Life

Search around to find hidden jewels of online shopping

Sick of all the same lookalike jewellery on the high street? Unique pieces are just a few clicks away – if you know where to look. Katie Wright hunts down the best online brands

A model wearing the JXKL Rougenight Necklace, available from whynotspeakup.com
A model wearing the JXKL Rougenight Necklace, available from whynotspeakup.com A model wearing the JXKL Rougenight Necklace, available from whynotspeakup.com

THE high street is great if you're looking to grab a statement necklace or pack of stacking rings for less than a tenner, but to avoid catwalk copycats, your best bet is to head to the e-shops.

For truly unique jewellery, there are a plethora of independent brands' distinctive pieces that will last longer than your high street flash-in-the-pan finds – but are still on the affordable end of the accessories spectrum.

From luxe-with-a-twist necklaces to tribal-inspired earrings and cute animal charms, take your pick from the best of the outfit-embellishers...

EXOTIC ESCAPES

The perfect match for this season's prevailing 70s mood are the beaded bohemian collections that draw inspiration from sunnier climes.

:: Pomegranate Double Circle Earrings, £140.05, QVC (available August 30; www.qvcuk.com)

Husband and wife team Nic and Katie Bulatovic translate their travels across India into delicate tribal-influenced jewellery. The latest collection from their brand, Pomegranate, is new to QVC in August.

:: Meriko Turquoise Bar Necklace, £110 (www. merikolondon.com)

London-based Meri Hovsepyan pours her Armenian jewellery-making heritage (as a child she watched her father honing his craft) into her Meriko range, mixing colourful gems with modern designs to great effect.

:: Dower and Hall 18ct Rose Gold Vermeil Bar and Amethyst Bead Nomad Bracelet, £140 (www.dowerandhall.com)

An ode to the organic landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, the Nomad collection from Dower and Hall features hammered gold, silver and rose gold medallions and bangles, with a subtle smattering of gemstones.

PUNKY PICKS

If your style is more skinny jeans and biker jacket, than flares and boho blouse, you'll want to load up on quirky-cool pendants and charms.

:: True Rocks Rose Gold Small Screw, £175 (www.truerocks.com)

Turning safety pins, screws, pills and pineapples (plus Iced Gems and Rich Tea biscuits) into cute collectibles, True Rocks necklaces look great on their own, or layered up.

:: Bianca Jones Gold Vermeil Casette Tape Necklace, £44 (www.biancajones.co.uk)

Bianca Jones' cassette tape pendant is a must-have for every bonafide rock chick.

:: JXKL Rougenight Necklace, £25.75 (www.whynotspeakup.com)

Goth meets tech at uber-cool Singaporean brand JXKL, where frozen flowers are enclosed in bullet casings, their tiny buds opening and closing according to the humidity in the air.

ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS

A perennial preoccupation for jewellery designers, this season's animal-themed accessories run from the sweet to the slithery.

:: Sara Hartley Tinies Rabbit Plaited Bracelet, £165 (www.sarahartley.co.uk)

Sara Hartley's Tinies collection was inspired by her own children. Alongside miniscule people figures you'll find owls, swallows, elephants and rabbits hanging from bracelets, necklaces and hoop earrings.

:: London Road Stunning Silver Kew Serpent Ring, £129.99 (www.londonroadjewellery.co.uk)

Decidedly more sinister, London Road's Serpent collection is inspired by Victorian jewellery and reimagines the scaly creatures in sleek gold and silver designs, some with red ruby eyes. Not one for the ophidiophobes.

MODERN OPULENCE

Opulent jewellery doesn't have to be reserved for a super-swanky occasion. The latest crystal-encrusted pieces are anything but old-fashioned, making them suitable as daywear too.

:: I Know The Queen Friendship Necklace 03, £95 (www.iknowthequeen.com)

Taking cues from heirlooms and industrial design alike, I Know The Queen mixes chunky chains, shards of perspex and oodles of crystals. Each piece, woven with friendship bracelet strands, is a one-off.

:: Hall Emerald Three Petal Ear Jacket, £270 each (www.hall-collection.com)

Did you know there's a new jacket trend going on but it's got nothing to do with outerwear? Jacket earrings are comprised of a stud at the front and a jacket that hangs at the back. Wear one of Hall's jewelled jackets with a plain stud in the other ear and a low ponytail.

GET THE LOOK

What's the celeb-approved accessory of the summer? The black studded Western belt is up there, as cinched around the waists of Kendall Jenner, Selena Gomez and Suki Waterhouse (pictured) recently. Unleash your inner cowgirl with Bonprix's Rhinestone Encrusted Belt, £19.99 (www.bonprix.co.uk).

BUY IT NOW

Jewellery designer Nicholas King has teamed up with glasses brand London Retro on a range of frames featuring King's signature stud and star embellishments. All profits from the four-piece collection, £95 each, will go to eye care charity Orbis.

:: Nicholas King for London Retro Estelle Sunglasses, £95 (www.sunglasses-shop.co.uk)

FASHION FLASH

:: DRESS STRESS

The average woman spends five months of her working life deciding what to wear, according to a survey by uniform company Simon Jersey. While 54 per cent of those questioned said they pick their outfit the night before, 49 per cent said they lie awake fretting over what to put on the next day. In fact, more than half admitted that they find outfit-planning so stressful they'd be better off if they had to wear a uniform.

METRO VS VETRO

Move over metrosexuals, there's a new style-conscious man in town. 'Vetrosexuals' are 25 to 34 years old, usually single and more likely to still live at home than their older metrosexual counterpart, as identified by research from Nottingham Trent University. With more disposable income to spend on himself, this super-consumer is set to boost the men's fashion market in the coming years.

:: STYLE STEAL

The summer sales are the perfect time to grab upscale fashion at cut-down prices. Premium plus size brand Navabi has lots of flattering dresses that will span the seasons, some reduced to less than half price.

:: Studio Floral Print Midi Dress, £30.90 (was £67.90), Navabi (www.navabi.co.uk)