Last week, Nancy Moonves, whose resume includes entries for actress and producer, opened her Brentwood home for an evening of cocktails and guilt-free “ethical shopping.” Handmade glass-beaded bracelets and necklaces were on sale, with all proceeds going to Same Sky, a trade initiative to benefit the jewelry-makers: women in Rwanda living with AIDs.

Company founder Francine LeFrak explained that as a movie producer, she spent more than eight years working on a film -- which never materialized -- about the Rwandan genocide. “I had to put all that energy somewhere,” she said, and so she took the path of social entrepreneurship.

“I believe in the trade model, not the aid model,” she said. “In order to give people dignity, you have to give them a real job. The changes I’ve seen in the women have been remarkable -- a wow, a complete wow.”

Nearly 100 people showed up to shop, including Buzz Aldrin and his wife Lois; Motown composer Lamont Dozier and his wife Barbara; Frances Fisher and her daughter Francesca Eastwood; and Geraldine James, Linda Hart and Margie Mercer.

-- Ellen Olivier

 Photo: Frances Fisher, left, and Francesca Eastwood. Credit: Rick Friedberg

After a couple of recession-inspired years that saw brides-to-be paring back, not only on their "I Do" arrangements but with gowns that were more streamlined than princess-like, glamour is back in bridal.

And with it, the tiara.

"Tiaras are a good way to finish your overall wedding-day look, and to do something different and express your personal style," said Ellen Heisler, senior associate fashion editor for Brides magazine in New York, which has flagged tiaras as a trend.

"They don't have the stigma they used to have of being a little too proper or serious," she added.

Just as tiaras are making a comeback in fashion, with Natalie Portman and other stars wearing them on the red carpet, they are beginning to show up in bridal, which is increasingly influenced by celebrity attire. The upcoming nuptials of Kate Middleton and Prince William of Wales is likely to add to the trend.

In bridal, Heisler said, tiaras falls in two camps. There's "the simple, more delicate smaller piece that is tucked into the hair and looks really elegant and beautiful and effortless," said Heisler, referencing the San Francisco line Haute Bride.

The other side is more elaborate -- "the cool girl tiara," as she calls it, such as those from Erin Cole Design in Costa Mesa. "They're a little bit bolder, heavily encrusted with little crystals, or they have these chunkier crystals in them that feel different and fresh. They're not fussy or too stiff. They're fun and playful."

-- Susan Carpenter

Photo credits: Haute Bride, Erin Cole Design

We're no stranger to seeing a men's belt buckle used to pry the cap off a bottle of beer, but until now we've never come across one that converts into a beer holder. And, absurd as it might sound, it's the kind of thing that could just be clever and useful enough to overcome the novelty aspect -- and the awkwardness of sporting a cold frosty one at crotch level.

It's the brainchild of Jay Kriner who came up with the idea as a college student back in 2003. "I was drinking with some friends in a bar in San Marcos, Texas," he told us. "And that's when it first came to me."

The first buckle went on sale in October 2008, and Kriner (who is now all of 29 years old) says he's sold "several thousand" through his website and at beer festivals and other events since.

The buckles, which start at $34.99 sans belt, come in a variety of styles (including "pirate black," and "antique silver"), and are thin enough that they can either be slipped over top of an existing belt buckle

It seems like fashion brands started cranking out iPad accessories as soon as Apple's tablet hit the market (Gucci, Burberry and Michael Kors to name just a few), but I hadn't realized exactly how enthusiastically until I went on the hunt for something to protect my new Christmas present during my upcoming trip to the men's runway shows in Europe.

My bride totes hers in a simple black Falabella Stella McCartney sheath with chunky chain edging ($395), and I wanted something equally as straight forward and unadorned but guy-appropriate. I'll already be slinging a bag over my shoulder so I decided against the strappy messenger bag style (like the "Danny"  iPad tote from Rebecca Minkoff's new Ben Minkoff line that Max Padilla wrote about last week).

Over the weekend, I found exactly what I was looking for in Jack Spade's nylon canvas iPad folio ($69.95). The exterior is brown, and the interior is a blue-gray micro check pattern that looks and feels like shirting fabric.

It also has a couple of features that don't seem like a big deal until you've tried to use an iPad in a variety of real-world conditions -- a 1-inch spine (like a book binding) that angles the touch-screen for easier typing (it also allows the device to be displayed upright in landscape position for hands-free viewing) and a cut out space in the back that allows it to be placed in a docking stand without removing it from the folio.

