Part of NBC’s fall line-up, Revenge is getting a lot of attention, including some of the biggest ratings for ABC in years. The show stars Emily VanCamp as Amanda Clarke, aka Emily Thorne, a woman set on destroying those who destroyed her father. After rubbing elbows with the Hamptons elite during Amanda’s childhood, her father was framed and jailed for terrorism. Amanda  has now returned to the Hamptons under the alias “Emily Thorne” to wreak havoc on the lives of those who ruined her father, and took him away from her. As the season unfolds, you come to understand just how passionate she is about her plan, and how far she is willing to go to make them pay for their past deeds.

If you follow the show already, you’ll know there’s a love triangle forming between Emily, Daniel Grayson, and Jack Porter. We already know from the pilot that she and Daniel will be engaged, but here’s the diamond engagement ring I hope that Jack will give Emily when the time is right.

These are the women of the Hamptons who should have Emily on their radar in the coming episodes.

Victoria Grayson (Madeline Stowe)

The Queen of the Hamptons, and the top check box on Emily’s hit list, Victoria is a force to be reckoned with. She’s not only an evil mastermind, but she throws a killer Memorial Day party. Her jewelry tastes are simple and expensive, not unlike this diamond necklace. But this pendant won’t set you back a mint.

“Amanda Clarke” (Margarita Levieva)

The girl who switched identities with the true Amanda Clarke, her presence threatens to expose them both. Margarita’s character is a poor, small town girl. Her fashion sense doesn’t quite stand up to the rest of the Hampton crew, but we think these diamond earrings would be an understated hit in her crowd.

Ashley Davenport (Ashley Madekwe)

Emily’s best friend and Victoria’s assistant, Ashley seems intent on climbing her way to the top of the Hamptons’ socialite circle by pleasing Victoria any way necessary. Ruthless Emily may come to see poor Ashley as more of a hinderance than a help…  Ashley may not have the same bank rolls, but this bracelet will make her look like a million bucks.

Dakota and Elle Fanning

Sisters Dakota, 17, and Elle, 13, have been in the acting game for over ten years. Though they haven’t portrayed sisters on camera (yet), Elle started her career at age 2 by playing a younger version of her sister’s character in the film Oscar-nominated film, “I Am Sam”. These blonde beauties are also fashionistas: Dakota appeared in a Marc Jacobs campaign, and Elle was invited to the Chanel couture show in Paris, both at the young age of 12.  Elle’s films include Reservation Road, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Super 8; while Dakota’s famous flicks include The War of the Worlds, The Runaways, and the Twilight Saga movies. Here’s some pearl earrings we think these girl would raid each others’ jewelry boxes for!

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley started their careers as infants on the TV show Full House. During the 8 years the show ran, the twins made several videos, as well as creating their own brand of merchandise. These ventures earned them a place on the Forbes’ celebrity 100 list when they were 16. The girls are known for their bohemian-chic fashion sense, and flair for mixing high fashion with thrift store funky. They love accessorizing, and often sport big framed sunglasses and stand-out jewelry. This star diamond necklace would look sweet with their crinolined dresses.

Kourtney, Kim and Khloe Kardashian

You can’t talk about screen sisters without mentioning the Kardashians! Kourtney, Kim and Khloe have long been Hollywood socialites, but dove into TV stardom in 2007 with the reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Since then the trio have starred in a number of spin-offs, and created a merchandising empire including clothing lines (most notably Kardashian Kollection for Sears), tanning products, and jewelry. As for the Kardashian ladies’ icing, Kim has recently shed her 12-carat engagement ring after divorcing husband, Kris Humphries, but Khloe still dons the 9-carat diamond trio engagement ring from Lamar Omar. You too can get that decadent Kardashian look with this diamond cocktail ring.

Active people who are involved in sports, or whose careers require a lot of physical activity, accessorize differently from the rest of us. For example, a tri-athlete will not want a big pointy, scratchy rock on her finger if she wants to wear her engagement ring when she is training. In fact, it’s a good general rule to remove all jewelry when you are playing sports -and in many cases it is against the rules to wear jewelry during competitive sports.

In this exception, you can see pole vaulter Kate Dennison wearing earrings and a wristwatch. In contact sports you remove jewelry because you might hurt your team mates or opponents. In this case, Dennison is only a danger to herself – for example, she could catch her earring on something and rip her ear lobe.

In contrast, it seems that quite a few baseball players have been wearing necklaces to improve their health. You can read more about the titanium necklaces at wired.com (Titanium Baseball Neckwear Big on Hype, Short on Science by Brian Mossop).

