When In Doubt Wear Red

In the transition from cold to warm weather, it's time to embrace a hot hue, RED. 
I don't know about you, but red has always been a color that I have been drawn to. And although I am not as obsessed as I used to be in years past, this vibrant hue will always have a place in my heart!




It's the color of passion, strength and love. “Plus,fiery red is a mood elevator. It can boost confidence and make you feel more in control”, says Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone’s executive director. 

Valentino

This intense shade is sure to please those drawn to making a very strong statement.  The Granada necklace, made from acai seeds, is just the statement piece for any season. 

How to wear it?

1. Worn with basic black, white, and dark navy, RED pops. 

Tory Burch





2. Keep lips neutral (red lips would be too matchy); wear black or nude shoes that won't distract.

Anthropologie

3. A long line of red is often visually slimming, not to mention stunning. 

Michael Kors Spring 2013

Just want a small dose of red? The The Marbella bracelet in red, made from tagua nut, will add the perfect accent to any look.

Emerald Green: How to Incorporate the Color of the Year Into Your Wardrobe

"Lively. Radiant. Lush ... A color of elegance and beauty that enhances our sense of well-being, balance and harmony." ~ Pantone

Last month Pantone, the global authority on color, announced the Color of the Year for 2013: Emerald, a rich, jewel tone perfect for both fashion and home. If you want to incorporate it into you wardrobe, there are many ways to help you do just that. Below are some of our favorite emerald-inspired picks that are sure to help bring the 2013 Color of the Year to life! 

 

 

1. Dean Leather Hobo bag (Tory Burch)

2. Cartagena Necklace (Irma Guzman Eco Jewelry)

3. Cashmere shawl (Bright by Black)

4. Minorca silk chiffon caftan (Calypso St Barth)

5. Paloma earrings (Irma Guzman Eco Jewelry)

6. "Blanca" Green wedges (Nine West)

7. Obi Belt buckle (Gamiworks)

 

Precisely, in July 2012, we wrote a post about this radiant color that has emerged from a long hibernation in the fashion world.

Check it out: "Green:The Summer-to-Fall Color".

 

 

Emerald plays well with deep purple ...  

 

 

Warm yellow and terracotta bloom against emerald too ...

 (Cartagena necklace) 

 

 

Or try it with pink.  

 

 

 

Harper's Bazaar saw it coming, Editor's Choice collage in their August 2011 issue. 

 

 

 

 

No need to go green with envy, this jewel-tone hue looks gorgeous against every skin tone.

Just Add Color

How to wake up a solid color? Slip on one eye-catching accessory! Irma Guzman Eco Jewelry's Calypso necklace, featuring a strand of lime/green bombona seeds with natural markings, plays off the blue of this blouse.

 

 

 

 

Make Winter Dressing FUN!

Don't let the winter blues get your style down! Add WOW to your  wardrobe with this stylish plan that will help you transform your look.


Inspired by Lana del Rey: Citizens of Humanity "Mandy" high waist floral jean, Burberry double breasted trench coat, Lillybee ballet flats, Big Buddha Braxton hobo bag, Irma Guzman Marbella earrings orange.


1. Printed Jeans: Choose from abstracts, florals, polka dots, tapestry motifs and geometrics. Add a solid top, a denim jacket, and flats for a laid-down look. Want more polish? Pair with a blazer, a fitted sweater and booties.

From left to right: Moto Baroque skinny jeans, Dolce & Gabbana, Jones New York The Straight Leg (petite), and Citizens of Humanity.


2. Colored Coats: "Outerwear is a focal point when it's chilly" says stylist Emily Current. So put on an eye-catching coat. J. Crew's coats come in a range of pretty colors from violet to coral.

3. Summery Necklaces: Yellow, orange or fuschia will lift your mood on gray days. Choose a head-turning necklace you'd normally wear in summer. Pair these Cartagena necklaces with quieter outfits like a navy blue or brown turtleneck and indigo skinnies.

