Some jewellery like costume jewellery, you may just want as it’s fashionable at the time, but some pieces of fine jewellery you may wish to keep forever.

You may wish to remember a special relationship and not just with a partner, maybe with a child or a parent. Perhaps a special ring you got for your birthday with your birthstone in it. It’s worth spending money on this because you know you will treasure it forever and it will never date, unlike some cheaper modern jewellery which may be unfashionable in about 5 years’ time.

Some jewellery you may wish to keep as a reminder of a certain period in your life – like when you were a student, or when you first met your other half, or when your first child was born or when you went to live somewhere else. That necklace your aunt gave you when you were a penniless student and you thought at the time “What a waste” and that you would rather have had the money, but years later you still treasure it (and indeed wear it) and you know that you will treasure it forever and pass it down to your own daughter – and you hope she will feel the same. And the memories will last forever …. and the jewellery is always there to remind you of those happy, yet penniless times.

If you’re picking an engagement ring, you always pick fine jewellery because you want it to last forever so the same with other pieces. There is no harm in buying cheaper or loud bulky fashionable jewellery like costume jewellery, but these are expendable and may just be kept for a few years but fine pieces will always have their place and may even last you forever.

An eternity ring is another piece of jewellery you may wish to keep forever. The jewels in this are elegant and dainty. And remember the songs “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”. Jewels will last forever even if the relationship does not! And it will be a memento of happy times.

Older relatives in the family like to give fine jewellery as well and although as a teenager you may not appreciate this, you will realise its value in the years to come and the jewellery will always remind you of your family. And again you can pass it on to your own offspring, although they may not initially appreciate the gesture, but remember your own feelings initially and try to sympathise.

Fine jewellery is ideal to keep as a keepsake and as a memory of special times and events. It can also stay in your family for many years and be handed down the generations. Treasure it forever.

It depends on what you consider classic designer clothing? It is perhaps difficult to define as everybody has different tastes in clothing but I see them as items that have gone away and returned at multiple different periods in modern time. When I think of classic items, I think of items such as Kate Moss’s waistcoats or skinny jeans, Nike Air Max basketball shoes and leather jackets. These are all items that have been popular with the young generations in the past and have re-emerged at various different times to become the front runners of fashion again.

These are all items which are highly popular again now and I think it is a testament to the designers of these items who have been able to capture the tastes of various generations of different people. Now, look at today’s fashion and popular items. I think we are going through a wonderful time for consumer fashion in the United Kingdom. There are now more unique and wonderful items that are entering high street stores and I think some of them have the potential to become classics of the fashion industry.

The first group of items I would like to mention are the ‘two-in-one’ items. I am not entirely sure of the correct name for these items but I will explain. These are items that are two items of clothing which you would wear together as a combination, such as a waist coat and tee-shirt but are actually just one item sown to make it look as if you are wearing both items of the combination separately. Personally, I think that these are wonderful items that look better than wearing two items because when you would buy the two items separately it often occurs that the underneath layer will look creased and not very smart. They also save time when getting dressed. Now that’s efficiency!

The next item for me has to be G-Star jeans. I think that these will live on to be classic because of their sheer popularity and recognisability. People anywhere can recognise G-Star jeans, the designs, the colours, the fitting and most of all the brand logo. These items are perhaps the most easily recognisable line of jeans and I think in a few years time, their recognisability will surpass that of Levis and Wrangler whose jeans are becoming out dated.

I think the area of today’s fashion industry that sets it apart from that of any other period has to be the accessories. There are so many unique and individual accessories out there that I am sure there will be many that will become classic items. I think that the designer sunglasses are wilder and more unique than ever, such as the clear plastic see through sun glasses that are the pinnacle of cool. In addition to this, I believe that the ‘extra large’ beanie hats are also items that will go on to become classic items. In today’s society, we are more casual than ever and these particular beanie hats are a good representative of the way we are now and in the way that fashion is moving. It is not clean-cut anymore.

I really do feel that this current period of fashion has all the hallmarks of being something special. We are looking to represent ourselves and our personalities more than ever and fashion is a great way to express it. The aforementioned items of designer clothing do have the potential to become classic items but whether they surpass the ongoing popularity of classic items such as waistcoats and skinny jeans remains to be seen. Only time will tell. Until then we must enjoy this wonderful period of fashion.

It is said that the biggest day of a woman’s life is her wedding day. You’ve got the dress, you’ve decided on the hair and make-up and you want to be a beautiful dazzling bride, the kind that adorns bridal magazines, a princess. Bridal jewellery is a must for any bride who wants to shine on her big day. But how much should one spend? Weddings are expensive enough, so there is no point in spending a fortune on bridal jewellery as well. After all, how often are you going to wear that diamond tiara after the wedding?

