Disorderly conduct: The new crystals put bling on its edge.

When you are looking for a modern detail to update your look, think about a clustered blast of raw, haphazard crystals. The new bling has a gritty, offhanded elegance reminiscent of rock candy or shattered glass.

What’s modern is not the cheap trick sparkly bling many of us associate with pavé phone cases, cloyingly cute crystal encrusted novelty doodads, or glittering from a too tight T-shirt. Crystals now have an irregularity to them that looks fresh.

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“It’s interesting, when I think of encrusted crystal, I think of Paris Hilton’s Sidekick. It’s a frosty crystal that has been so cheapened as it hit the mass market in a huge way. What’s right now is a crystal collage with a raw elegance to it,” says Christina Mannatt, Associate Cultural Editor at Stylesight, where they describe the trend as Crystal Castles. Even the precisely and orderly placed crystal elegance associated with Judith Leiber is a bit passé at the moment.

The crystal trench at Burberry. Photo: Burberry

"Whether adhered to nude chiffon or dangling from chunky platforms, crystal pendants go above and beyond your typical jewel-encrusted goods.” Mannatt references Miuccia Prada’s bedazzled fascination at both Miu Miu and Prada with head-to-toe chandelier-style gems. At Prada, almost literal chandelier crystals decorated clear plastic chunky platforms. It’s a delicate balance, Mannatt warns– if they were not Prada it could be perceived as stripper shoes.

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Miu Miu reached it’s very sexy balance by combining sheer nude with crystals to give the feeling of body jewelry, offset with pieces crisp shirt sleeves and collars. At Mila Schon, nude tights were iced-out with crystal clusters that pay homage to a body jewelry tattoo.

Burberry Prosum showed one of my favorite crystal collages with both a mini trench coat and jacket that look as if the model rolled around in a bed of rock candy and walked off with one of the most brilliant and chic takes on this very glam look.

For a lighter touch, Mannatt suggests crystal jewelry by Tom Binns and Erickson Beamon.

The Crystal Castles trend photo gallery:

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Miu Miu shoes.	Burberry	Prada*	Burberry
Burberry	Miu Miu	Miu Miu	Prada	Mila Schon
	Miu Miu

_{Photos: Stylesight}

_{Burberry photos: Burberry}