4. Graphic Shoes: Combine printed pumps or booties with colorblocked clothing that picks up the hues.

From left to right: Aldo Water, Dollhouse Meow Pump, Emma Cook Orange Patchwork, and Diba Lake ankle bootie.


5. Color block clutch: A fun addition to a simple outfit.

Clutches: Audrey Brooke, Dello, Nila Anthony, and Marc Jacobs.

Eco Chic Gifts for Her

 

Whether you are treating yourself or someone special on your holiday list, these statement necklaces make for truly memorable gifts.

 

 

Tayrona Park: A notice-me necklace with a unique combo of acai, orejero and bombona seeds.

 

Cartagena: These tagua necklaces are composed of tagua nut petals with exotic shapes and vibrant colors which make them very chic and feminine, while staying on the right side of sustainability.

Cafe Latte: The coffee beans, acai seeds and camajuro seeds make for a big piece that feels superlight, so you will feel comfortable wearing it day and night.

Amazon Rainforest: Go eco chic and look gorgeous while you are at it with this line of necklaces made from tagua nut and acai seeds from the Amazon Rainforest (South America).

 

Terranova: The beautiful fall colors of burgundy and camel paired together create a color pop necklace, great for daytime or a night on the town.

 

Cayman Islands: This necklace, designed with a large heart-shaped congolo nut, bulls eye seeds and red acai seeds, will bring exotic allure to your look.

 

Calypso: A large turquoise tagua nut is beautifully paired with a strand of red bombona seeds in an artful combination of color and size.

 

Aloha: A design of utmost delicacy, Aloha can be worn long or wrapped around your neck once, for a glamorous touch. This piece stands out with confidence, whether displayed in full view or glancing from beneath a jacket.

 

Tango: This one-of-a-kind, hand crocheted necklace is composed of red tagua nuts, red choclo and platino seeds and small pieces of avocado nut.

 

Tahiti: This cool multi-strand necklace, made from acai seeds, coconut shell and tagua nut, is an effortless way to wear eco-chic jewelry and look fabulous at the same time. 

Find more gorgeous pieces at www.irmaguzman.com 

 

 

 

The tagua nut: the vegetable ivory

 

Have you ever heard of tagua? It's a nut that grows on the palm trees in the rainforests of South America, and is commonly referred to as "vegetable ivory" or "plant elephant". These nuts are usually about the size of a walnut, but they can be as small as an olive or as large as an orange. They are pure cellulose and before the nuts mature, they are soft and can be eaten.



 

We love working with tagua for many reasons, the cultivation and commercialization of these seeds help hundreds of families that are employed by the tagua nut production market. It is their livelihood to protect the resources among which they live and work.



 

 

Tagua nuts are as dense as ivory, this is why they are viewed as a sustainable alternative to the ivory derived from elephants. Sadly, elephants must die for their precious ivory. But tagua palms are a renewable resource; as long as their native habitat is preserved and sufficient seeds are left to perpetuate the palms.



A single female tagua palm may produce up to 50 pounds of nuts in a year. That’s roughly the amount of ivory in an average African elephant tusk. The elephant yields its ivory only once, while the palm produces nuts year after year.

Tagua is our main raw material, and can be transformed into beautiful jewelry pieces like the  Tango necklace with two large tagua nuts.

 

 

The Cartagena necklace, composed of tagua nut petals.

 



 

The Carmen bracelet and Marbella earrings.

 

  

Tagua nuts and other vegetable ivory plants not only can help save at least a part of the South American rainforests, but also help to preserve the elephants.

 

 

 

 

 

Photo courtesy of: Macrame Project, Lee Valley, Beth Wicker, Big Life Foundation.

It's all in the accessories

Outfits that are both striking and effortless do wonders for your appearance. Here is a stunning example sure to help you make an entrance. For that final touch just add our Cardinal bracelet and Thalia earrings.

Every woman has a "little black dress", right? How about a pair of eco chic earrings to go with it? Our new Thalia earrings and the Cardinal bracelet are handmade with Peruvian huayruro seeds and go with pretty much anything!

Thalia earrings

Cardinal bracelet

 Available at www.irmaguzman.com