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...

Bad Candy Jewellery - S/S11 Updates - Sneak Peek!

Join us on facebook to get these Bad Candy updates first! http://www.facebook.com/badcandyco

There's some exciting updates coming to our Spring/Summer '11 range, we just can't stop ourselves from buying you gorgeous jewellery when we see it!

So here's a few sneak peeks at what there will be. Including the most gorgeous cameo necklaces we've seen in a long time (in 2 shades!), a stunning new ornate heart necklace, a steampunky antiqued mirror/butterfly combo', a beautiful crystal triangles drop necklace, a sweetie bracelet, some hot pink tribal goodness, 2 roman necklaces and some fabulously blinged up and funky rocker cuffs that are just right for festival season!

All will be available soon on http://www.badcandy.co.uk !
Because we love jewellery as much as you do ♡

Part I: Bad Candy Jewellery in action!

All our images on the badcandy.co.uk website are shot in controlled light and on a bust. This doesn't always best show how the jewellery itself looks being worn, which is what you want to know! So we're working our way through the whole Spring '11 collection and have cornered our resident model and buyer to show you just how they sit on human form.
As you can see from the first selection of necklaces and bracelets, jewellery can look quite different and (if we're honest) better in situ' and in the summer sun! Enjoy ♡


1. The 'Pink Lotus' Bracelet - More info and availability at http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/pink-lotus-bracelet

2. The 'Inca Collar' Necklace - More info and availability at http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/inca-collar

3. The 'Aztec Crystal Cuff' Bracelet - More info and availability at http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/aztec-crystal-cuff

4. The 'Queen Of Hearts' Necklace - More info and availability at http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/queen-of-hearts

5. The 'Perfect Pansy' Bracelet - More info and availability at http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/perfect-pansy-bracelet

More to come...

Affordable jewellery just got cheaper! For you, love Bad Candy UK

We set ourselves a mission this week to make our affordable jewellery even more so. It was a tough job as we keep everything low as it is.
So why do we do run an affordability and statement jewellery focused store? The simple reason is that we always wanted to be 'the' store that we would want to buy from. To achieve this we do several things...

- We only offer unique and/or statement jewellery that we and our friends want to wear and want to buy.
- We don't offer high priced jewellery. As jewellery becomes more disposable and trends change so fast, it has always been important to us to stock pieces that will always be in fashion and you are likely to wear multiple times, but that doesn't cost a small fortune.
- We focus on necklaces, bracelets and bangles. Anything outside of this is guided by YOUR needs, we poll our volunteer customers and friends and ask them. We love body-mod jewellery, rings and earrings etc. but we will only stock it if you desire it, so whichever directions we expand in is decided by you and for you. (Check our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/badcandyco for polls and feedback)
- We keep an eye on every fashion arena from catwalk and high street to various alternative scenes and kawaii lovers.
- We won't restock what you don't like or find too expensive and instead find another new trend or style.
- We view literally thousands of pieces of jewellery from across the world and only work with lines that have that something special that the high street misses.
- We aren't greedy on margins, we like the store to flow rather than stagnate. Plus we understand what we feel would be a good buy if we saw it in a shop for a particular price.

Our biggest extravagance by far is with regards the fact that we gift box everything for you, and deliver via very secure methods. At this point we felt that we didn't want to cut back here to bring overall costs down as we like good customer service and loving attention as much as you do. Free P&P rocks and we love being sent a present!

We did however find a way to cool down the prices of our metal statement necklaces, we felt this was important as they are the most valuable pieces in our range. So enjoy these beautiful summer days and treat yourself! Things just got better for your budget and summer wardrobe courtesy of badcandy.co.uk!  ♡

What's with all the Sweets?

Some love them, some hate them, some just think they're a good bit of fun, but however you feel Sweets Deco jewellery is definitely super popular and very now! We love it, obviously, and are likely to expand our range, but the first question a lot of people will have is, what is it and why??


Sweets Deco simply means "sweets decoration" and is a form of kawaii (cute) decorative miniaturising from Japan. Kawaii has been around for a long time and covers a multitude of types of 'cute', is a big artistic export these days and it continues to grow. With sweets Deco, various types of scrummy goodies are hand made in miniature as accessories for decoration. they can be used as standalone pieces, as jewellery, as mobile phone and bag charms and even for nail art, and can include donuts, tarts, popcorn, pastries and pretty much anything you can think of that's sweet and delicious! 


