The Fun Starts Here

Left to right, from top: Tatty Devine Lovely Lady Leigh flower brooch, £26 (about $51) at tattydevine .com. Tarina Tarantino Kokeshi lucite and crystal drop earrings, $75 at tarinatarantino .com. Luc Kieffer resin and crystal cuff, $490, and ring, $250, both at Henri Bendel. Delphine Charlotte Parmentier Gloria Lucite ring, $130, via e-mail, yann.lp@dcp-corp .com. Tatty Devine Lovely Lady Leigh brooch, £53 (about $104) at tattydevine .com. Chanel resin and metal cuff, $1,950 at Chanel. Tarina Tarantino carved Lucite earrings, $45 at Tarina Tarantino (117 Greene Street).

By KRISTINA DECHTER
Published: February 14, 2008

LIGHTEN up, people. When times are tough, take a cue from Mary Poppins and eat some sugar, or go fly a kite. If that doesn’t put a smile on your face, you might delve a little further into the Disney songbook for inspiration. Think a little more “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” and less “Oh, Bother.”

Fortunately, many of this spring’s accessories — bright, playful and plastic — offer a droll antidote for these worrisome days. Created before the “R” word (no, not ruffles) was jumping out at us from the front page, some baubles — from the cultish London label Tatty Devine, from the Paris designer Luc Kieffer, even from Chanel — look straight out of Tom and Jerry.

“Even when clothing trends veer toward conservatism, accessories can break the mold,” said Cynthia Rowley, whose accessories are always good-humored and amusing (as is she). “A playful, unconventional necklace or handbag remains an expression of personal style, even paired with a basic wardrobe.”

While these may be designer pieces, you won’t have to take the hammer to the piggy bank. Actually, that sounds like fun.

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