By Aysha Ibtasam

Jewelry is every woman’s obsession, well most women’s. But even the ones who don’t crave the next bling in the window display of the jewelry stores, they wear simple studs, a ring or two on the fingers or a necklace. So every woman is interested in jewelry at some level or another.

Jewelry is vast, the trends are many and styles are countless. This makes it hard to pinpoint the current fad for jewelry.

However, when you visit the stores, you are bound to see certain styles through out the stores.

Since summer is here, toe rings are seen on freshly pedicure toes.

Bangles, rings, earrings and necklaces are constantly updated with emerging trends of the season. Chunky rings, oversized earrings and large necklaces seen on the runways and stores are must-haves. Rings, earrings and necklaces are in demand all year round – exception being of toe rings and bangles which are summer accessories mostly.

It is vital to coordinate jewelry according to the outfit.

Whether you dress up for work, meetings, evening out, parties etc. the jewelry you wear must be right because it adds to the overall ensemble.

Here is a quick rule of thumb, unless you’re attending a desi (South Asian) function where all pieces out do one another. One jewelry piece needs to stand out among the rest. For example, if you’re wearing a chunky ring, make sure the earrings are not prominent or if the necklace is attention grabber then tone down on the bracelets, etc.

To polish your look, it’s best to focus on a single item of jewelry. If you have been in the stores lately, you will notice the oversize rings, shoulder length earrings, layered necklaces and fat bracelets.

Peace sign is one symbol which keeps evolving in jewelry trend and happens to be a top seller. Peace sign earrings, rings, pendants, charms in bracelets are huge.

Jewelry with peace sign is unisex most of the time; however it happens to solely show in a very feminine way as well.

There is an animal/nature theme in the jewelry this season. The inspiration is drawn from insects, birds and under the sea creatures. You are bound to encounter rings studded with tiny colored stones in shape of a frog, butterfly, shell, starfish, a bird or the like.

The necklaces are very colorful. Different materials and elements are used to create exotic pieces of necklaces. Large stones, fabrics, metal, glass, leather, are molded or intertwined to give each piece a unique look. Some necklaces are asymmetrical in design for that extra mod look.

The earrings are long and dangling and almost touch the shoulder. If the earrings are not elongated then they are wide. Peacock feather or an exotic bird feather is used to style an earring for an animal inspired look. And if you’re not an animal fan, there are still plenty of styles to choose from.

Combination of various materials used to create stunning pieces of jewelry are seen on the runway for spring summer 2009. Crochet combined with leather, metal with fabric, glass with stones, etc. are the hottest trend of the season.

With so much variety in jewelry it’s hard to stick to few pieces. That is why I suggest to invest in jewelry to match your outfit as opposed to randomly purchasing pieces.

When you buy a multi-colored jewelry it will go with more than one outfit. So shop smart and invest in some chic pieces which can go with multiple outfits.