Some examples of the hand made cupcakes and pancakes we absolutely love are below, you can find these available in our store as necklaces and keyrings here http://www.badcandy.co.uk/products?search=sweets&search-submit= Watch this space a bigger range of Sweets Deco coming soon! ♡

It's all in the heart ♡

Hearts will always have a place in fashion jewellery, so today we'll take a look at the variety Bad Candy has on offer and match occasion and outfit style with the right piece.

#1: The Love Heart Collar - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/love-heart-collar
Probably the most overt love token we have, this is blatant in it's mission to induce the warm fuzzies! One big heart, two smaller hearts, and warm purple toned glass stones, it's the ultimate love token. It suits high or low cut tops as it's a statement piece on a slightly shorter chain to keep itself always in plain view. While it won't go brilliantly with vivid clashing colours, it does go very well with all muted or pastel tones and, of course, black/white/greys that compliment and highlight the colour of the stones. Great with dresses on it's own or with a simple thin silver bracelet/bangle, classic with casual skirts and cami's, but this really comes into it's own with a loose up-do on a big night out!

#2: The Heart Of Light - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/heart-of-light

This is a necklace that has everyone oooh'ing and aaaaah'ing when they see/touch/feel/try it. You can see our description of it by following the link to the site above, but here we'll talk about what it suits. The Heart Of Light doubles as a either a very dribble-worthy daytime piece or a heart melting night time one. It goes with literally EVERYTHING, yes really. The secret in this is not only in the simplicity of the main shape of the heart but the fact that it's a light shining silver with a big clear glass heart in the centre. So no colours are a no-no with this piece, you can choose literally anything. But if you want it to shine to maximum effect, we recommend black as, classically, it enhances the silver. Audrey Hepburn style fans, this is for you!

#3: Love Me Gothic - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/love-me-gothic

For the alternative, gothic or period drama minded, this is stunning romanticism wrapped up in a beautiful antique finished necklace. It brilliantly merges several styles into 'romantic novel meets first love' passion. The design really is superb and unique, it suits most outfits but we do love it with floating fabrics, grungy fashion and loose casual wear as it's on a slightly longer chain. It goes better with earthy colours and darker tones. One to bring old school romantic fiction home with ♡ 

#4: The Queen Of Hearts - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/queen-of-hearts

The most big, heavy, glistening and bright of all our hearts. This knockout necklace is all about the first stages of love, you wear it as a shining badge that you can't hide. It has a slightly shorter but gorgeous chunky chain that lends itself again to up-do's and a LBD. The touch we love about this is the small darker stone heart in the middle that draws the eye in. It's irresistible and goes with just about any colour, but does lend itself to smarter and more tailored wear that just make it stand out all the more. A genuine statement piece that will keep all eyes on you.

#5: The Filigree Heart - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/filigree-heart

This delightfully classical piece of Victoriana needs no introduction, you'll have seen very similar pieces in locket form at antiques fairs and in costume dramas. This isn't a locket but it is a fantastic modern take on the style. The chain is long and can be worn inside or outside of clothing and the beautiful filigree detailing enhances the period feel. Pretty little glass crystals scattered over it make the necklace pendant twinkle! A little bit secretive, a little nostalgic and very romantic - this is heart to wear every day and with anything. Perhaps not a formal statement piece like some of the previous pieces, but it is that one item of jewellery you'll find yourself getting regular wear out of.

'Best Budget Buys' for style without breaking the bank!

It can be difficult in the current economic climate to splurge on personal luxuries without guilt, so here at Bad Candy we bring you the top picks of great fashion jewellery that won't bust your bank balance but will make hearts flutter and give you some extra sparkle, colour and shine!

#1: The Filigree Heart Necklace - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/filigree-heart
This lovely Filigree Heart is classical, beautifully ornate and encrusted with pretty, sparkling glass stones. It hangs low in true Victoriana style and will look great with loose flowing summer style. At £12.95 delivered, you can make any outfit shine and not worry about going overdrawn! ♡

#2: Night Charms Bracelet - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/night-charms

These #cute and kookie Night Charms are a great everyday accessory that suit all from college grunge to a casual LBD. Delicate and girly but chunky enough to slim the wrist, our Night Charms bracelet is just £5.75 delivered. Great price, great style! ♡

#3: The White Charm Collection - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/white-charm-collection

We've had great customer feedback on this super pretty necklace in soft feminine natural colours (nude, silver and white). It has a superbly detailed white rose as the main charm and is surrounded by other pretty charms.At £13.75 delivered you can't go wrong for wedding or event accessory! ♡

#4: The Ornate Silver Snake Wrist Wrap Bracelet - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/ornate-silver-snake

 Snake wraps really are big this season as they give your wrist a real bit of sexy bling, so make sure you're bang on trend with this slinky, sexy and seductive slitherer. We call this a 'luxe' piece because it has that light, bright, deluxe feel about it, when you put it on you're just waiting for the first person you see to comment on it! It's a great price at £6.45 delivered for a bracelet your friends will want to steal, and who doesn't love a bit of friend-envy when it comes to your clothes and accessories?! ♡

And the last one for today...

