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If, like most women, you love accessories and in particular handbags, you will know how difficult it is to say no to the latest trend in bags. This is fine if you opt for a more affordable high-street version of what is currently on the catwalk. But if you like to invest in beautifully crafted designer bags, then you might restrict your purchases to one or maybe two a year. Classic handbags are classics precisely because they stand the test of time and never go out of fashion. Perhaps, however, you would like the opportunity to jazz them up a little to make them stand out, or just update and refresh them every now and then.

A great and affordable way of doing this is by using handbag charms. These wonderful charms come in a wide variety of designs, materials and colours. Just adding one to your bag can make it feel like a brand-new item and adding a new charm is an easy way to update your accessories. There are no limits to creativity with one of these!

The gorgeous but affordable crystal heart photo frame handbag charm from Pearl and Butler is a quirky and eye-catching design. It's a photo frame encased in crystals to shine attention on to your chosen photo. Choose a picture of someone dear to you, or your treasured pet and you can carry them with you all day. Or get creative and insert a quirky photo which is personal to you. The great thing about this handbag charm is that no matter who else has one, yours will be truly unique to you!

Or try this ultra-feminine and stunning multi-crystal heart handbag and key ring charm. A distinctive heart shape, it is covered in multi- coloured diamante in a pave style. The diamante has been closely set so the colours blend into a beautiful sparkling tapestry. This charm will certainly add some bling to your handbag!

If you know someone with a love for handbags and shoes, then the quirky blue crystal shoe and heart handbag charm will fit the bill perfectly. A dainty miniature high-heel shoe covered in blue diamante is attached to a key ring along with a tiny blue crystal heart. Any accessory lover is sure to delight in it and it comes in a cute gift pouch too.

It is very easy and affordable to build a cute collection of these charms and you can add them to almost anything, from handbags to phone cases, your keys and even clothing.  Which is your favourite handbag charm?

Accessories, as every girl knows, add the finishing touch to the perfect outfit no matter whether the occasion is casual or formal. Wearing just the right piece of jewellery not only complements your clothes, it also adds radiance to your complexion, brightens your eyes and lifts your face, adding a little touch of glamour to your presence.

The smoky quartz and silver bracelet is elasticated for maximum flexibility, with the faceted quartz beads perfectly complementing their shiny silver neighbours. The two colours create a changing, two-tone effect when the bracelet is worn. Discreet and tasteful, it is ideal to wear with casual, everyday outfits and the neutral colour-tones of the bead will blend perfectly with other bracelets for a stacked look.

Add a dash of sophistication to more dressy outfits with a crystal heart cluster necklace. Five heart-shaped crystals nestle amid other round and oval crystals, forming sparkling clusters in a look that's both dramatic and romantic. It's perfect for a lunch or dinner date, or to give a splash of silver sparkle to a little black dress during the cocktail hour. A versatile piece, this necklace would look equally at home when worn with a smart-casual outfit of jacket and jeans.

Brooches are amongst the most adaptable of jewellery items, as there are so many ways to wear them. Gorgeous clear Austrian crystals form the shimmering fronds of a delicate-looking feather brooch. Wear it to dramatic effect on the lapel of a dark-coloured coat, or dress up a blouse or sweater. You can also use it as a scarf pin to hold soft, floaty scarves in place, giving a practical twist to a beautiful decoration. Brooches are so versatile that you can display them even if you don't want to wear one on your clothes. Pin one to your bag or dress up a casual hat.

A flash of sparkle or colour at your ears frames your face and lifts your eyes and complexion. Going retro or vintage in both colour and style puts you right on trend with current fashion styles. These dusky pink flower-shaped earrings have gold-tone flower petals that form the base, on which sits smokey, pink-faceted crystals and a darkly sumptuous rose centre. The crochet-effect lower petals add a lacy, romantic air to the earrings. Perfect for either evening wear with a formal gown or those business occasions where a touch of elegance is called for.

There are plenty more new arrivals for you to look at on the Pearl & Butler website, have fun browsing through our products and let us know which ones are your favourites!
 

Finding creative, fashionable and inspiring work wear can often be a depressing task on the high street. Most office suits, while they may come in a variety of colours, are essentially the same and many feel like dreary clones in their 'uniform', especially in a formal industry such as law or finance with stricter than average rules for clothing. As you spend eight hours a day, five days a week, in a working environment you cannot be blamed for finding your reflection in the mirror rather repetitive and uninspiring.

Fashionable women have always found ways to bend the rules though, to add a few subtle touches to their standard-issue suits to display creativity and flair in spite of the pressure to conform. A boring office suit can be updated with some interesting and fashionable footwear or a bright, eye-catching bag, two areas where individuality is easy to create.

