Style Tips

I’ve always believed the jewelry you love most should feel like part of you. It moves through ordinary days, long trips, dinners out and mornings when you barely think about getting dressed. I’m sharing why comfort and wearability have always shaped my designs, and how that philosophy eventually led me to create [...]

Square rings have been part of the CMD vocabulary for years, but they still surprise people when they try one on. They're architectural, conversation-starting and, yes, incredibly comfortable. Here's why square rings work, how to find your fit and how I love to stack them. The Square Armor Ring takes [...]

What started as a happy accident in the studio became the ring stack I get asked about more than almost anything else. Here’s the story behind my signature Pinky Stack, why I’ve always loved wearing rings on my pinky, and how one unexpected combination eventually became an official CMD design. Plus, [...]

I don't need an entirely new wardrobe every summer. Give me a small collection of well-made clothes, good vintage, a wild print or two and plenty of jewelry to change everything up. Here's how I use rings, bangles, necklaces and earrings to get more mileage and more personality out of fewer clothes. And yes, I'm [...]

There are some pieces of jewelry you don't have to think about. A really good pair of hoops goes on with whatever you're wearing, works in your first, second or third piercing and somehow makes you feel a little more pulled together. I've designed plenty of earrings over the years, but I keep coming back to the classic [...]

I wear rings on at least six of my ten fingers most days, so I’ve had plenty of practice figuring out what makes a stack work. Whether you want two simple bands or enough rings to #stackuntilyoucantbend, I’m sharing three of my favorite ways to build a stack using different widths, metals, finishes and shapes. If you’re [...]

Pull-through earrings are beautifully simple once you know the trick. The key is opening them in the right direction so you don't distort their shape over time. Watch Colleen demonstrate how to put on, wear and care for your pull-through earrings. The most important thing to remember is don't pull the [...]

Blackened silver and warm gold have been part of my design vocabulary for years. I love the contrast between matte, oxidized sterling silver and shiny gold, especially when they're stacked together. Here's why BLACK + GOLD became such a signature CMD combination, how we create that darkened finish and what [...]

I love a cuff bracelet year-round, but there's something about fall that makes me want to pile them on. Cuffs are easy to wear on their own and even more fun when you start stacking them. From mixing metals and widths to adding pieces you've collected over the years, here's how I build a bracelet stack that [...]

The best ring stacks aren't necessarily the biggest or the most perfectly coordinated. They're the ones that feel like you. Start with a ring you already love, mix widths, metals and shapes, add something unexpected and let the whole thing evolve over time. Here are a few of my favorite ways to build a stack that's [...]

Why do some pieces of jewelry become the ones you reach for every single day? For me, that question goes all the way back to the first silver hoops I ever sold. More than two decades later, I’m still designing jewelry with the same goal: pieces that feel distinctive, effortless and completely at home in your [...]

Oxidized silver won't stay black forever. Friction, water, oils and everyday wear can gradually reveal the brighter silver underneath, especially on rings and bracelets. The good news? Fading is completely normal, and there are ways to care for your jewelry, preserve the finish and even bring the black [...]

Can you mix round and square rings in the same stack? Absolutely. Some of my favorite stacks combine different shapes, widths, metals and finishes, and there really isn't a one-shape-fits-all formula. Here are a few of my favorite ways to mix things up and create a ring stack that feels completely your own. [...]

"Can I mix these together?" is one of the questions I've heard most often at the CMD Ring Bar, and the answer is almost always yes. A great ring stack doesn't need to follow a perfect formula. From mixing metals and widths to playing with contrast and asymmetry, here are three easy ways to create a stack that feels [...]

There's a certain look someone gets when they try on the right piece of jewelry and suddenly know it's theirs. I love watching it happen. The best jewelry isn't necessarily what you thought you'd choose, but the piece you reach for every morning and don't quite feel like yourself without. Here are a few ways to know [...]