"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...

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.