"A LITTLE HELP PLEASE...?" Gift ideas for Christmas 2014

It's always difficult to know what to buy for EVERYONE at Christmas. So we compiled a little list of hints and suggestions that might give you some more options; for the female side of your friends and family, at least!

1: CHILDREN/YOUNGER TEENS 
Something cute for younger children. We don't tend to stock jewellery for children of a very young age, for obvious reasons, however we do know that they LOVE our super-cute kawaii Sweets Candy necklaces and key rings - check them out here

OLDER TEENS  

Sisters, friends, nieces, daughters and granddaughters tend to be quite easy and fun to buy gifts for; they'll generally have their own style and tell you exactly what they want or like! Jewellery is always going to be an easy and appreciated option, so here's a few suggestions!

- Our Ch'i Bands are very popular with this age range, and you can even choose which one suits their personality! A lovely, affordable and slightly more personalised gift.

- The big, bold High Voltage Necklace has to have a mention here. Extremely popular with older teens and a guaranteed hit! 

- For a sure-fire hit for a teen festival goer, we would highly recommend our classic Sienna Charms. Chunky, earthy, very comfortable to wear and not likely to fall off in the mud!

- If you know someone who's a little alternative, literary or gothic in style, we would definitely recommend taking a look at our romantic, stylish Love Me Gothic Necklace. A very individual design that's perfect for a creative soul.

UNIVERSAL FRIENDS & FAMILY 

Suggestions for the rest of your friends and family; let's start with a couple of our favourite necklaces that might be perfect for most friends, mums, cousins and aunts aunts with a classical taste...

- Our sleek Daisy Chain Necklace is one that you can't go wrong with. Simple, elegant and goes with any outfit.

- These pretty Kitsch Me Orbs add a touch of class to workwear and are a great addition for an evening out.

STATEMENT FRIENDS 

A couple of extra suggestions for those statement personalities in your life! 

- Buying for a stylish Steampunk or Victoriana enthusiast? We highly recommend one of our beautiful Reverie Choker's, perfect for a civilised afternoon's tea duelling!

Or to compliment a splendid Steampunk corset, a pretty Reverie Cameo Brooch!

- And last, but not least! For those of you looking for something quirky, bold and cheeky, for a someone who's a little rock 'n' roll, how about our brand new first edition Bad Candy Hot Pants! Whether they're a dancer, clubber or just like a bit of attitude with their clothing, these Bad Candy signature booty shorts are available in three colours and will go down a storm!

We hope that's given you a few extra ideas; of course, we have plenty more for you to browse and discover on our shop homepage at www.badcandy.co.uk and don't forget you can also visit/like us on our Facebook page to not miss out on updates, deals and offers! <3

THE BIGGER THE BETTER

THE BIGGER THE BETTER

New BIG METAL range now in store!

From the moment we set eyes on these beautifully designed pieces, we knew they had BAD CANDY written all over them!

VICE CITY CUFF http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-vice-city-cuff

DOUBLE TROUBLE NECKLACE http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-double-trouble

We undoubtedly have a lot of hearts in our necklace collections but this is hardly a surprising thing since they are a beautiful icon that just begs to be made a focal point and sits so well on the chest. However, because of this we are always cautious about new styles that we include. When it came to our new HIGH VOLTAGE necklaces (http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-high-voltage) we felt that they not only stood out visually, but also stood apart in terms of design.

Now, the HIGH VOLTAGE pendant is BIG. So we wanted a complementary piece to polarise it's size, and we found that in the sublime flow of the Hush-Hush necklace (http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-hush-hush)... 

Of course, no collection is complete without bracelets, bangles or cuffs (see top pic) so we chose to trial some great magnet close pieces (http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-magnetise-bracelets) that proved to be easy, comfortable, sleek and stylish to wear. We hope you enjoy the range as much as we adore it! ♡

"HEY! Where'd you go?"

"HEY! Where'd you go?"

Relaunch freebies!

We had a little hiatus here at Bad Candy while we moved premises, but now we're back and offering you all manner of candy goodness PLUS a whole lot more in the pipeline!