It is far better to save any money that might have been spent on expensive jewellery to put towards essentials for the couple’s first home together or to save for the future. Brides can still look great without spending a lot of money. You might even be able to get your jewellery for free. Maybe you can borrow jewellery from a friend who has recently married? Or perhaps you can wear your grandmother’s necklace? Remember the old saying, “Something borrowed, something blue…”? If you do, you might even get away with spending nothing on your wedding jewellery!

Otherwise, simple costume jewellery such as a diamante chocker will still add a perfect finishing touch to your wedding outfit without breaking the bank. You will probably want to buy your bridesmaids or flower girls gifts as a thank you for helping you on your special day. This does not have to be expensive either. A silver bracelet in a presentation box and tied with ribbon will delight any bridesmaid as long as it is given with love. How much you spend depends more on your budget rather than your dream, so you need to work out just how much you can spend. Remember when budgeting for the wedding to budget for the jewels as well.

The rule of thumb for the ring is usually a month’s salary, it is something that is going to be worn for the rest of your life, all going well, so you don’t want to regret skimping on it. But that said one could always upgrade when they are more financially solvent. I would spend what my budget would allow and a little bit more, I don’t mind getting into a little bit of debt, but I wouldn’t want to still be paying for my wedding diamonds on my golden wedding anniversary!

Pearls and costume jewellery always look good, but take into account how you are wearing your hair and makeup and what your dress looks like. Mixing and matching costume jewellery with the real deal would be the best thing. A lot of imitation pearls look just like the real thing and it is highly unlikely that anyone will be grabbing them from your neck to try and tell if they are fakes, I doubt anyone will even ask. You can spend a small fortune on wedding jewellery, and you can do it very easily. A more difficult trick is to manage to look like you’re wearing a million pounds without spending it!

Is designer clothing actually better than standard unknown brand clothing?

Designer clothes can be better than standard unknown brand clothing. In some ways they are better. I know that if I buy a designer outfit people will stare. Maybe not because of how the clothes look on me, but more about how I look in the clothes. My self-esteem rockets when I am wearing designer clothes and I feel that I can achieve anything because I am suitable dressed. You could call it my body armour, if someone puts me down when I have my pricey clothes on it is much easier to put it down to jealousy rather than true. I feel capable of scaling any mountain (without even changing my Manolo’s).

I can achieve anything and more, because I have my designer clothes on.If my personal self-esteem is a reason that designer clothes are better, it is only a reason to me.Some people may not be so shallow or materialistic (or just get the boost from a fantastic haircut or lipstick). Some people may resent spending so much money on something that only provides a basic function (after all a beautiful evening dress cannot help with the housework – although it can make it that bit more glam). Others can’t afford to buy designer – so for them designer is definitely not better.How can it be when it doesn’t benefit their lives (and never will barring some lottery miracle)?

Removing personal tastes from the debate, and even the materials that clothes are made from, it can be argued that designer is better. Yes it costs many times more but for the cost you get a quality assurance. Designer items are more stringently checked for quality and workmanship. Loose threads are a cause for concern (rather than something to be snipped off). Seams are (and will remain) straight on tops. They will not stretch and twist in the washing machine (probably because they are dry clean only but if you spend money on a top you don’t want the machine to chew it up).On a serious note, designer clothes do not employ the services of sweatshops or deprived children.

Many other clothes designers do employ these services which morally cannot be justified. When teaching a class of ten year olds wearing such clothes I have to ask myself why children in deprived areas of the world should be considered to be less than our children. Why is their childhood not valued in the same way? These designers may pay a wage that is above the national average which although sounds good is not. This employment can cause economic instability in the host country and cause local and national businesses to try to keep up; artificially inflating salaries which will increase costs for local businesses and retailers therefore the cost of living will be inflated at a dangerously fast rate, thus creating more instability.

There are so many issues raised by the manufacture of clothes and the costs involved. I have to argue that designer clothes are better because they have an aspiration element to them.In order to wear designer clothing most people have to work hard to pay for them, they are not treated as disposable commodities by most of their wearers. All my friends treat cheaper clothes in this way, it doesn’t matter if you only wear it once – it was so cheap. Which doesn’t value the effort put in during the manufacturing process?

So to me designer is better, not only because of the ethical and moral arguments, but because they make me feel like a better person both inside and out. Shallow? Moi? Maybe but at least no children were harmed in the making of my clothes.

Hello Lover! Welcome to Carrie’s old apartment. A one bedroom apartment in the Upper East Side. Considering that the majority of New York lives in apartments the size of tiny shoe boxes this one is not that bad, and fairly believable. What I love about this apartment is that its style in no way, shape, or form represents her fashion style. It is quite the opposite of how you would expect her to decorate it. I love the old vintage feel of the space. The designers of the set said they bought items that you would find at a flea market.

Carrie obviously has plenty of ‘things’ around her apartment: books, magazines, candles, vases, small tables and chairs, and other trinkets.

The designers purposely created cracks and faults in the structure of the apartment to make it more realistic!

The kitchen she never used painted in the color ‘Eggshell’

pictures: hbo.com

AND THE NEW! The color is beautiful.