Although the cases are currently back-ordered one to two months at Apple's online store and aren't in stock at the Jack Spade boutique in Venice, as of Saturday they were in stock at the brick-and-mortar Apple Store at the Grove, which is where I scored mine (it was hanging next to a selection of Michael Kors cases).

If anyone's found other cool iPad cases for guys, let us know by posting a comment. (And note that comments including hyperlinks won't be published, so if you have a recommendation, just give us the name.)

-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: The Jack Spade nylon canvas iPad case ($69.95). Credit: Adam Tschorn / Los Angeles Times

If you were lucky enough to get an iPad during the holidays, whether as a gift or a gift to yourself, you now have a stylish place to stash it besides an Apple Store neoprene doodad. Because nothing says careless more than a scratched-up screen.

Rebecca Minkoff, who has amassed a following over six years for her colorful hip handbags for gals, now tries to bag guys with a men's accessory collection -- iPad, Kindle and laptop cases plus messenger and gym bags -- out this month. The collection is called Ben Minkoff, named for Rebecca's grandfather, who was a combat fighter pilot during World War II -- so therefore these bags are manly. Keeping with the heritage trend, Ben Minkoff features styles based on Air Force mail and motorcycle bags from that era. The iPad sling is based on a 1940s map bag with a similar functionality. "The Danny iPad sling does not make the guy choose what he'll keep in his pockets and what he'll hand carry," said Minkoff, who hails from San Diego and now lives in New York.

The Intelligentsia Coffee set might opt for the Ben Minkoff signature carryall, the "Nicky" messenger tote, which comes in waxed green canvas with leather trim ($395). Minkoff said the fount of inspiration is the "sense of lax-style chill L.A. men tend to possess." My Ben Minkoff pick is the tartan "Gregger" tote ($395) with leather trim.

Ben Minkoff is available at Bloomingdales.

-- Max Padilla

 Photo: "Danny" iPad tote, $485. Courtesy: Ben Minkoff

 
If your Prada bag or trolley case has been looking a little blah lately, fear not, the Italian house has a new service to spruce up your accessories while giving them a personal touch.

Starting Jan. 15, Prada will offer a made-to-order lettering service exclusively online at prada.com  and in select Prada boutiques. Tote bags, backpacks and trolley cases in either saffiano leather or camo print can be emblazoned with colorful, varsity letter-style initials made from saffiano leather.

This is the first time Prada is offering such a service, especially with these fun, graphic letters. No doubt anyone who gets their initials splashed across their carry-on (Prada-style) will be the most chic person in the airport security line.

Prices are available upon request.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Prada bags with letters from the made-to-order lettering service/Prada

The weather has been unpredictable and though the sun is shining now, most people have their Wellies or some sort of semi-amphibious shoe at the ready in case rain starts pouring again.

This glimpse at good weather makes spring's bright color palette seem more realistic and certainly something to look forward to, especially when footwear is coming in everything from "Tron"-esque color blocking to bold tribal prints.

One thing is for sure, there will be no shortage of vivid hues on your heels once the weather gets back to normal.

 
 -- Melissa Magsaysay

Upper photo: Pierre Hardy limited edition "Blockorama" sneaker, $575 at Barneys New York, Credit: Pierre Hardy

Lower photos: From left, Rocket Dog "Miller," $59.95 at www.rocketdog.com. Credit: Rocket Dog. Aldo "Picart," $90 at www.aldoshoes.com. Credit: Aldo. Rocket Dog "Marilyn," $44.95 at www.rocketdog.com. Credit: Rocket Dog

I'm just tucking my feet back under the desk after a 10-day, two-coast, blizzard-battered holiday jaunt, and on the floor next to me is the carryall bag that never left my side.

It's the Levi's Workwear by Billy Reid Apron Bag that I picked up at Reid's Houston store in October -- part of the collaborative capsule collection the menswear designer created as a perk of winning GQ's Best New Menswear Designer in America Award (Reid has since added the 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award to the list).

That collection was inspired by an old blacksmith's apron Reid found in the Levi Strauss archives and Reid designed this bag -- made out of distressed and battered duck canvas bag (with 12-inch leather drop handles) to resemble it.

