Jess’s Team Pick:
It was a sweet moment for those who know and love one Miss Romi Klinger. Her Real L Word storyline has taken her from pretty prop for Whitney to hot mess girlfriend to a mature woman committed to sobriety. With an undying passion for fashion, Romi channeled her talent and creative energy into designing her very own line of eccentric bracelets, necklaces, anklets and (feather) earrings (obvs). And now, as seen on the Real L Word finale, Romi’s jewelry line Hija por Vida (Daughter for Life, co-created with friend Vanessa Salazar) finally got the stamp of approval to distribute through Love and Pride, the leading online store specializing in gay and lesbian jewelry, fashion and design.
Founded on their commonality of being Mexican daughters raised by strong mothers, HIJA is strongly influenced by sentimental objects and memories from their childhoods.
HIJA is for the girl who places deep sentiment in what she owns. HIJA is for the girl who collects meaningful objects when she travels to remember. HIJA is for the girl who will pass these pieces on to her daughters someday. With this collection, Romi and Vanessa hope to inspire every girl to be who they are and remember where they come from. You are who you are because of where you’ve been. HIJA Por Vida!
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Romi can also be found at
tenderomi.com, dispensing all sorts of beauty, health and hair advice (along with guest bloggers including
Rachel Rodriguez from the
Real L Word season two).
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Jess is a pop culture junkie living in New York City. She enjoys endless debates about The L Word, Howard Stern, new techy gadgets, DVR, exploring the labyrinth of the Lesbian Internet, memoirs, working out, sushi, making lists, artsy things, anything Lady Gaga touches, traveling, puppies, and nyc in the fall. Find her on Twitter @jessxnyc or via email.
Jess has written 240 articles for us.
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Oh, thank God for the flipbook! I would never have figured out how to wear the jewelry.
snap
At least Romi’s shot at fame gives us an excuse to use the term “shoelery.” It’s so much more fun to say than “dirty boudoir.”
LOL. Claire, boo.
I don’t know. I feel a little funny about this jewelry line. It just feels like they didn’t really consider the history of the symbols they’re using in the pieces. For example: “The Voodoo Bolo was inspired by superstitions held by our grandmothers. The skull honors the dead while the horn a sign of virility.” Um, doesn’t voodoo originate from Haiti? Also the “Native collar”? I think it’s great these women are trying to honor their Mexican heritage but the feeling this jewelry line gives me is too similar to the one I get when girls dress up like Indians with braided hair, feathers, and brown spandex dresses from Walmart.
Maybe I’m just being too PC, though. Americans appropriate styles and designs from other cultures all the time in our fashion. This is just kind of weird.
Also the “black bronze boot harness” looks like it’s designed for the world’s smallest dildo. Just sayin’.
lol now that’s all I see when I see it.
LOL I really liked it until I read your comment. Now it just makes me feel inappropriate.
Thanks for bringing that up, it’s important that folks have a think about cultural appropriation. It’s not on our radars a lot.
Well, “our radar” meaning (mostly oppressive) mainstream discourse/dominat culture, that is.
I feel better about this if if put “Huevos” before “Rancheros” in this sentence:
“The Longhorn Necklace was inspired by Rancheros with a feminine twist.”
these are pretty
I like the alternative jewelry aspect of it all, and I really like Vanessa’s last name.
But you’re ok with muggles, right?
I think Romi and her jewelry line are very pretty.
I definitely wish I could afford some of these. Congratulations to Romi for putting her work out there!
Love this! Congrats Romi the pieces are beautiful
Awww, I’m really no shit unironically happy for Romi. I thought the pieces looked good on screen for the most part (I desperately wish they wouldn’t use fur) and I still think so seeing them for sale. Some of are even in my price range. I want that eyeglasses chain.
Then again, I’ve wanted a spectacle chain since I saw Mrs. Roper rocking one on Three’s Company.
I want the boot harnesses! Love this.
i’m still voting for the feather headphones
wish they weren’t so expensive, but they’re super cute. i wish i wore jewelry more, i’m so lazy.
Romi, love you girl, but if your true intention is to honor “Native Americans” and “Eskimos” with your jewelry, I hope you’re putting your money where your mouth is and making sizeable donations to groups who fight for indigenous rights and the eradication of oppression of native peoples in America instead of pocketing the profits reaped from your imitation of traditional indigenous regalia.
I don’t think that’s entirely fair. The world is getting pretty flat and I think we need to allow for multiculturally influenced artistic creativity in fashion. Besides, most fashion is influenced by something. I doubt we expect Ralph Lauren to make donations to the US Navy for influencing his iconic nautical styles.
The US Navy is hardly an oppressed group though. In fact, I’d say the fact that they’re influencing fashion is a sign of their dominance more than anything else. Not so for the indigenous/aboriginal cultures that we’re talking about here.
http://nativeappropriations.blogspot.com/
heads up – she can be a bit inflammatory to make her points. however, i think it’s important to read up on native appropriations as colonisation, rather than appreciation. there’s a clip of the girl who writes the blog on al jazeera explaining things quite simply.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/rPyPLmmtcig
it’s a bit hard for me to justify things like
“The Eskimo Cuff was inspired by our Native American ancestors and the magic of nature”
even if i think it’s awesome and empowering that she started her own line of jewellery.
Good job on the jewelry line, Romi.
so proud of you, Romi!
I dunno, but I feel like all of these ‘pieces’ have already been done to death. Either me, or one of my friends have things exactly like this from either UO or F21 or even Claire’s. When she first was designing them on the show, even my GF commented ‘Don’t you have that?’. And looking on the site they seem kind of cheaply made to me.
Congrats :)
tenderomi.
whenever i see her website name, i can’t help but think of canned pasta.
good for you Romi
This is very cool! Give jewelry gifts without waiting for the appropriate price in return for a present. In short, your surprise should be an emotion of joy. And not a binding gift and a call to a similar gesture! Always, always and again always give high-quality gifts, such as https://chrisaire.com/ . It is better to overpay, but never regret the surprise! Buy jewelry in reliable stores, after reading reviews about the manufacturer and seller.