Frock advisor: negotiating ‘the ring’ and age vs knee-high boots

I'm pretty sure my boyfriend is going to propose. How do I negotiate the choppy waters of The Ring? I trust him enough to marry him, but not enough to let him choose.

First, hold up there Tonto! Frockadvisor has seen many a holiday ruined, with eager snow-white hopes dashed against tasteful suburban walls. Are we sure that this is coming to pass or is it what, in psychoanalytical circles, is politely called transference.You could just whisper in his ear, “I love you so much honey, I wish I was your wife!” and see how he reacts. Wry smile, good; throaty cough, bad.

No rule says you can’t start saving and buy the ice for yourself. But if anyone’s going to be investing, you’re right to be asking the pertinent questions up front. We tapped our “rockadvisor”, gemmologist Natasha Sherling, for the key pointers to ensure that your “running away money” is tightly wedged onto your ring finger. Below she gives you her facts and insider wisdoms.

Colour

: For colourless diamonds, the scale is alphabetical, and starts at D (absolutely colourless) and goes all the way to Z. D, E and F are all considered colourless.

Cut:

The proportions, symmetry and sparkle of a stone. This is the most important factor in any diamond. Look not just for white light, but for coloured light coming back from the stone too.

Clarity:

Most diamonds have inclusions, these are like their fingerprint. Inclusions should not be eye-visible (able to view without magnification).

Carat:

This is the size of a diamond: 1 carat is equivalent to 200g in weight – the same no matter the shape of the stone. Dimensions differ for varying shapes, but a well-cut 1carat round brilliant diamond should have a diameter of 6.5mm.

Negotiate – but be reasonable! Diamonds are pricey even at wholesale levels. Don’t be tempted by prices that seem too good to be true – they probably are.

Be patient. Diamonds are commodities; their value can take years to appreciate in any sort of real way.

Buy the best you can afford – the larger and cleaner the better.

Buy what you love. The most important thing is how it looks on your finger. Jewellery is your treasure.

So often we look to the rarefied world of celebrity when setting unattainable goals. Beyoncé is the public face of triumph, sporting her 18-carat diamond engagement ring, estimated $5 million (€3.63m), by designer Lorraine Schwartz.

Is there an age at which over-the-knee-boots are no longer acceptable?
At frockadvisor, we believe that you must find your own way to be fabulously disgraceful.

If you want to wear over-the-knee boots, go on.

However, a few tips can turn this choice away from illegal and towards low-key sensuality.

Watch that heel height, to avoid referencing either Pretty Woman or the Panto. Go mid-height, carefully avoiding a platformed sole for the afore mentioned reasons.

Mind the gap. OTK boots are great for giving a continuous line to a look built with a skirt or dress. The gap between boot and hem should be neatly avoided. For added luxury try charcoal grey as an elegant alternative to black.

[ frockadvisor.com ]