A-Listers Bring the Bling to Dubai

How do you throw the priciest party the world has ever seen? It’s simple. You build a billion-dollar hotel on a man-made island, invite a slew of celebrities and billionaires, fly in world-renown chefs and designers, and create a fireworks display so huge it can be seen from outer space.

And drop a cool $20 mil.

The economic crisis was nowhere to be found in Dubai this week, as the Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the Executive Chairman of Nakeel, celebrated the grand opening of his $1.5 billion luxury hotel, Atlantis - The Palm, with a party rumored to be the biggest bash history.

“I’m thrilled and proud,” beamed the Sultan. “Five years ago where I am standing now was water.”

There was enough pomp and security for a royal wedding, as the 2,000 guests had to go through several check points to gain entrance to the soiree. The entire artificial palm-shaped island where the hotel is located was locked down several hours before the festivities began, and a special “exclusion zone” was established along the coastline, which banned boats from coming within two nautical miles of the shore.

Glittering guests included Lindsay Lohan in a gorgeous diamond and onyx Y neck with matching drop earrings, the always-stunning Charlize Theron in gold chandelier drops, uber-model, Agyness Deyn, in a unique diamond statement necklace, and designer Jade Jagger in a layered series of pearl strands.

Other A-list attendees included Denzel Washington, Robert DeNiro, Sir Richard Branson, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, Janet Jackson and fashion moppets Mary Kate and Ashley Olson. Notable no-shows were Oprah Winfrey and Ben Affleck.

The guests were treated to a banquet prepared by several Michelin-rated chefs, a private performance by Kylie Minogue, and an after party at the nearby Royal Afterglow bar, where DJs, including Samantha Ronson, played live sets.

The Brooch Heard 'Round the World

Brace yourselves jewelry junkies. The brooch is back! No longer the domain of grandma and your flashy Aunt Ida, the brooch is beaming everywhere from the runway to TV's hit series Mad Men. But perhaps the most important brooch sighting was on would-be first lady, Michelle Obama (a.k.a. the new Jackie Kennedy), during her highly anticipated speech at the Democratic National Convention. If there was brooch buzz before, Obama sent the look into the stratosphere.

No matter your political persuasion, the starburst brooch Obama wore with her turquoise Maria Pinto dress had tongues wagging throughout jewelry land. Who designed it? What is it made out of? Where can I get one? Our sources reveal that it came straight from Mrs. O’s jewelry box and was symbolic of Barack’s rising sun campaign logo. It is said that she wore it close to her heart to symbolize that her speech was coming straight from the heart. I see your eyes rolling. Hey – whatever works, people!

But you don’t have to be married to a presidential candidate to hop on the brooch bandwagon. Much like the pearl strand, the brooch is one of the more versatile and accessible jewelry looks. Dig through your grandma’s jewelry box for a vintage piece or shop around for a new, modern interpretation. Pin it on to add flash to your little black dress or throw some sparkle on your office attire. The opportunities are endless (much like the race for the White House).

So do your country proud and 'brooch' the subject in your own fabulous way. Cindy McCain, are you taking notes?

Pricey Pearls Are One in a Million

Pearl strands have always been in style. Coco Chanel made them chic in the 20s, Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O took them to new heights in the 60s, Madonna and Barbara Bush put their stamp on them in the 80s, and now Michelle Obama is carrying the torch well into the new millennium. They are the perfect Mother’s Day gift and are always the right choice to wear at the office. And while the popular bauble comes in many different varieties and price points, luxury jewelry designer, Mikimoto, is taking them to 11.

A one-of-a-kind, limited edition, pearl strand is now available for a mere $1,000,000. Some lucky gal will get to take home 27 perfectly cultured pearls, plus an art deco clasp with 11.92 carats of diamonds. According to Mikimoto, the necklace is special because it is made from South Sea pearls of the highest quality that took ten years to cultivate. They’re rated AAA, which means they have a superb silver white luster.

For those of us who can’t afford a bodyguard to go with our jewelry, there are many other affordable alternatives. And some designers are mixing up the traditional strand by adding chunky beads and crystals. Think ‘pearls go punk’. One final pearl of wisdom: long, layered strands are a must-have look for fall. Mixing
colors and lengths is perfectly acceptable.

We may not have a million bucks, but we can certainly look like we do. Go out there and make Coco proud!

Gossip Girls Go Back to School - And Need a Jewelry Lesson

Fashionistas, take a moment away from your Vogue fall fashion editions to celebrate another long-awaited arrival. Gossip Girl returns on September 1st. The cast kicked off the second season last night at Henri Bendel’s ultra-luxe, Fifth Avenue store in NYC, where stunning GG-inspired window displays were unveiled. Sadly, two of our favorite things were missing from the fête: Blake Lively and good jewelry.

We can’t speak to the looks in the display windows, but the outfits on the red carpet were anything but inspiring. Even Leighton Meester, who rarely makes a misstep, came out a little, shall we say, dull. Aren’t you listening to us girls? BIG jewelry is BACK!

Actress Taylor Momsen got it right, with layered chains and a statement, vintage piece, but we’re wondering why she chose the 'Sandy from Grease meets Joan Jett' look to go with them. Jessica Szohr’s winged gold charm necklace makes sense for the first day of school, maybe, but underwhelmed at a fashion-inspired soiree. Hello? And Dreama Walker’s bangles nearly swallowed her wrist. We won't mention the feather ‘boa’. Ugh. Ladies!

It’s a sad day in bling-land when the hottest cast in town makes a poor showing. We’ll give them a chance to redeem themselves when costume designer, Eric Daman gets his hands on them for the actual series. At least HE brought out the glitter last night. As if!