Right now, exclusively over on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/badcandyco we are having daily freebie offers on a selection of unseen pieces (not available at our webstore). 

We also have some insanely gorgeous new necklaces and bracelets coming in this week, we'll run a sneak peek for you over the next couple of days!

Our second piece of news is that VERY SOON we'll be bringing some super funky and sneaky-cheeky BAD CANDY clothing at ya! We will have limited runs in different styles, so stay tuned on Facebook and over at our website http://www.badcandy.co.uk for more updates on this as they happen.

Finally, please help us improve our service by adding your input to this quick poll. Thank you ♡

https://apps.facebook.com/my-polls/xqnqn
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On the catwalk... Autumn/Winter 2011/12

Upcoming trend spotting for autumn/winter: Paris Fashion Week (March) 

Balmain, Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen.

Bad Candy talks jewellery with Steampunk Couture Clothing...

Those of you who know us well at badcandy.co.uk, know that we're big advocates of Steampunk style. We're also big fans of Steampunk Couture Clothing and thought we'd have a little chat with the artistic brain behind the much loved designs, Kato, to find out a little more about her creative world. 

A little introduction in her own words, "I was born and raised in Wales, UK, and emigrated to America in 2007. I decided to house my designs under the name 'SteampunkCoutureClothing' in 2005 after a friend introduced me to the term "steampunk" when describing the way I dressed, my style of illustration and most importantly, the couture clothing that I was making for a small number of clients from my kitchen table. Six years on, the business operates out of Hollywood and Portland..."


We wanted to talk to her about jewellery of course, and who better placed to give a little definition to the style for those new to it and elaborate on what prompted her to start Steampunk Couture Clothing. We also wanted to know what continues to inspire her stunning collections...

K: "Steampunk jewellery takes many forms, the most popular of which is an intricate, highly-decorative style that encompasses salvaged watch parts - gears, cogs and clock faces and combines these with pearls and brass chain. This style is extremely popular and easily found when one starts searching for steampunk jewellery. There are other, more original styles being created that lean toward Victorian collars, specimen vials or mini terrariums that have a strong steampunk aesthetic."

(SCC jewellery is all hand made and cast/moulded) 

"To have my pieces mass manufactured would be more cost-affective and possibly quicker, but my specific demographic gravitate toward my work because they know it's hand-made." 

                                          From: SteampunkCouture.Etsy.Com

"My personal favourites when it comes to Jewellery have always been, for as far back as I can remember, anything that you can read a mile away! I love, appreciate and wear jewelry that not necessarily makes a statement, but is bold and simple in shape and of course is clear in it's style so that you know exactly what you would wear it with before you've had a moment to think about it. I tend to shy away from intricate, fiddly jewelry and basically anything that doesn't read well in photo shoots."

"I left school at 16 and took a foundation course in art and design at a local college, specialising in fine art in my second year. I then took a 9 month fashion and textiles course at an art school in south Wales; but leaving high school was a bigger escape and release for my creativity than I'd expected, and the freedom that came from not having to wear a school uniform any more catapulted my personal exploration of fashion and design forward. After realizing that my teachers were not there to guide me or offer advice and that I had to find my own path, I spent most of my art school days at home, messing around with various crafts and art mediums. I left with a Diploma from art school as a bribe from the head of the school after I threatened to drop out. The Diploma has never come in handy. My father is a very successful fine art painter and I inherited that creative gene while also being greatly inspired and encouraged by him.  I'm self-taught in everything that I do and I'm always learning."

"Early on I would make specific accessories for the outfit we were shooting, but now I really plan ahead and collect pieces that suit my design styles. During a shoot, I'll get all the jewellery out and choose the items that work. Styling is one of the easiest and most enjoyable parts of the job."

"I'm all about hiring other artists to work with me now as I'm struggling to meet the customer demand on my own, so I'm currently scouting for talented artists in the jewellery design word to create exclusives for Steampunk Couture. Look out for an exciting jewellery line in the near future as a result of a wonderful collaboration. This year is all about putting the "team" in steampunk!"

And with that she's gone in the flash of a big bronze ray gun! 