According to the Etch a Sketch site, Soccer player Raul Gonzales kisses his ring finger every time he scores a goal – one way to make up for taking his wedding ring off before the game!

Jewelry and Sports

• It’s a good idea to remove your jewelry before participating in sports. The same guidelines apply to jobs that require physical activity or operating machinery.
• There will always be exceptions: golfers often wear necklaces (or even anklets).
• Competitive sports, sport associations, and schools will have their own set of rules related to jewelry.
• When you remove jewelry you protect yourself and others from harm.

Jewelry Styles for Active People

It is somewhat of a stereotype (there are plenty of exceptions), but many male and female athletes have a simple, streamlined style. Their jewelry tends to be white gold or silver rather than yellow gold, with simple lines, smooth settings, and embedded stones.

This engagement ring would be the perfect fit for an athletic woman – strong and beautiful.

This week Celebrity Icing is going to feature a few celebrity chefs. When it comes to cooking, I like their style, so I’ve selected some celebrity icing (jewelry) inspired by them. I also like their style of cooking, so I’ve selected a recipe from each of them as well. We have Paula Deen and her deviled eggs for starters, Giada De Laurentiis and her fancy macaroni and cheese (did you know she was related to Dino De Laurnetiis the famous filmmaker? I had no idea…). For dessert, we have Gordon Ramsay and his Caramelized Banana Split recipe:

Paula Deen

Paula Deen likes to wear hoop or chandelier style earrings. She usually wears silver or white gold which is a smart choice given her hair color, skin tone, and vibrant blue eyes. It also updates her otherwise rather classic and conservative style – a look that is further accentuated when she wears her pearl necklace or her yellow gold wristwatch. Charm the guests at your next modern cocktail party with some good ol’ deviled eggs, Paula Deen style.

Gordon Ramsay

From Deen to mean.

Actually this chef is not a favorite- he stresses me out and I don’t watch his show. The only accessories that suit this chef are made out of cold steel, such as the watch he is wearing. I hope it’s all an act, because when he’s smiling he is actually pretty nice looking- as seen above. Also proving ‘cold as ice’ is not always a bad thing: Gordon Ramsay’s recipe for Caramelized Banana Split.

Giada De Laurentiis

From mean to lean.

Giada is always a pleasure to watch, and going by the search results that came up when I was looking for her, not just for her recipes. Not surprising, since she is beautiful- both inside and out, if her on-screen personality is a true reflection of her in real life. Her Everyday Italian style is casual and young, yet classy. Likewise her recipe for macaroni and cheese is comfort food with class – her recipe uses heavy cream, grated Fontina, and ham.

You can try to hide your excitement behind a grown-up, cynical, and jaded exterior all you want… but if you ever pretended you were a princess when you were a little girl, you’re probably interested in the upcoming royal wedding across the pond…

Yes, yes, you know all about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s looming wedding – you couldn’t avoid it if you tried. So, in honor of the royal wedding ruckus, I thought I would pay tribute to some of my favorite princess brides of the past.

The Best Princess Bride Ever

Beginning with the best princess bride ever, of course- even if her dress was kind of wacky.

This white gold necklace and pearl pendant are perfect for the story book princess look: not too fancy, yet beautiful – very appropriate if you are going to be saved from marrying evil Prince Humperdinck by a devoted farm boy (or is he the Dread Pirate Roberts?).

Grace-ful Royal Wedding

Then there is Princess Grace, as we shift our attention from a princess in a movie to a movie star that became a princess.

I don’t think Hollywood could have created a princess as perfect as her if they tried.

Well, except for her of course.

Princess Grace’s engagement ring looked like this:

I found this engagement ring (below)- it is the same style, but not as overwhelming. I love the fact that it is so elegant – it isn’t too busy or flashy, but there is no doubt that it is impressive at the same time. It also manages to be retro and modern looking at the same time.

Princess Audrey Hepburn

Back to the movies… Audrey Hepburn was never royalty in real life but she was definitely princess material - as seen in her role in Roman Holiday.

These earrings aren’t an exact match to what Hepburn is wearing above, but I wanted to include them because I just love them. The clasp is called leverback style – it is a very retro look and also wonderful if, like me, you always lose those little things that are supposed to hold your earrings on. These earrings are perfect for an evening out, or for a special occasion any time of the day- they are guaranteed to make you feel like a princess!

It’s time to start Christmas shopping for the stars in your life. Christmas means toys for girls and boys, but what about the grown ups?

Kids of all ages love to find something shiny and new under the tree: something picked just for them, wrapped up in fancy paper, and given with love.

