Blade Runner wool-blend jacket, $425
Wanted Shoes, Heels, CRISH - PINK MULTI, 170 AUD
Amalia MM Bag - Sand, $2,790
Cinetico Earrings, 3,200 GBP

With cuff design in mind...(Part 11)

Even your wrist needs to get away once in a while. Treat it to a vacation with this adjustable cuff made of reused and recycled maps.

Map of Paris France Area Cuff Bracelet by VSC83

Where can YOUR jewelry take you??? If you're wearing one of VSC83's original "map cuff bracelets", the possibilities are plenty. Oakland based Etsy seller, Victoria, crafts these ingenious cuffs using upcycled maps. Each cuff has a metal base that makes it adjustable, a black satin ribbon lining that makes it comfortable and a glazed coating that makes it durable. A perfect conversation piece, VSC83's cuff are simply..."rockable"! Read all about this map-lovin'-lady in this week's artist interview...

Q: What makes your shop unique?
I love to work with recycled/reused items when I can, as well as make my own findings and beads in order to create designs that you won't see everywhere else.

Q: How long have you been designing cuff bracelets?
For about seven months now (I've been designing other items for years though.)

Q: Describe the cuffs you design (materials, style, special features etc.)
I'm currently designing map cuffs, which use re-purposed and recycled road and street maps. No two cuffs are ever exactly alike! My favorites are the old National Geographic maps I was lucky to find, which were printed in the 1960s. I've also done aeronautical chart map cuffs, which were fun!

Q: What type of woman do you imagine wearing your cuffs? (Include the name of at least two celebs that you think would love to rock your cuff and tell why...)
The type of woman who wears my cuff is fun, confident, and also sentimental! In general, my cuffs represent a geographical location close to the wearer's heart. This allows them to take that memory with them wherever they go in the form of a fashionable accessory. I could envision a musical artist - anyone from Madonna to Miley Cyrus - wearing this cuff, since they are on the road a lot and probably miss their hometown!

Q: Finish the following sentence: "I consider myself a cuffie (lover of cuffs) because..."
...they come in all shapes and sizes, colors and styles! I also love the adjustable ones, since I have a smaller wrist and many "normal" bracelets are too big.

"Off the cuff..." (Part 5)

“I love cigarettes. Love them. I think the more positive approach you have to smoking, the less harmful it is.” --- Sienna Miller

Enjoy this week's installment of Cuff Mate's funniest series!

Bisous,

Lee

"What’s up London?” - Brittany Spears, addressing the audience at her show in Manchester, UK

“I learned through talking with my therapist that it is still cheating even if it’s with girls.” - Fergie

“I’m not a hero. A hero is a sandwich and I’m on a low carb diet.” - Shaquille O'Neal

Catalogue this...(Part 3)

Just in time for summer, this funky fresh neon cuff by Anthropologie --- my alllllllll time FAVORITE retailer (Did I mention it's my favorite???) --- is a wake cup call for your wrist. As in-your-face as highlighted sentences on clean white paper, this cuff screams for attention. Its brass base was first wrapped with neon yellow ribbon, then adorned with sparkling rhinestone gems and smooth creamy-looking beads. Offering even the most "color shy" an easy way to bring some vibrance to their warm-weather wardrobe, this cuff is such a ham!

Cuffed and Clustered (Part 9)

Salut Cuffies,

A vintage brass filigree pendant is suspended on a dyed silk ribbon to create this marvelous wrap cuff. The simplicity of this design only adds to its beauty, and the rich saturated dark pink color of the ribbon is one of my all-time favorite hues. To ice the cake, Etsy shop Handmade By Nikki, actually donates 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this organic-looking piece to the Asha House, an orphanage in New Delhi, India that provides a safe haven for marginalized and at risk children. As refreshing as a tall glass of raspberry lemonade on an August afternoon, this earthy cuff will touch more lives than your own.

Bisous,
Lee

Enjoy this cluster inspired by today's featured cuff!

"Rockin' Raspberry" curated by Lee Dorsey

Arrested developments...(Part 10)

Salut Cuffies,

This ruby red vintage-esque cuff, by costume jewelry label, 1928 grabbed my attention tout de suite! Ornate gunmetal toned filigree reminds me of an old French cathedral, while tiny aurora borealis crystals (stones that have undergone a special steam treatment to make them shimmer in every imaginable color), make it sparkle like an antique chandelier. Dramatic and dreamy, it seems like something you would find in the jewelry boxes of Hollywood's most legendary actresses, like Vivien Leigh and Rita Hayworth. Capturing the spirit of another era, this cuff is perfect for sirens of any age.

