However, I think I find the both the disk thingie pendant and the charm bracelet industrial looking and not pretty at all.
Kitty, you are so right when you say that the 'disk thingie' doesn't look
pretty at all. However, I can tell you that it actually looks much better in 'real life' than it does in photographs. In fact I think it comes up as a bit ugly in photos. It is the Asprey button pendant and was quite a popular present here in the UK some months back - I've got one and it looks pretty good with daywear - it is a sort of upscale 'Elsa Peretti Tiffany heart' if you know the piece I mean. I would never wear mine as a sort of 'statement piece' if you can understand the point I am trying to make; for a start, it is too 'modest' to wear on an important occasion. It is the type of piece that makes a modest outfit look 'finished' and a piece that I feel I can wear 'in relative safety' on (say) public transport if you see what I mean.
I see nothing wrong with Kate wearing Diana's jewelry and agree that hidden, already-owned jewelry should not be considered extravagant. It is extravagant to have them and not use them (oh wait, you said that didn't you!!!) I am sure there are lovely items that haven't seen the light of day for over 15 years that people would enjoy seeing again .
Again, Kitty, I agree 100 per cent with you about there should be nothing WRONG in wearing 'existing' jewellery. [slightly off topic, but when I was a teenageer, I sometimes (for some odd reason) felt reluctant to wear (say) a new dress I had unless there was a special occasion. And my adored, darling mother always used to say 'For goodness' sake WEAR it - what are you saving it for, your funeral?' In other words, just feel happy about going ahead and wearing it.] But the thing is, this recession is having a funny effect on people, and not everyone is thinking logically and for some reason people feel it is 'insentive' to remind people of their good fortune. [Do you know, I actually have several friends who are 'doing ok' in their jobs, with promotions and/ or salary increases etc, but they hardly dare mention this or even book their usual holidays abroad because it could all be taken to be insenitive .] The BRF always finds itself the target of criticism in recessions and I suppose that the present stance on jewellery wearing could be regarded as part and parcel of 'keeping a low profile'. Remember, too, that in these last few months, BP and Parliament have been negotiating (for want of a better word) on the funding of the BRF. Keeping the jewellery from the public arena may, in my very humble opinion, just be part of the strategy to avoid some MP looking for a cheap way to score points by saying ' if the BRF is so short of money why don't they sell their b____ tiaras?' An exceedingly ignorant comment of course, because for starters, the pieces are not the Queen's to sell - it's the same as HM not being to sell the pictures from the Royal Collection. The other point is that there are still pieces of the Queen's collection of jewels that have NEVER been seen in public because they have never been worn by the Queen because they have NEVER been required - she has a large pool of tiaras / necklaces etc to draw upon already. You don't want to run the risk of some MP, anxious to make a mark for himself as a republican, to be reminded of the Queen's jewellery and then to stand up and suggest in the House of Commons that a full audit of the jewels should be made with a view of selling the items that are never worn etc etc etc. It's a cheap political trick, but one that I suspect has already been identified as a 'risk' by the Queen's advisors, and therefore a 'risk' that needs to be 'managed'. and perhaps the best way of doing this in a recession is for a 'low profile approach' to be adopted.
Only my thoughts
Alex
PS - I always remember for years that stories used to be leaked to the press that Camilla had no interest in clothes [she reputedly only ever had one evening dress (for Hunt Balls) for example] or hair and beauty [she was always far more keen on hunting) or in jewellery. [ of of becoming Charles' wife come to that!!) And now look at this newly- blonded Royal Duchess, clad in expensive clothes and when the event demands it, dripping in jewellery. Give Catherine time!
Alex