Here are some gift ideas that would even make the most mature person on your Christmas list squeal like a little girl:

Little Red Wagon

Let’s face it, all men are kids and all little kids want a red wagon. It’s classic, it’s fun, it’s shiny, and it’s practical – just like this watch:

Say I Love You

The ‘Chatty Cathy’ doll was very popular in its day. She even said a few phrases, including ‘I love you’ – which always resulted in lots of hugs and kisses. You can say I love you, too, with this charming silver necklace and I’m betting you’ll get the same results.

Ring of Bling

Hula hoops are a timeless classic, as are these other rings – the kind that women spin on their fingers, like this 14k white gold engagement ring.

Sweet Dreams

Of course, another way to bring back sweet memories of childhood is to focus on all of the goodies that are enjoyed at Christmas time. Gingerbread houses, cookies, and cakes – not to mention all of the candies. Oranges are traditionally given at Christmas as well. This ruby and diamond engagement ring evokes images of peppermint swirls and candy canes. In fact, why not slip the ring onto a candy cane, add a red ribbon bow? What a sweet surprise!

More Icing

For more ideas for Christmas, check out our articles featuring the two hottest Christmas colors, red and green. It’s easy being green after you’ve read ‘Green on the Scene‘ or check out ‘Red Hot‘ for some other color inspirations.

What Season Are You?

This week we continue our flashback to the 80’s – when everyone was getting their colors done. Last December I featured the method of determining which colors work for you in an article, “The 1980′s Called and Asked: What Season Are You?“  This concept originates from a book called “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson - which spent 4 years on the NY Times bestseller list. All fun aside, Jackson’s style advice is a blessing for anyone out there who is color-challenged. You can wear the most expensive make up, the hottest clothing, and the best jewelry – but if you are wearing the wrong colors you will still look horrible (and sometimes, even ill). For more information straight from the source, you should visit her website at carolejackson.com – she provides samples of color swatches that you can refer to once you identify which season suits you.

Wondering if you are a Winter? Then please read our article called “Get Your Colors Done Part 1: Is Winter Cool For You?“

Wondering if you are a Spring? Then please read our article called “Get Your Colors Done Part 2: Is Spring A Fresh Idea?“

Are You A Summer?

Photo: Olivia-NewtonJohn.com

In the last article featuring this topic, we explained that “Spring” people look better in warm tones like peach and coral, and yellow gold jewelry flatters their complexion. It makes sense that Summers also look great in warm colors – it is the warmest season after all. However, Summers actually fall into the “cool” category. Examples of cool colors are: green, blue, and violet. Imagine pinks and greens with a blue undertone, and you are on the right track.

Take the Test

Summers are the least common color – it seems like all Summers have naturally blond hair color, which is also rare. To be even more specific, we’re talking cool blonds, not yellow blonds… If you’re a summer your face will reflect a blue tone rather than a yellow tone onto a white piece of paper.

You will look best in subtle color combinations and should avoid contrasts. Summers can still be bold, but it is best to stick to one bright color – like the red Christina is wearing below (note that this red has a blue undertone, making it work for a Summer).

Summer Ice

White gold and diamonds are perfect for the girls (and boys) of Summer.

The simple elegant design of this white gold solitaire engagement ring would be perfect.

This highly polished sterling silver collar necklace is also a great way to frame that beautiful summer complexion and blond hair!

One of my all time favorite actors Audrey Hepburn, is probably more famous for her style than her actual acting talent (although she had both).

Here are some classic Hepburn looks to inspire your shopping.

Breakfast At Tiffanys

This is probably one of the most famous looks for Hepburn, from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. While main character Holly Golightly would tell you that today smoking is “tres boring”, the rest of the look stands up very well to time. Calvin Klein makes a similar dress, which is available at Macy’s.

A vintage, or retro-inspired, beaded necklace like the one below from foxfirevintagejewelry.com would make your Hepburn look.

Some fancy looking earrings that are actually cubic zirconia (because when you are Holly Golightly, you cash in the expensive gifts for rent and then wear something that just looks good).

And here is a tutorial on how to get your hair to do an updo like Audrey.

Charade

Here is Hepburn in one of my favorites, the movie Charade (she starred with Cary Grant). This is the classic movie character disguise used, not something that would work in real life, so only wear this if you want to get noticed, not if you want to hide out.

Vonzipper glasses to hide behind, from streetfusion.co.uk.

A plain white scarf is tres boring, so how about this Longchamp scarf instead? A New York themed scarf as a nod to Breakfast at Tiffany’s or a Paris-themed scarf in honor of the setting of the movie Charade.

I believe this is a candid shot of Audrey Hepburn on the studio lot (see how her bicycle has her name on it?). Hepburn on a casual day.

Ignore the horrible heels, here are some white cigarette pants (I couldn’t find any blue checkered ones) from bluefly.com.

