A Guide to the Best of Southern California : FASHION : Gems for the Hair

‘I HAVE A TON OF HAIR,” Julie Schwartz responded when asked why she started her Hair Jewels line of bow-style barrettes, “and I hate to let it hang in my face.” So she began to prowl L.A.’s fabric stores, amassing a collection of gold lames from Italy, raw silks from China and other unusual materials. To complete the look she was after, Schwartz set out in search of vintage ribbons and hit pay dirt, discovering a perfectly preserved cache of champagne grapes, pansies and pussy willows that give her rich, romantic bows their one-of-a-kind charm.

Priced from $20 to $60, Hair Jewels have found an immediate and enthusiastic audience, even among women who keep their hair short--the bows double as inventive dress accessories.

Hair Jewels are available at Fred Segal Melrose, 8118 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 651-1935; and at Patina Millinery, 119 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, (213) 931-6931.