Chicago - January 15, 2010

Grim and Proper

Triskaidekaphobia Jewelry Launches

Sidewalk cracks. Ouija boards. Delinquent credit card bills. Living on the edge is your jam.

But if you’re going to live like a crazy mofo, do it with panache.

Start with Triskaidekaphobia, a charmingly subversive jewelry collection. Named for fear of the number thirteen and inspired by Twin Peaks, dark music, Henry Darger art, and creepy art films, creators (and former Anna Sui interns) Tiffany Gong and Christina Rodriguez source hospital ID bracelets, molars, and incisors from medical device manufacturers to give the line an eerily authentic vibe.

The original pieces appear dainty from afar but make you squirm up close. Mad scribbles lay the framework for a lacy collar necklace. Metal teeth pose as delicate gold pendants. Tiny skulls lurk among floral bouquets.

Buy a few.

There’s safety in numbers.

Available at SHE Boutique, 483 Central Avenue, at Sheridan Road, Highland Park (847-926-0150 or shopsheboutique.com). To see styles, go to triskaidekaphobianyc.com).

Photo: Courtesy of SHE Boutique