So I hit the malls last weekend looking for dresses for the seven (yes, you read that correctly) weddings I've got coming up this season. I didn't get very far, however, as I just could not compete with the mobs of teenagers hitting the dress departments in search of the perfect prom dress. Things have apparently changed since my high school days when a long, simple gown from Macy's did the job. The girls I saw this weekend were trying on high-end, brand-name dresses from the likes of Vera Wang, Nicole Miller and BCBG Max Azria, selling for well beyond $500. It got me thinking that if these girls (or their parents) can pay that kind of money for dresses they'll wear once or twice, what might they pay for matching jewelry that they can wear for a lifetime?

Is that opportunity I hear knocking? I bet standard studs and classic pearls would sell well to any prom-goer, but I think that the girls I saw this weekend would want something a bit more fashion-forward. They were all trying on colored dresses, so cocktail rings and gemstone earrings might be the way to go, and their availability in a range of prices could make them accessible to those unlucky teenagers without an unlimited budget.