Not only did it prove to be a manly enough man bag to circumvent any potential ribbing from friends and family members back in Vermont, it turned out to be astonishingly roomy, transporting, over the course of my visit, three months' worth of unread magazines, a pot full of steaming jambalaya for the family Boxing Day celebration, two six-packs of Harpoon Winter Warmer and two families' worth of presents in various stages of being wrapped.

But the bag really earned its stripes during my Delta-delayed return to Los Angeles. After our Monday flight from JFK was canceled, my bride and I managed to get booked out of Boston on Tuesday -- on two separate flights. That meant I faced the prospect of being sandwiched between two strangers on two different sold-out flights with cold weather and Christmas presents ensuring that overhead bin space would be nonexistent.

Not only did it easily stow a laptop computer, a Christmas-gifted iPad (still in box),  a J. Crew barn jacket, a scarf, a pair of gloves, hat, two iPods, a package of Fortuna's Vermont Maple Beef Jerky, a Mo's Dark Bacon Bar, a Jack Spade gadget pouch, a Jack Spade zippered portfolio, my 2010 At-A-Glance Administrator, a camera, a digital voice recorder, two spiral-ring notebooks, a tangle of cords and chargers and two cans of Diet Coke, it managed to do so in a way that allowed the bundle -- cinched tight by threading the apron strings through the metal grommets and tying them off -- to store neatly under the seat in front of me. (And thanks to its pre-scuffed and worn look, any errant kicks didn't matter.)

It reminded me of Santa's magic bag  -- somehow big enough to fit all the toys for every good little boy and girl around the world but at the same time small enough to cram into the back of a sleigh.

Although Billy Reid's own website is sold out of the $150 bag, Bloomingdale's e-commerce site currently lists it as in stock.

-- Adam Tschorn

Billy Reid wins 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award

Photo: The Levi's Workwear by Billy Reid Apron Bag ($150) was inspired by an old blacksmith's apron in the Levi's archives and recovered in New Mexico. Credit: Levi Strauss & Co.

 
With the new year upon us and all the buzz about the royal wedding next spring, sparkling headbands and hair accessories feel very appropriate for those who want a playfully regal look.

While few of us will ever don a diamond tiara, these headbands are great for a New Year’s Eve  event or the bride-to-be on her wedding day. For more casual occasions, wear one with messy tresses, jeans, ballet flats and a boucle jacket for a cool and disheveled romantic finish.

New York-based accessories designer Jennifer Behr makes elaborate and somewhat edgy headbands that are amazing for a wedding or more dressed up affair. For the everyday, good old Goody does the trick with a lightly embellished headband or rhinestone clip.

And the L.A-based company Ban.do makes wedding veils, colorful headbands and crystal-encrusted pieces that can be dressed up or down.

If you’re feeling inspired to don a royal look, throw on an embellished headband to wear as your own personal tiara.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top from left -- Ban.do headband, $165 at www.shopbando.com / Ban.do; right: Jennifer Behr geometric crystal bandeax headwrap $298 at www.jenniferbehr.com / Jennifer Behr

Bottom right: Goody Dazzling head wraps $6.99 at Target / Goody

 
 
 
Whether you’re at home with a tin of caramel corn watching Snooki and Seacrest count down to 2011 (ahem, now you know my big plans) or attending some amazing party where a hot little dress and high heels are more the dress code, it’s always fun to stick on a sparkly item to ring in the New Year.

For those of us on the couch, a sequin mini or tiara-esque headband are a little over the top, but silver nail polish or a metallic eyeliner are easy beauty items to slap on and get you into the spirit.

For those of you going to the fabulous parties, shimmy into a T-shirt smattered with sequins or wear a sequin cross body bag, but not together of course.

Sporting something shiny, bright and fun on New Year’s Eve makes the holiday that much more festive. Just make sure that your outfit isn’t making more noise than the party horns.

Happy New Year.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos (top): Laura Mercier Metallic Cream eye shadow, from left, $22, at www.sephora.com/. Credit: Sephora. Laura Mercier, OPI for Sephora sparkle top coat in "Flurry Up," $9, at www.sephora.com/. Credit: Sephora. Jemma Kid Silver Screen eyeliner and mascara duo, $18.96, at www.asos.com/. Credit: Asos.com

Photos (middle): Jennifer Ber triple baguette crystal head wrap, left, $960, at www.jenniferbehr.com/. Credit: Jennifer Behr. French Connection "Carnival" sequin top, $131, at www.frenchconnection.com/. Credit: French Connection

Photo (bottom): Gap sequin cross body bag, $39.50, at www.gap.com/. Credit: Gap

Image stylist and market editor Melissa Magsaysay soothes your sartorial woes in the weekly Your Stylist post.

