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Monday, October 12, 2009 at 12:51 PM 
Image via Anthropologie.com
InStyle and Charlene from Detroit are on the same page this morning! Both have directed us to this fabulous necklace by Pieter Erasmus, the same style worn by First Lady Mrs. O during the White House Correspondents' Dinner this Spring, and now available at Anthropologie.
Back in May, we wrote:
The necklace is the work of St. Erasmus, a three-season-old UK based jewelry line, the brainchild of its designer, Pieter Erasmus.
The statement necklace is made of fresh-water-pearls, Swarovski crystal and Zari thread. Zari thread, we learned, is a fine gold or silver wire thread usually woven into Indian and Pakistani garments. The designer used the Zari thread to crochet intricate mesh that support the pearls and stones. The pink flower shape is indeed part of the necklace.
Mr. Erasmus is originally from South Africa, and cites Africa as a constant source of inspiration. This particular necklace, he explained, is from the Nizam story in his Spring Summer 2009 collection, which was inspired by the opulence of the Nizam's court in Hyderabad, India during the late 1700s.
In an email message, the designer said he was, "so delighted to see that Mrs. Obama is supporting fashion for creativity." Well, make that two of us!
St. Erasmus is carried at Harrods and other high-end boutiques overseas; in the US, it is carried exclusively at the Chicago boutique Ikram. (Add Anthropologie to the list!)
Anthropologie, St. Erasmus
Reader Comments (31)
Simply gawjus..:)
Mrs. T, thanks so much for the acknowledgements. I just want this to be fun! As you know, I've been viewing this site from the start. I also want to thank you for walking me through the re-registering process. This has helped me more than you know. I'm a cancer survivor on my second recurrence, so a little fashion diversion is always "just what the Doctor ordered". I am fine, so no need for concern. This site is my respite and I want to say THANK YOU !!!
This necklaces just made my Christmas wishlist!
Thanks Mrs. T and Darlene! Cant wait to get my hands on one of these. Love it!
Darlene best of luck on your second lease, you are in all our prayers! Muah!
@ Charlene in Detroit, thank you for your touching comment! It made my day. :o)
*faints*...I need this in my life!
What a stunning necklace! I loved it when Mrs. O first wore it, and to see it again up close...beautiful.
And Charlene in Detroit, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Fight on!!!
CiD, mine too. Good tip and good luck to you.
The Broke Socialite - thank you! My best laugh today!
I've been reading since 12/08 but this is my first post. Just registered and my welcome email said, "Welcome to the community that celebrates what and whom Mrs. O is wearing." So Mrs. T clearly states the objective of this site. It's a celebration of our First Lady. I don't always like everything that Mrs. Obama wears and if I choose to comment when I don't, rest assured that it will be without rancor and disrespect towards her.
I particularly liked her outfit at for church yesterday. Looks like the same skirt and top as the joint session of congress but I really liked the way the "not exactly leopard print" top turned it into something totally different.
BeeGee pointed out that it was
"what is called "unpressed. Therefore they are not creased down to the hem and so open when one walks." Do a google search for unpressed pleats and you'll come up with something like this -
http://www.pattern-making.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/dirndle-skirt.jpg
There was a lovely lady who used to post here and has since passed on but I will never forget what she wrote. Mrs. T, I hope you will allow me to repost what she said for the very last time. She speaks for me, I could not say it more eloquently.
I remembered how my parents admired Eleanor Roosevelt a woman who was not a 'great beauty' or a 'fashion icon', my father used to say, she could be president herself!!! I loved Betty Ford who so courageously fought cancer and addiction and wasn't afraid to speak out about it even though it was unacceptable at the time to do so. I admired Nancy Reagan for the passion and loyalty to her husband as he said his 'long goodbye'. It takes courage and strength for Laura Bush to retain such grace and dignity (even if she wore boxy suits) in the face of her husband being ridiculed and disrespected. Can anyone remember the stoic strength of Pat Nixon as she stood beside her husband the day they were put out of the White House; what she must have been feeling inside? Now that is the strength and beauty of a woman.
(And who said she was not fashionable? http://www.joecarvajal.com/Pat_DickNixon.jpg)
And what can be said about the survivability and power of Hillary Clinton in her golden rod pantsuit....imagine what the lovely Michelle must feel having her pre-teen daughters viciously attacked in the media, how she must comfort her husband as he deals with the 500,000+ plus people who will probably loose their jobs this month? In the history of First Ladies no woman has had to deal with what she has had to deal with in the first 8 months of a presidency.
She is tall and statuesque has a face and body shaped by the Creator and not by plastic surgery. She is at her most beautiful this week with her magnificent skin burnished by the vacation sun. She is a real woman in every distinctive curve. When was the last time a man looked at you the way "he" looks at her.
Pardon me, but as I am rapidly loosing by battle with cancer, I am seeing things through different eyes. When you are facing death you quickly find out what is TRULY appropriate. Comforting the Kennedy family is appropriate, not whether or not she is wearing a cardigan or a jacket. Now don't misunderstand me, a jacket may have looked more “sophisticated”. I don't like that blouse or those sandals but I will not strip her of her humanity because of them.