Another great way of spicing up an office suit is with jewellery. There is a myriad of ways to accessorise with jewellery as it is such a diverse area, from chunky costume jewellery to more sophisticated fine jewellery with precious stones. Make a statement with an eye-catching brooch, a fantastic way to add sparkle to a suit. A stand-out brooch can be easily teamed with subtle earrings, bracelets and necklaces. It is easy to build up a great collection of brooches to coordinate with your other accessories and to mix and match with colour schemes and your mood that day.

For a splash of colour, try this vintage-inspired red floral brooch from Pearl and Butler. This beautiful brooch harks back to the days of fifties vintage glamour, adding just the right amount of sparkle to your lapel. At 5.5 cm wide, it is just big enough to stand out but not overpower everything else. The beautiful red looks wonderful against black, navy and grey and teamed with a red handbag it can really make your outfit pop with a bit of colour!

Also from Pearl and Butler is this gloriously sophisticated freshwater pearl brooch in subtle peach colours, enhanced with red, lilac, green and yellow jewel tones and creatively arranged on wire for a nice 3D look. It will really stand out against dark colours and is very reasonably priced.



Nothing says class like diamonds, but if your wallet cannot stretch that far, fake it with this classic vintage-inspired diamante bow brooch. The diamante makes it a sophisticated brooch, but the bow shape transforms it into a more playful and exciting brooch to sit on your lapel.



A brooch is a great way to stand out in a sea of sombre suits!  Have a go at adding a bit of glamour to your work outfit and let us know what you think in the comments below!
 

Each successive year has its fashion trends for jewellery and 2012 is no different. Think bright, bold and beautiful for the coming seasons.

Chokers

A hot trend for the coming year sees the revival of the ever-flattering choker-style necklace. The modern interpretation sees a departure from the chokers of yesteryear that were little more than a velvet ribbon. For 2012, think strong and dramatic, with examples such as the silver wave choker in solid sterling silver:



or the striking sterling-silver heart on red choker featuring a stylised love heart flanked by silver rings on either side. The clear and vibrant red of the choker reflects today's love of bright colours:



Blues

Strongly featured among the colour must-haves are blues of all shades, from the softest baby blues and turquoises to dark and dusky navies. The blue heart necklace, with its five graduated love hearts on a slender, silver-coloured chain, is a fresh and modern piece that fits this trend perfectly:



 Also marrying the trendy vintage fashion with the colour blue is the stylish Austrian crystal brooch. The central, square-cut, topaz-coloured stone is surrounded by both clear and jet crystals that fan out in a starburst, creating an attractive modern-retro style:



Beads

Beads of all kinds have been super-hot in the fashion stakes for a while and 2012 sees the trend continue with an increased focus on pearls as part of the overall theme of fresh and natural, bright and bold. The cream pearl and crystal flower necklace is an elegant, triple-strand piece, featuring two strands of natural-looking pearls in varying sizes and a central crystal-bead strand. The beaded flower that clasps the strands lends an air of timeless grace that's both perfectly vintage and perfectly modern:



Bracelet and bangle trends continue in 2012 with the beaded, stacked look demanding further attention. The smoky quartz bracelet, with its natural, faceted beads and a sterling-silver link for a charm, ticks all the style boxes for the coming year. Team it with others of its kind, mixing colours or natural pearl bead bracelets. The gorgeous, smoky colour of the quartz blends beautifully with any other fashion colour to complement your wardrobe:



When you're choosing new pieces of jewellery for 2012, look for a mix of old and new styles, both vintage and contemporary and keep your colours bright!
 

For those of you who know the P&B team, we are obsessed with Strictly Come Dancing - and this year is no exception, the costumes so far have not disappointed and we can't wait to see tonights 'Halloween' event.

As always we have an eye out for the jewellery and pretty sparkly accessories (both the men and women!)  So far our favourite outfit goes to Holly with her stunning bronzed twinkle

We thought the cuffs were amazing and have our buyers scouring the world for something as lovely for Xmas party season - so keep your eyes peeled for our latest strictly inspired purchases coming in over the next couple of weeks.

Dresses and shirts with embellished collars seem to be all over at the moment, and mighty fine they are too! But what if, a) you want to try the look but aren’t a fully paid up convert, or b) you’re a bit strapped for cash?

The first bit of sun peeks out, and us P&B girls go crazy, throwing on floral summer dresses and forgetting our coats! We really should know better at our age, but we never learn, and by midday we’re either freezing, blue or wet-footed, which doesn’t quite fit in with our fashonista persona…

You probably all know that white is everywhere for Spring/Summer, but this year’s white is a little different. Last year it was all about mixing your whites with brights or pastels to really make them pop and in previous years monochrome has often been the way to wear you white, but this year it’s all about, well, all white.

 A gorgeous new crystal heart bracelet, well ya know it is feb and all that!

A little set we made back when we had complete Alice in Wonderland fever, featuring one of our Valentine’s jewellery best sellers, this heart bracelet . Happy Wednesday