In this installment of “Your Stylist,” we address the down-to-earth footwear from the spring 2011 runways. It wasn’t the over-the-top heels or statement shoes that caught my eye. Quite the opposite, actually. It was the easy, casual and subtle appeal of all the flats and sandals styled with cocktail dresses; long, loose pants and cute day dresses that looked fresh and most appealing.

There was hardly a high heel at the Lanvin show, where ankle-strap sandals were worn with form-fitting dresses. The sandals took some formality out of the dresses and showed not only the versatility of each piece but also designer Alber Elbaz’s vision for a woman dressing for day to night. 

Michael Kors also sent many of his models (including the men, in mandals) down the runway wearing a small platform sole clog or completely flat sandals that looked great with a lot of the pants, as well as with knee-length skirts and A-line dresses.

And at Bottega Veneta, chunky but sleek toe-ring sandals were paired with leather pants and floaty, floor-length dresses for a look that was both confident and casual.

While flats are an obvious choice when it comes to comfort, some of us (especially my fellow 5-foot-5-and-under friends) are addicted to the height a heel can give us. But if there was ever a season to experiment with the versatility of flats, spring is it. Try ditching the chunky wood wedges and tie on a pair of super '70s-looking shoes like this lace-up suede-and-leather sandal/shoe hybrid from Tod’s. They are great for daytime, worn with a little white dress or a white men’s-style button-down tucked into a denim skirt.

Since you won’t be gaining height when wearing flats, make sure that your skirt or shorts hit at a flattering place on your leg. Nude or light-brown sandals will keep the leg looking elongated and will also work with most ensembles. And when trying to wear flats with long and loose trousers, it’s OK for the hem of the pants to slouch a little near the foot. The look, after all, is easy and effortless.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top left, a look from the Lanvin spring/summer 2011 runway show. Top right, a sample from the Michael Kors show. Credit: Yannis Vlamos / gorunway.com

Middle: Bottega Veneta calf sandal in nero (shown at the spring/summer 2011 runway show), $590 at Bottega Veneta, Beverly Hills. Credit: Bottega Veneta

Bottom: Tod's suede and leather lace-up sandal, $565 at Tod's, Beverly Hills. Credit: Tod's

Send your style queries to melissa.magsaysay@latimes.com

 
Designer Tini Bloom’s 2-year-old jewelry line Etten Eller is a study in contrasts. The L.A native and Brooklyn resident crafts delicate “pearls” from nickel-plated brass and strings thin brass “sequins” onto Japanese cotton, creating necklaces and bracelets that are at once understated and industrial-looking.

Bloom began her line by salvaging old pocket watch parts and repurposing the dainty but detailed mechanisms into jewelry. She still produces her pocket watch collection, but is recently more focused on the strong and modern pieces such as the thick nickel-plated discs strung together on a gold chain, which has an almost tribal feel and looks great when layered with similar but smaller necklaces.

Time still plays a huge part of Bloom’s collection, even though pocket watches are no longer the focus. The designer names each piece with a date that marks a significant moment in history. 03 16 1972 is  the date John Lennon and Yoko Ono were served deportation papers, as well as the name of a gold chain necklace with small silver springs. And 07 06 1610 is a necklace of hefty silver discs strung onto Japanese cotton, as well as when Galileo officially reported the discovery of moons around Jupiter.

“I like how jewelry can mark time,” Bloom said during a visit to the L.A. Times offices this week. Speaking of time, she has a long history with a few other successful fashion designers/L.A natives. Bloom introduced Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava at her 16th birthday party shortly before the two departed for New York to attend Parsons. The three are still great friends and talk about collaborating in the near future. “I watched them start their line together in Brooklyn,” Bloom said. “I find it exciting to share with people what’s possible and I got to see how to [start a line] through watching Sophie and Lisa. That was really inspiring.”

Etten Eller jewelry ranges from $250 to $350 and is available at Barneys Co-op and Creatures of Comfort.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: necklaces from Etten Eller. Credit: Etten Eller