There’s no doubt about it—jewelry makes a memorable gift. A piece of jewelry marks an occasion or milestone, and it’s something people will cherish forever. But it’s also a very personal gift, and picking out the perfect piece requires a lot of thought.

Gift packaging from Kate Zaremba Company

Do your research

If you’re considering buying jewelry for your mother, a best friend, a romantic partner or anyone else in your life, start by finding out as much information as you can about her tastes. Some questions you’ll want to make sure you can answer include:

What kind of lifestyle does she lead? If she works in a professional setting or enjoys going out, she’ll probably wear more jewelry than someone who works in a very casual environment or stays in.

What are her preferences? Is she into delicate, simple pieces or larger statement accessories?

Does she wear more gold or silver? Are her ears pierced? What is her birthstone?

What kind of jewelry does she wear most often? Would she prefer a gold bracelet for women or fashion earrings for women? 

Knowing the answers to these questions will help you explore your options. The more you know about the preferences of the recipient, the more likely you are to get her a piece of jewelry she’ll truly love and cherish.

Think with your heart

Next, narrow down your search by focusing on capturing a memory or marking an occasion. For example, if you and your best friend are from California or enjoyed a perfect vacation on the Golden Coast, a Miramar Cuff  with its cast California Turban Shells would be a perfect pick. A creative way to announce a pregnancy is to get the grandmother-to-be a piece of jewelry featuring the baby’s birthstone. If you’re buying a piece for your significant other, go for jewelry that symbolizes something about the time or place you first fell in love. We’re all sentimental by nature, and the special lady in your life will love thinking of the memory every time she wears her jewelry.

Go for color

When buying jewelry for someone else, diamonds and clear crystals are always seen as a safe bet. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with going for a girl’s best friend, you shouldn’t be afraid to pick out something with some color. Bold accessories are both timeless and trendy, and less traditional than diamonds. What is her favorite color? Any fan of blue hues will love a Biltmore Cuff II, a multi gem bracelet for women.

Size Matters

Pay attention to the size of her neck, wrists, hands and frame. If she’s average sized, most pieces of jewelry should fit her. If she’s very short, long necklaces might look extra long on her. If her wrists are extremely petite, you may want to avoid a standard bangle or bracelet since it might not fit. If you need to know her ring size, the only way to find out without asking is to borrow one of her rings or try one on and guestimate that way. Most reputable designers and stores will allow an exchange in the worst case.

Ask around

The surest bet for buying someone a piece of jewelry she’ll love is to ask her closest friends for advice. If the gift is for your friend, email a link and ask the other ladies in your tribe for their opinions. If it’s for your girlfriend or wife, showing her best friend a photo will help you decide if a piece you’re debating is “the one.”

Keep the entire outfit in mind

Mismatched jewelry is common, and no one needs to wear a set all the time. That being said, an extremely unique piece of jewelry will be hard to wear unless she has something she can wear with it. If you’re going for something with a different look, consider getting her a set (or at least two pieces from the collection) so she never has to scramble for other accessories when she wears it.

Stylish safe bets

Every woman has different tastes, especially when it comes to her jewelry. But there are some pieces of Camille K jewelry that are meant to appeal to a variety of preferences. If you’ve done your research, asked around, snooped through her collection and you’re still stumped, here are three pieces of jewelry that she should love:

1.     The Stella One-Tone Necklace I can be worn long or short and paired with a wide variety of pieces.

2.     Any bling ring-loving lady will adore a Troubadour Ring.

3.     The Signature Short Reversible Pave Earrings are simple enough to be worn every day, but the Swarovski crystals add a bit of bling to capture attention.  

Happy shopping! 

No one enjoys thinking about the end of summer. The days might be long, but this warm, sunny, beautiful season of BBQs, beach trips and poolside lounging seems so short. Nothing lasts forever, and Summer 2015 is quickly coming to a close. But there is one major bright side to the ending of this era: it’s time for fall fashion.

