Floral Brooch Remix

When Mrs. O appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in September 2008, not only did she make her dance moves famous, she debuted a fantastic trio of brooches that would soon become her signature style note of the season. In cornflower blue, a rose pink mix and ombre-effect lilac, the gold-accented pins were a feminine, cheerful addition to Mrs. O's deep purple wrap top and printed silk skirt. On a more practical note, they also served as an ingenious way to fasten her cardigan.

This same trio of brooches surfaced a month and a half later for the Third Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in New York. For their encore, they were reinvented entirely - fastened atop a single strand of pearls that popped against Mrs. O's cerulean blue cap sleeve dress. Mrs. O's use of jewelry is one of the most distinctive, charming facets of her style. She has a sharp eye for embellishing an ensemble with a well-placed bow or brooch. And carefully executed, her jewelry always enhances, never overwhelms.

As the examples above demonstrate, Mrs. O also knows how to get mileage out of her accessories. She's a master at putting an inspired, fresh spin on the same pieces to make them feel completely brand new. As you might have guessed, these floral pins are again the work of Mrs. O's jewelry designer of choice: Erickson Beamon. This is our final installment of profiling Mrs. O's Erickson Beamon gems. Seven brooches and a strand of gold pearls later, we're more enamoured than ever. We hope you've enjoyed admiring these beauties up close as much as we have.

Images used with kind permission from Erickson Beamon / Showroom Seven New York

Erickson Beamon Starburst

Image used with kind permission from Erickson Beamon / Showroom Seven New York

While fabricated stories about Mrs. O's jewelry run rampant - something just didn't seem right from the start - we thought we'd continue to highlight the true classics. The brooch that started it all. It was this starburst in turquoise and silver that first caught our eye and will be forever synonymous with the night Mrs. O took the stage of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. At the time, it reminded Elizabeth Snead of the L.A. Times of the rising sun in the Obama campaign logo; we tend to agree. A perfect accent to Mrs. O's turquoise Maria Pinto sheath dress, this is a statement piece we hope to see again soon. Credit for this stunning brooch again goes to Erickson Beamon, whose line can be found at Beyond 7 in New York and Ikram in Chicago.

Brilliant Brooches

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Bill Burke, Page One Photography We love what Mrs. O has done for the brooch. With her fresh spin, what could be a dated, old-fashioned piece of jewelry now feels quite new and of-the-moment. Mrs. O chooses brooches that truly complement her ensembles, picking up a floral pattern or hue in the fabric of her dress. And how she wears them - whether arranged in a series pinned at the neckline or a single statement piece showcased at the peak of a v-neck - is always distinctive. Erickson Beamon is the jewelry design duo behind many of Mrs. O's most dazzling accessories and at least seven of her brooches. The trio of floral brooches Mrs. O wore for the final night of the DNC was the custom creation of designer Karen Erickson, and made specially for Mrs. O. We're thrilled to highlight them and all of their magnificent detail, below. At first glance, these pins may not be the likeliest combination, but against Mrs. O's floral Thakoon frock, they worked seamlessly. Up close, we're privy to unexpected details such as the cluster of pearls on the brooch to the left and the lilac and plum starburst of beads on the brooch to the far right. Sensing a vintage influence, we'd love to know the designer's inspiration.

Images used with kind permission from Erickson Beamon / Showroom Seven New York

While these brooches are one of a kind, more of your favorite Erickson Beamon jewelry can be found at the newly opened Beyond 7 in New York and Ikram in Chicago. And at a lower price point, Erickson Beamon will launch a new jewelry line through Target's Go International in February. (Thanks for the tip, Roberta.) Early reviews leave us eagerly anticipating its arrival.

A Covetous Trio

Photo credit: Flickr user Barack Obama // Creative Commons

Several of you have written in to inquire about Mrs. O's multi-strand gold and bronze necklace, seen above at a LGBT luncheon during the Democratic National Convention and again in a Details magazine photo. A bit of research reveals the necklaces are by Erickson Beamon, the same designer duo behind many of Mrs. O's brooches. A fresh take on classic pearls, Mrs. O in fact wears three Japanese glass pearl necklaces in bronze, gold and champagne from the Erickson Beamon "Peace at Last" collection. The necklaces above and more favorites from Erickson Beamon can be found at newly opened Beyond 7 in New York, and Ikram in Chicago. Stay tuned for more Mrs. O jewelry exclusives later this week.

Photo used with kind permission from Erickson Beamon / Showroom Seven New York

Hidden Gem: LGBT Luncheon Dress

Photo credit: Flickr user Barack Obama // Creative Commons Photo used with kind permission from Flickr photographer Towleroad

We wanted to pay tribute to one of our favorite Mrs. O looks in recent months. During the DNC week, Mrs. O wore a stunning mix of natural hues to speak at a LGBT luncheon. Her dress was made of pleated chiffon in mushroom, shaped at the waist by a matching belt. Gold and bronze multi-strand beads were a lovely accent to the overall look, and a fresh alternative to traditional pearls. Mrs. O wore two variations of the ensemble, at one point also paired with a cream three-quarter sleeve cardigan. Interestingly, we believe Mrs. O wore the same dress in azure blue for her appearance on "The Colbert Report" in April, and yet again in punchy pink for a campaign trip to Puerto Rico in May. Notice the similarities in the chiffon fabric, pleats and cut. As observed in our post about Mrs. O's matching jackets, we get the sense that when something works, Mrs. O likes to buy more than one. For someone constantly on the road, with multiple public engagements per week, buying in bulk must be the most practical way to shop. Mrs. O, so fashion savvy and yet so practical.

Date: August 26, 2008 Venue: LGBT luncheon, Democratic National Convention

Designer: Pleated dress by Rodarte; Pearls by Erickson Beamon