So here is a suggestion, the next time First Lady Michelle Obama is wearing something that you absolutely abhor, imagine that it is also your last day to be alive, then express your right to free speech accordingly.
I love Michelle Obama even in those silly sandals; I'm sorry I won't be around the enjoy the other fun things she will startle you with.
Enjoy.....life
the other Jenna, August 31, 2009
This item of jewellry has WAYYYY too much going on. I love almost all of Michelle's jewellry and brooches but I defintiely don't like this one.
That necklace looked great on Mrs. O! For those of us on tighter budgets there's a similar one at Chadwicks: http://www.chadwicks.com/clothing/The-Statement-Necklace.aspx?PfId=184042&DeptId=19126&producttypeid=1&PurchaseType=G&pref=ps
God bless you, denisegirl. May you find strength in His grace and love.
I loved this necklace from the first time I saw it! I also love the fact that Mrs. O is not afraid to wear bold statement pieces. Furthermore, I love the fact that all of the jewelry we have seen Mrs. O in is her own. I imagine that all of the top jewellers would gladly give or lend her pieces, but Mrs. O buys her own. God Bless America and the Obamas!
"Welcome to the community that celebrates what and whom Mrs. O is wearing..."
Isn't that something?!
Denisegirl: Thanks for sharing that. It hasn't always been clear as any regular might testify, and one always got the sense that it was open to interpretation as many posters grabbed various opportunities to profer their version of its purpose-
And so now hopefully, there won't be any further misinterpretations of the site's purpose...
"Welcome to the community that celebrates what and whom Mrs. O is wearing."
Charlene: Bless you; you are delightful...
annoyed! and jealous! i am so annoyed that anthropologie is offering this necklace at (now) half the price for what i paid this spring in the UK!
and btw, strong foru, mrs o. does not buy all of the jewelry she wears. she has been known, on multiple occasions including the inauguration, to borrow jewelry from ikram.
Love this necklace. It's probably way out of my price range.
I ordered the one from Chadwicks in September. It's on back order until October 26. Since I've waited so long to get it, I hope it looks as good in person.
Hi All! I would just like to thank Mrs. T for this great site and the frequent updates! It has allowed us to come together and follow the fashions and heart of Mrs. O. I started browsing the site shortly after the Inauguration and registered when that option became available. I don't post as often as some, but I defend her honor when trolls attack, or when she wears something that leaves you speechless because she's hit it out of the park(which is most of the time). I really love this site because it offers so many people relief. Throughout our days, so many people experience so many things i.e sickness, death, jobless, homeless, etc. and this site helps ease those burdens, even if only a little. I am so overjoyed to have the Obama family as our 1st family. I ask that God will protect them, this Country, and all the posters on this site who are battling illness, financial stress, or any other problem you may have.
Also, I love this necklace... I loved it at first site!
I agree with you Annie. There is a lot going on here but I think it can work if the clothes are simple. I can see this being worn with a plain simple shift dress or a shoulderless gown in the evening. Not my favourite item from Michelle's jewellry box but this is a woman who clearly has her own unique sense of style.
I live in London so I will take a look at it if I happen to be in Harrods.
This is off-topic for the necklace, but denisegirl's post up the thread has a link re my comment about "unpressed pleats" which leads to an illustration of a dirndl skirt with unpressed pleats. This is not what I was trying to describe so will try again.
Mrs. O's rose pink skirt has a few "released unpressed box pleats" and the skirt is a bit A-line rather than straight. I wish I could draw you a picture! This vintage pattern envelope shows a red skirt that is the closest to what I'm describing but, unlike Mrs. O's skirt, it has box pleats all around. Hers were just in the front and (maybe) the back. Or they could have been just in the front. Makes for a nice tapered line, smoothness over the hips, some swing at the hem, without a lot of fabric around the waistline.
Sending good wishes to denisegirl. I'm sorry you are ill.
Well, after my longwinded dissertation on released box pleats, I forgot to include the link to the illustration I was referring to. It's the red skirt on the left. But as I said, it has pleats all around and is much fuller. Mrs. O's had two released box pleats in the front. Not sure about the back.
http://betsyvintage.com/index.php?cPath=6_70&main_page=product_info&products_id=854
I love when you show where we can buy things! Keep up the good work! Lovely necklace...
There is a misperception here that Denisegirl is battling cancer. She was quoting The Other Jenna, but it may have been miscontrued as no quotes were used.
I love Anthropologie (and this gorgeous necklace). I've often thought Mrs. O would look fab in many looks that line carries.
I really love this necklace! Mrs. O looked great in the magenta dress with the necklace.
thanks a lot dear, im very interesting for your article. im very impresing for this :)
jasa iklan
Multiple pearl rows are wearing closely around the neck, featured with the elegant and luxurious grace of Victoria Times. This style of necklace is suitable to “ V” shaped collar, boat collar, and formal evening wear.
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Beautiful necklace! I love Swarovski crystal.
I think I will wear something like that necklace for a formal evening celebration that I soon have.