Pair the shoes with the pants and add any simple short sleeved shirt and a cool bicycle and you’ve got a fresh look for Spring (dog not included).

Another favorite photo. Look closely – she’s basically wearing a yoga sweatshirt, but she makes it look so classy. Almost makes you want to NOT like her, but it’s impossible because she’s so cute.

What Season Are You?

This week we continue our flashback to the 80′s – when everyone was getting their colors done. I just discovered that this method of determining which colors work for you originates from a book called “Color Me Beautiful” by Carole Jackson - which spent 4 years on the NY Times bestseller list. For more information straight from the source, you should visit her website at carolejackson.com – she provides samples of color swatches that you can refer to once you identify which season suits you.

Wondering if you are a Winter? Then please read our last article called “Get Your Colors Done Part 1: Is Winter Cool For You?“

Are You a Spring?

In the last article we explained that Winters have cool skin tones and that they look good in black and bright colors. An easy way to remember this is that Winter has cool temperatures. Spring, on the other hand, is when things start to warm up – and if you’re a Spring you will look better in warm tones to flatter your complexion. If you did the paper test described in the Winter article and your face cast a yellowish tone on the paper, then you are a Spring.

Just Peachy!

Springs look great in warm colors such as coral and turquoise. See how the turquoise blouse compliments Mrs. Garrett’s skin tone?

Certain shades of green, red, blue, and pink also work well for them (think of bright Spring flowers in the sunshine). While black and white look best on Winters, a Spring can wear soft black and ivory.

Spring Gift Ideas

A gift in flattering colors will warm your Spring’s  heart. Here are some ideas for the Springs on your Christmas shopping list.

Peach Scarf

This vintage scarf is available at Etsy.

Yellow Gold

The warm tones of this yellow gold necklace suit a Spring more than white gold or silver, and the butterfly (a symbol of Spring) is also a nice touch.

Coral Converse

Perfect for the Spring man or woman on your list and available for under $30 at overstock.com.

Extra Reading:

Simon Doonan at the NY Observer has written an article about the Color Me Beautiful phenomenon that is both funny and informative, and includes an interview with Carole Jackson.

Last week our two favorite gossip girls Blair and Serena’s friendship turned downright frosty – but here at Celebrity icing we focus more on the frosting – in other words, the delicious designer duds that almost steal the scene from all the drama on our favorite show.

Did you take our quiz yet?

Go back to the previous post to find out Which Gossip Girl’s Style Suits You.

Are You a Vanessa, Blair, Serena, or Jenny?

Spotted: Sweet Shortcuts to Gossip Girl Style…

Jenny

When it comes to black eyeliner and social climbing, Jenny likes to lay it on thick….

Here’s a how-to video from Smashbox make up artist Hank Hoffman.

A little bit couture, a little bit rock n roll

Here she is in a Missoni dress, but you can honour Jenny’s budget roots by shopping for this look at H&M instead…

Vanessa

Vanessa has that whole boho thing going on. She dresses like a free spirit; however, if you look closely you can see that a lot of thought actually goes in to her outfits, which suits her character. Often she is wearing more bangles and necklaces that a carnival fortune teller, and has the big earrings to match.

Vanessa wears designers like Catherine Malandrino – affordable compared to the other Gossip Girls’ clothing, a Malandrino dress can be purchased for $300 (check out her sale page for even better pricing). Of course, a real-life Vanessa would also be able to walk out of thrift store with an entire outfit for less than $50… (less than $20 if you get lucky!).

Serena

Generally Serena looks like you wish you would look if you rolled out of bed wearing the same clothes from the night before… tousled hair, and thrown-together outfits, with skirt lengths and footwear inappropriate for daytime. Recently, she’s cleaned up her act quite a bit so picture the same look only with clothing fresh from the dry cleaners (and it looks like she finally found her hair brush – it only took her two years…).

Okay, I’m being a bit hard on her – I have to admit, I’m jealous – I miss the days where I didn’t feel self conscious in mini skirts and heels. This look definitely has an age limit – if you dress like Serena during the day and you’re under 35- you’re edgy; if you’re over 35 you’re something else… not sure what…

Blair

Oh, Blair. Not everyone can pull this one off. Many of us would end up looking like a sunday school teacher or a time traveler from 1985. You can get a similar look by shopping at any store that caters to older women (Ann Taylor Loft for example). Of course, this only works if you’re not actually already old. Just add a headband, or scarf-choker, and presto! At best, if this style appeals to you, I would recommend that you shoot for the ‘sexy librarian’ look – that might work. Don’t forget to add some pretty (and preppy) jewelry, like the bracelet below.