Fall 2015 will see a return of some of the best styles of the 1970s as well as pleats, flounce hemlines, chunky knits, big, bold jewelry and a plethora of puffer coats. Those who live in colder climates should rejoice, because keeping cozy with lots of layering is officially in style. As always, it’s best to take a look at all the trends and then adapt them to your own personal style. It usually takes a few tweaks to take an outfit from the runway to “real life.”

Above all else, remember: it’s the accessories that make the outfit. Here are six of the most popular fashion trends for fall 2015 and the beautiful Camille K pieces to wear with them:

1.  Bling rings. Obviously, bringing back the bling ring is a fabulous idea. Oversized jewelry has been popular for years, but sometimes they involve minimal style. This fall we welcome the return of very feminine, sparkly jewelry. Camille K features plenty of unique gold rings for women, and one of our favorites is the Empire Ring.

The Empire Ring is inspired by the Empire State Building in New York. Much like its   namesake, this ring is a style icon. Aquamarine and Swarovski crystals give it a unique glisten. It’s certainly elegant enough to be worn on a night on the town, but it’s also perfect as an everyday accessory.

The Troubadour Ring is a slightly more versatile bling ring in the Camille K collection. The trilliant crystal catches the eye with a show stopping shimmer. Wear this piece with any outfit, day or night.

2.  Head To Toe Black. All black everything? Yes, please! This chic, slimming hue has been all over the runway this year, and we couldn’t be happier. Of course, you’ll want to break up the monochromatic look with some vibrant jewelry. And while colorful pieces will certainly work, nothing looks better with black than gold.

For a nice, layered look, wear a Lacy Necklace with your black ensemble. The classic combination of gold and pearls will really pop against a dark hue. Add a Lucky Bangle I to the outfit and your look will be complete.

Of course, for some all black outfits, you’ll want to wear a pair of gold earrings for women. The Beverly Swing earrings feature shimmering Swarovski crystals and a 1.5” drop, and they’re the perfect pair to take you from the office to the dance floor.

3. Flounce hems. Why go for a plain pencil skirt when you can have a skirt with personality? Flounce hems are flirty and fun, and you can wear them at work or for a night out on the town. For a daytime look, wear a flounce skirt with a fitted blouse and a Miramar Rock Crystal Enhancer added to a Signature Choker. The enhancer is the perfect size to complement the outfit without distracting from the bold hemline.

4. Flare pants. Bell-bottoms will be re-invented this fall as flared jeans and pants become a hot commodity. The flared hemline is actually very flattering, and you can enhance your best assets even more by wearing them with high heels or wedges. Of course, you’ll need some modern jewelry to keep your outfit from looking too retro. Keep it simple with a Eugenie Bracelet II and a pair of Miramar Earrings.

5. Statement Earrings. If the only jewelry you wear with your outfit is a pair of earrings, go for a big, bold style. Statement earrings will be everywhere this fall, and they’re definitely a chic way to accessorize. Between the two-toned Biltmore Drop Earrings III and the Beverly Two-Toned Earrings, Camille K has this fall fashion trend covered.

6. Turtlenecks. It seems that fashion brands can’t seem to kick this classic. The utilitarian style staple seemed to pop up all over Fashion Week this year. If you layer a turtleneck under a dress, you’ll get more use out of your warm weather pieces. Add some glam to a turtleneck with a Troubadour Necklace or create a vintage look with a pair of Chance Serpent Earrings. 

Summer certainly has its perks, but fall is a time to reinvent yourself and create your own signature style. This year, you’ll find a trend or two you can incorporate into your wardrobe and a flattering fit for every body. Getting dressed should always be fun, so go for the trends you like and that work for you.

At some point, everyone dreams of being dressed by a professional stylist. We want to show you how to wear several pieces of jewelry that look like they’ve been layered by an expert. Finding the perfect combination and balance of accessories is like striking gold―literally. And if you haven’t started layering yours yet, you should! 

