Double happiness is hanging by a thread

Was it only a few years ago when every modish Betty donned pearl studs and a gold chain and considered herself armed fashion-wise? Well, looking simple (as well as claiming to be simple – what does it mean anyway when one describes oneself as simple?) is simply a thing of the past.

Today is a whole different ballgame. With accessories popping up everywhere, it’s easy to get confused and be another fashion victim as you cloak yourself in shame for being a homogenous trendzoid. Thank heavens there are some people who still believe in the artistry involved in making such special things and not be sellouts to their craft.

Meet Anna Kristina "Binky" Ilusorio and her line of semi-precious accessories called Double Happiness. The line features necklaces and bracelets that promise to be clone-free. "I am very attracted to Chinese arts and crafts and Chinese components almost always find their way into my pieces. No two pieces are exactly alike and the Double Happiness guarantee is that women who wear my pieces will not see the exact same piece on other women," Binky reveals.

We all know that behind every name comes an interesting tale reflective of the brand’s personality. "Making jewelry makes me happy and I hope that the women who buy them will derive as much happiness from wearing them as I did making them. Double Happiness is for the woman who loves to dress up and accessorize. The Double Happiness woman is aware of trends but is not a slave to them. She knows what she wants, and wears what she wants regardless of what is deemed hot and what is not."

Binky Ilusorio, 33 is a graduate of Clothing Technology from the University of the Philippines and editor for Mega magazine. She confesses to having a weakness for things that sparkle. "My favorite subject in college was actually on accessories – it was the one class I didn’t mind going to school for on a Saturday. My love for accessories started at a very early age. I had quite a number of bangles and bracelets as a child. That, and the passion for eventually making my own pieces, must have come from my maternal grandmother who also loved to accessorize and string her own beads," Binky enthuses.

In terms of inspiration, the world is Binky’s oyster. "There is no telling where the inspiration for a piece of jewelry could come from. It can come from pretty much anywhere – from the colors of a pistachio nut (the green and the purple look great together) to images in books and magazines to things I have seen in the past which have somehow ended up in my mental filing cabinet. I must have been in my early teens when my mom and I would go to Butikintab, Leila Larkin’s accessories shop at the Hotel Intercon. I remember opening their drawers and waiting in anticipation to see what lay within their confines."

As an old fashion adage, it is said that the clothes make the man – in this case the woman. However, as can be seen in catwalks and in street styles, little things are thinking big. "Accessorizing is a way of putting one’s personal stamp on clothes. Accessories give outfits character and pull a look together – they can make a world of difference. Accessories are tools of personal expression. In a small way, it can give people clues as to what a person is like. A woman can update her wardrobe with new accessories. And one dress, if appropriately accessorized, can go anywhere from the office to the supermarket to Sunday lunch to a night out on the town," Binky states.

Though accessorizing can be fun and a way to express one’s unique style, it can also be one’s undoing as Binky explains, "Don’t go overboard. Putting on a pair of chunky earrings to match the chunky necklace and bracelet may be too much of a good thing. Before you step out of the house, take a good look at yourself in a full-length mirror and remove an accessory or two no matter how badly you want to wear them all together.

"Decide on what look you are going for and don’t stray from that. Are you in the mood for sleek or preppy? Bohemian or minimalist? That buckle-trimmed Marc Jacobs leather bag is not the best choice for dainty jeweled slippers. You know how there are must-have ‘it’ bags like YSL’s Mombasa or Gucci’s bamboo-handled bags? Actually making it work for you – wearing the bag instead of the other way around – is the challenge. As with clothes, it should be the woman wearing the accessories and not vice versa."

She adds: "Accessories should be appropriate not just for the clothes and the woman herself but for her lifestyle. They should accentuate and punctuate – they shouldn’t compete with your clothes and they shouldn’t get in the way of life. A blouse that has an already interesting neckline might be better off when accessorized with earrings or a bangle. If your work involves a lot of computer time, chunky bracelets and bangles may not be your best bet. A neckpiece or earrings might be the way to go."

So where is the beading siren headed to? For Binky, it’s all in a day’s work. "Stringing beads was my therapy – it was a way for me to relax and it relieved me of job-related stress. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to do it full-time. Now, I’m in therapy practically 24/7! I am taking this a day at a time. It is still pretty much a one-person operation. I would love to open a store/workshop someday. Come to think of it, I would love something like Butikintab – a place where women can go and browse and perhaps discover something that they would want to make a part of their personal treasure trove. Accessories, T-shirts and skirts make up a big part of my wardrobe so Double Happiness could go in that direction – we’ll see."

And see we will.

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For orders call Binky Ilusorio at 0917-5331970. Her pieces will be available at Shoppers’ Day on April 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the World Trade Center on Roxas Boulevard, Manila.