Bisous,
Lee


Red Light District by colormeconscious featuring Marc Jacobs dresses

Items in this set:
Marc Jacobs Sequin covered prom dress, 2,345 GBP
Leopard Lace Pump, $995
Lydia Ruched Cross Body Bag by Lulu Guinness, 175 GBP
Bella Rouge Ruby Red Cuff Bracelet, $38
Rosemount Sunglasses, $175

Double Trouble...(Part 3)

Salut Cuffies,

Sleek and sophisticated --- these two celestial cuffs are the epitome of contemporary chic. Steely blue juxtaposed with highly polished silver is a glamourous, yet understated combination. On the left, the Italian made "Dare to Love" cuff by Zoppini has 40 gorgeous blue faceted spinel stones set on a polished stainless steel multi-rung band. The cuff on the right, by Just Cavalli (also of Italy) features reptile embossed blueish leather, metal braided detailing and a center logo. Refined to their core, these cuffs just work!

Bisous,

Lee

Steely Blues by colormeconscious featuring Betsey Johnson intimates

Items in this set:
SEE BY CHLO? LV537 WHITE/BIVE COTTON E3173, 210 GBP
Button jacket size 8, 460 GBP
rolled sleeve chambray romper, $435
Distressed denim cut-offs, $110
Begonia Butterfly Print Swimsuit by Bossamare, 130 GBP

With cuff design in mind...(Part 10)

Taking it to the edge and back again, this decoupage cuff is uber cool...even a little dirty --- but in a good way.

"Life is a Dream Graffiti Grunge" Decoupage Bracelet Cuff by Dolores Mederise

Love is clearly a battlefield in this graffiti-ed out cuff. Street tough with a refined air, New York designer Sylvie created this urban piece using decoupage --- a technique of decorating something (in this case a lightweight metal cuff) with cut-outs of paper or other flat material, and then overlaying it with varnish or lacquer. Sylvie's cuffs, sold through her Etsy store, Dolores Mederise, come in a plethora of styles --- some retro, some renaissance, a few Asian-inspired, others geometric, still others that are soft and romantic. There really is a cuff to satisfy every woman's tastes in her well-thought out treasure of a store. Read all about this up-and-coming designer in this week's artist interview...

Q: What makes your shop unique?
I think the cuffs make my shop unique. Most of the cuffs I've seen use the traditional technique of decoupage by using a variety of pieces of paper layered over each other. I look for specialty designer and handmade papers that I use in one large piece.

Q: How long have you been designing cuff bracelets?
I have been making wire crochet cuffs for 2 1/2 years under my other shop name Albina Rose. I've been doing decoupage for over 20 years. Just last fall, I combined my love of beautiful papers, decoupage and making jewelry. The result was these funky cuffs.

Q: Describe the cuffs you (materials, style, special features etc.)
Well, the cuffs I design reflect a variety of styles that depend on the materials. Two of them were made using real pressed leaves and Queen Anne's lace. Very natural and organic with a wonderful texture. The design of the paper usually dictates the style of the cuff--elegant, artsy, funky, whimsical, or edgy.

Q: What type of woman do you imagine wearing your cuffs? (Include the name of at least two celebs that you think would love to rock your cuff and tell why...)
The type of woman I think likes my cuffs is probably age 25-45 and has good taste. She likes unique and artsy. Doesn't mind standing out a little. Probably likes to be noticed. I don't really follow celebrities so I'm not that familiar with them. But I think maybe Angelina Jolie would wear a 2-inch wide, edgy cuff because that's who she is---edgy, unique and confident. I can picture Debbie Harry (Blondie) wearing one of my cuffs also. She is bold, fearless and original. And that belies my age because she was very popular in the 80s and always one of my favorites.

Q: Finish the following sentence: "I consider myself a cuffie (lover cuffs) because..."
...even though I'm on the shy side, I like to be different from other people. I love artsy cool stuff and original one-of-a-kind works. My cuffs give me a little individuality that allows me to stand out just enough without screaming "Look at ME!"

In good company...(Part 6)

Who loves Paris in the springtime??? I sure do. Ms. Hilton's sunny smile matched her springtime digs as she shopped at upscale West Hollywood retailer Fred Segal early last month. Her bright buttercup maxi dress is set off by a "Deco Cuff Bracelet" by Lia Sophia in ... turquoise --- aka. "THE color of 2010" (according to the color industry forecasters at Pantone that is). The turquoise enamel, rhinestones and silver tones in this piece, as well as its belt-like design, make for an interesting combination. Though yellow and turquoise are an unlikely pair, a generous splash of white (in the trim of her dress, oversized shades and slouchy bag) help them blend perfectly. Fantastique mademoiselle!

Copy this look in Dannijo's version of our featured cuff. ("Tasmin Cuff")