- Sukie @ Bad Candy

So what's new on Bad Candy (Pt 2)

Continued... A second section of new stock has gone up on the Bad Candy website and is available to buy already. Here's a quick lowdown on what and why we chose to bring them to you.

4.  The 'Tribal Gumdrops' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-tribal-gumdrops
Why? We've actually been after this necklace for a while, but it's been unavailable - at last, we have it for you at Bad Candy! We love everything about this, the boldness and vibrance of the hot pink against the silver, the tribal detailing that's perfect for this summer's tribal clothing designs, and the chunky solidness that makes it a perfect statement necklace. It is versatile and adds great colour to all day wear, but likewise will add punch and vibrance to evening wear and dresses. We simply love it and will be wearing it all summer ourselves! ♡

5. The 'Sun Shield' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-sun-shield

Why? Discs and circles are a timeless favourite and this is a lovely blend of simplicity and mini ropework based on a shield design. It's simple, stylish, well designed, big, bold, sturdy and a great take on leather thonged necklaces - far better quality than most but at a very, very good price. In design sometimes less is more and this is a good example of how to do it right. We do very much keep in mind that if you're at college or university, then you're probably on a budget, so we like to find good quality statement pieces that are within that range and make them available to you. In the same instance we try to keep choices and styles broad for all tastes. Make no mistake that this would definitely not be £8.50 in a high street store, more around the £20+ mark - and this is why we're proud to keep our margins so low that we can bring excellent quality jewellery to everyone! ♡

6. The 'Mosaic Tiles' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-mosaic-tiles

Why? The fall and shape to form of this beautiful Roman inspired necklace is just exquisite, it drapes luxuriously around your neck. We like to stock pieces that aren't all based around a singular pendant and this caught our eye as a lovely shape and very interesting alternative. We liked the indentation detail on the tiles and uneven shapes that make up the whole, being bright silver in colour it also catches light beautifully for universal appeal. Perhaps a little less overt, but still a subtle and elegant statement to enhance any outfit! ♡

More to come...

So what's new on Bad Candy (Pt 1)

Some of the new stock has gone up on the website and is available to buy already. Here's a quick lowdown on what and why we chose to bring them to you.

1.  The 'Rainbow Twist' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-rainbow-twist
Why? Obviously summer brings a desire for more colourful jewellery and we like the fact that this piece does it in an inventive way. It mixes architectural with dreamy and fantastical, a definite plus. Moreover it's unique and unlike the same 'types' of jewellery we see time and time again when we're viewing potential designs. Jewellery follows a similar premise to fashion in that what you may initially seem nice  pretty cool gets regurgitated over and over by exporters to meet the current trend and mass market. While this suits big stores and is a positive thing, it's not quite how we work. We try to bring you individuality and boldness that the High Street doesn't cater for. This is a prime example, a superb addition to any summer wardrobe.

2. The 'Steam Reflections' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-steam-reflections

Why? While we've been long time fans, Steampunk and Victoriana are now really starting to tap into the general market and here is a great compromise. We set out on a mission to find a happy medium, something that hints at that aforementioned but is still accessible and easily wearable for a fashion queen or high street lover. We felt this lovely necklace fulfilled both criteria, a pretty generic butterfly combined with a lovely ornate Victoriana mirror on an long chain, all finished in a great antiqued gold colour. Perfect, affordable and easy for anyone to wear. A real hit.

3,  The 'Classical Cameo' Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/new-classical-cameo

Why? We had been looking for a suitable cameo necklace for a while, for the same reasons as mentioned in the previous post. We had seen many and not quite fallen in love with them, or they had been very expensive to stock and therefore out of the kind of price range we prefer to bring to you. Then we saw these and were sold straight away. The lady in the relief is so beautifully classical, how could we say no? Detail really is everything with cameos, we saw many that were rather flat and 2d, and just felt they weren't quite right - this lady on the other hand is wonderful. This cameo comes in a gold and sepia or a blue and white finish, both with a few little coloured stones set into the frame edges. Amazingly we actually initially bought limited stock to trial them and ran out of the blue and white before we could even get them in the online store! Don't worry though, they will be there soon! 

More to come...