Australia Day Charm Styling – Top charms for an Aussie feel

Well Australia day might be over, but the long weekend has left me in a particularly patriotic spirit and as the writer of the Aussie Charm Fan blog I’m compelled to celebrate the next few weeks rocking some Aussie themed charms. Here are some themes and looks I experimented with from my collection for a stirring Aussie feel to my outfit.

The Green and Gold

The official Aussie colours are a great way to show your true colours in the Summer sun. If you’ve got a gold bracelet or any gold charms then now’s the time to bring it out to complete the theme. The closest you might get to green in the bracelet section is the teal bluish-green leather material. As for charms there are a ton of choices, but the most appropriate would be the bright green Murano glass charm with a gold trimming one of my personal favourites in the Murano materials, though it has been retired for some time I was lucky to pick one up from a friend a while back. If you have any sort of amethyst or lime green jewellery that might be appropriate, throw it on the bracelet and see if it works!

Aussie Themed Charms

While there might not be an official Australia day charm (I can’t think of a design that wouldn’t be too tacky) you can trawl the collection to come up with some Aussie themed gems that are more than appropriate for your bracelet. Top of the list is the Sydney Opera House charm, a bonus if you live in Sydney like myself. The charm is also a great deal and you can pick it up at the Sydney Opera House’s shop if you’re just in town visiting. Some other charms that I thought would be perfect would of course be the super cute silver Kangaroo with a baby joey in its pouch or the dolphin, not unique to Australia but commonly seen around our beautiful beaches.

Apart from these you can think outside of the box and go for some of the beach and seaside charms that were released in the Summer (Aussie Winter) collection earlier this year. I felt there was a bit of a European feel in the colours and shapes that were chosen, but it would still be appropriate given the huge beach culture over here and the great weather we’re getting right now.

Whatever charms you think is the best from your collection to go on your bracelet, I think the go to look for this Summer and this Australia Day is something a bit more relaxed and casual. Try toning it down with just a couple of your favourites and a few spacers on a leather bracelet which fits perfectly with a relaxed afternoon on the beach of in the backyard!

3 Tips For Pandora Summer Style

It’s officially Summer which has hit us in full swing this December with some blazing hot days. The Sun’s out, the beaches are packed and it’s time to start thinking about what charms to fit in with the season. Here are 3 simple tips about style as well as care to have sparkling style with your charm bracelet this sunny season.

1. Caring for your charms – Summer means swimming pools, beaches and a bit of sweat with the sweltering heat, all of which aren’t exactly ideal for charm bracelets. Chlorine is a big no-no for charm bracelet and really any kind of jewellery that you’re wearing. This along with other chemicals in the swimming pool will risk dulling the shine on your bracelet and in certain cases can turn your charms and other precious metals black! If you’re wearing charms with oxidation the effect can be ruined, in some cases permanently. Remember to take your bracelet off before swimming and if you happen to take a dip accidentally with your charms then try to rinse them as soon as possible to avoid the chemicals and salt being on the metal’s surface for too long.

2. Daily Care – With Summer comes Sun and heat, but also more sweats and oil from your skin building up on your bracelet which isn’t just gross but can dull the gemstones and cause damage through abrasion as the charms rub together. The official guide to care tells us to wash our bracelets and charms regularly in hot soapy water as maintenance to remove oils I’ve experimented with a few more ‘professional’ cleaning products but haven’t noticed too much of a difference for regular daily cleans and there are certain risks with different metals that could cause damage, so I’ll stick with hot soapy water as I’m not cleaning expert. However, I’ve also had the charms professionally cleaned which you can do at most official Pandora outlets and there’s nothing like it – sparkling and fresher than ever!

3. Summer Styling – The season of the Sun is best celebrated with a splash of vibrant, happy colours. For this season I’ve been fawning over some of the pieces in the 2013’s Summer collection (released in Australia’s winter) which had a huge Italian/European feel to it with whites, reds and blue and a red scooter which has been at the top of my wish list for a while now. Enamel charms are a great way to combine splashes of colour to highlight your bracelet and fit in with the celebrations around you. My personal favourite for an Australian summer would definitely be some of the deep blue and teal Murano drop charms of faceted glass which bring a drop of cool colour that reminds people of the sea and the beach.

Wherever you are this Summer and whatever you’re doing have a ton of fun and relax in the sunshine! Take care of your bracelet and party it up with style.