#5: The Disco Discs Necklace! - http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/disco-discs

This is a seriously fun and OTT #necklace that screams holidays and dancing! Colour blocking? More colour shocking - no shrinking violets here please! Hundreds of #rainbow shells make up this necklace with stunning vibrant colour crammed together in a fabulous design. What we love about this is that it's daring and provocative, you will be delighted when you touch it and feel the weight and quality of it! A Boho chic bargain for £13.95 delivered, and even has a matching bracelet for double impact! ♡

For more budget bargain choices, visit the Bad Candy store's 'under £15' section, HERE ♡

What jewellery to wear with white?

There are just some pieces of jewellery that make a summery white outfit into one hell of an eye-catching ensemble. This stunning Bad Candy 'Aquarius' necklace is one. It's made from a very bright silvery metal with a large contrasting aqua stone set in the middle. We can speak from personal experience and say that it looks phenomenal teamed with white, pastels and nude colours. When it comes to using jewellery as a statement piece, especially if you include a large item, it's best to stick to just the one and leave everything else as natural as possible. Wear with a long white gypsy skirt and pretty cami and eyes will be on you wherever you go!


Find it here: http://www.badcandy.co.uk/product/world-in-aqua

 

Something for work?

Most of us can't go too overboard when choosing jewellery that's suitable for work, so subtle and pretty usually win the day! We reckon our 'Kitsch Me Orbs' are a great choice for spring.
A great design, floral material inside resin, they're chic, on-trend and go with any solid colour!

Hot Picks of the Day!

Today's hot picks, because it's so blissfully beautiful and sunny outside, are these gorgeous pieces. Both at under £15 including gift boxed P&P!

Vibrant Tri-Flowers:

The cocktail for summer... Tutti Frutti!

Competiton Parte Deux!

Part 2 of our competition is even easier! Simply go to our facebook page, share on a link to our page or website (http://www.badcandy.co.uk) on your wall, suggest us to some of your friends who you think might like Bad Candy's jewellery, find the wall post that starts: "Part 2 of our competition" and tag yourself in the picture!

You'll then be in the draw to win this stunning Harlequin Charms bracelet... simples!

Here comes the summer sun...

It's so glorious outside and we all agreed that the piece for today had to be the Pink Lotus Flower Bracelet. The colours are delicate and natural, the resin quality and crafting superb, and the price great! You can find it in our 'Most Wanted' at http://www.badcandy.co.uk

A note about this, the flower really does stand proud as it looks in the image which is quite unusual and makes it that cut above in the style and statement stakes. We think it's a real festival piece, and if you're going to a festival this year we'd love to know which and how you choose what outfits and jewellery to wear! Peace, mannnnn XD BC

All hail summer berries!

A heads up to customers, our gorgeous Berry Bush bracelet stock is diminishing quickly! Get your order in now if you want one, it really is turning out to be THE desired spring/summer piece of 2011 as expected!
Absolutely beautifully made from quality resin, we've yet to see anything like it so well made - get yours now at http://www.badcandy.co.uk before we run out!

Today is our Birthday!

Today we launched ourselves! After a slightly longer wait than anticipated (sorry! blame that on slow bankers too) we're live and ready to beautify the country with delicious, devilish, bold, beautiful, kookie and kitsch fashion jewellery. We're really proud of the site and moreover we're incredibly proud to bring you what we feel are the prime cuts of current fashion that will make any outfit you wear 100 times more knock out!

You can follow us on Facebook and /or Twitter - so if you like, love or want to see more then join us or like us and you'll be first for news and new items as they come in. Plus we have competitions and giveaways too...!
In fact right now on Facebook we are giving away a stunning Inca Collar to one of our first twenty buyers! Check the Facebook page for details :-)

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the site and jewellery, we're open to suggestions, and most importantly want to tailor the site to meet your need - so please do comment.

All love, Bad Candy xoxo