Laws of Couture: Make it Personal

Monograms have been a fashion staple for some time, but fun, fresh personalized necklaces give them a modern twist. Carrie Bradshaw may have started the trend ten years ago, but monogrammed necklaces are back in style this Summer. Thanks to celebs like Taylor Swift, Kourtney Kardashian and Jessica Alba monograms are no longer reserved for canvas weekend bags and his and hers towels.

This season, monogrammed necklaces are classic and sexy with dainty letters and skin bearing cut-outs. They’re a super cute way to confidently tell the world who you are. And monogrammed necklaces don’t even have to bear your initials. It’s popular to wear the initials of your child or even your hubby. Another Bonus? You won’t run in to many people sporting the same one.

Monogrammed necklaces are available in all kinds of styles, from sterling silver to rustic copper to diamond encrusted, but they don’t have to cost a month’s rent. The ones made of acrylic, rather than silver or gold plating, make for affordable, colorful versions of these personalized charms. In fact, I’ve found some surprisingly affordable options for as little as $35.

Remember, each necklace is custom made according to your initials, so they have to be ordered online and shipped. And while many of them feature curly cut-out letters in sterling silver or gold plate, there are some more unique styles, like the copperhead monogrammed pendant from Be Monogrammed pictured below. After all, you and your name are unique, so shouldn’t your necklace be, too?

In my own search for a personalized charm I perused Etsy and other hand made jewelery websites, before ultimately deciding to make my purchase from Nik's Naks. (www.niksnaks.com).  But monogrammed necklaces aren't all that Nik's Naks sells, for they specialize in personalized gifts for every occasion from birthdays to weddings. They even sell gifts for babies and kids, as well as decorative things for the home, all with the personalized touch of monogram. If I've inspired you to replace designer logos with your own initials then check out Nik's Naks to see what other items you can buy with a personal touch.

Because these necklaces are custom made they generally take between four to six weeks to make. Although I was in suspense the whole time I was awaiting for mine to arrive, it was well worth the wait since I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I ordered the small, gold fill (or gold plated) pendant for $160, which was a great value based upon my price comparison research and the best bang for my buck.

Because I am not married and don't have any kids I decided to have my necklace made with my own initials.  I chose the wedding font style, which means that my first and middle initials are at the ends with my last initial in the middle, in slightly larger font. The necklace comes in four sizes: mini, small, medium and large and ranges in price from $150 to $240. The mini measures .5 inches in diameter, while the small is 1 inch, the medium is 1.25 inches, and the large is 1.6 inches. It's hard to tell what these sizes actually look like simply by viewing them on the website, but fortunately I had seen other people wearing them in person in every size so I was able to determine that the small, which is approximately the size of a quarter, would suit me the best.

Not only was I thrilled with the final product, but my whole purchasing experience was simple, fast, and convenient. When I had questions about the arrangement of my initials in the wedding font, the owner of the company herself, Nicole Ben-Dor, answered them in an extremely pleasant and knowledgeable fashion.  Even as I got impatient about the arrival of my necklace (which was still within the 6 week allotment for shipping) Nicole updated me on the status of my order and informed me that it would be shipping the next day!

Although this was my first time ordering from Nik's Naks I rate my overall shopping experience a 10 out of 10 and will certainly be buying from Nicole again. Through her site she sells unique and high quality personalized products that can't be purchased anywhere else. Whether shopping for yourself or a friend you can be sure to find the perfect gift for ANY occasion at niksnaks.com.

This season, personalize your life with a monogram necklace and if you're hooked on monogram check out Nik's Naks for more ways to embrace the trend.