Layering jewelry is easier than you think. All it takes is a little creativity and a few tips from the experts. Above all else, remember not to take layering to the extreme. While you’re not going for a “less is more” look, you don’t want it to look overdone and cluttered.

We want to help you get more mileage out of your jewelry collection without the expense of hiring a professional. Interested in reading about fashion earrings for women? Ready for a few layering lessons you can use to enhance your outfits? Read on.

• Don’t choose between layering necklaces or bracelets―you can layer both. It’s true! Just because you’ve stacked your bangles doesn’t mean you have to stick to one simple necklace. The key is to choose the same layering style for your neck and arms. If you’re going bold with a multi gem bracelet for women stacked with some simple gold bangles on your arm, do the same with your neck. Layer a bold Biltmore necklace with a smaller gold chain.

• Wear a hand full of bold rings. Since rings are smaller, you can wear them on every finger and get away with it. The Pantone Black Perle Ring can be worn in multiples. Wear it with a Pantone White Perle Ring and then place a Gold Perle Ring alongside it. 

• Accentuate your cuffs. A beautiful jeweled cuff (like this gold bracelet for women) is chic when worn alone, but adding a few bangles, links or beads will make it look modern. 

• Use one piece as your “anchor” piece. You can get as creative with different colors as you want as long as you’ve got one piece tying them all together. A plain black necklace or bracelet works well, or you can pick out a piece that uses all the different colors you’d like to incorporate into your look. 

• Wear heavy and dainty pieces at the same time. Don’t save your statement necklace for a special occasion. Instead, layer it with a few simpler go-to pieces and make a style statement every day.

• Use multiple necklaces in the same color to enhance a solid-colored top or dress. Think of how great your go-to LBD (little black dress) would look with a long gold chain and a Stella One-Tone Necklace I worn short. Layering necklaces breaks up the monotony of a solid hue.

• Mix high contrast bracelets. Don’t be afraid to pile on a pair of pearl bangles, a rhinestone bracelet and a beaded piece. As long as you have your anchor piece in place, the juxtaposition will work just fine.

• Mix metals. You’ve probably always heard that it’s best to avoid mixing gold and silver or yellow and white gold. But mixing metals is interesting, chic and contemporary. Just make sure the metals complement each other instead of adding too much contrast. You want each piece to stand out. 

• Don’t worry about spacing your necklaces evenly. Let them fall where they may! Spacing them evenly can often look too planned and the goal is to look like the placement was unintentional.

• Break all the rules when layering necklaces. In fact,mix silver with gold, wear a delicate chain with chunky beads, and throw in a leather piece just for fun. You want to create your own style statement, not copy someone else’s look.

• Partner your big and old jewels when you’re wearing a fancy party dress. Just make sure they sit at different lengths so they’ll both stand out. Wear a Troubadour Choker I with a Troubadour Two-Toned Necklace and you’ll notice that they complement each other.

• Layer delicate pieces. Two simple necklaces or bracelets can be layered, too. In fact, that look is sweet and pretty. Stay true to your own style.

• Layer your rings! Yes, you can stack your rings on the same finger. You’ll have to stick to simple bands with one larger piece, but it can (and should!) be done.

• Pair new pieces with old treasures. Skinny modern gold bands worn with a vintage cocktail ring will look eclectic and amazing.

• Layer necklaces with a casual t-shirt and jeans. You’ll add instant elegance to your outfit, and the entire look will appear effortless. 

• Stack bracelets on either side of your watch. You should always include your watch in your jewelry layering. 

The biggest takeaway? Don’t be afraid to experiment with layering jewelry. Spend some time in the mirror trying on different combinations with your outfits. Not everything will work, but you might be surprised by what you come up with. Remember, jewelry is an expression of your personal style. The more you experiment, the more comfortable you will be with creating your unique point of view.