Combination Formula

Anyone can read a cookbook, but it takes a truly talented chef to combine seemingly unrelated ingredients into a surprisingly delicious dish. Haven't you ever felt the exhilaration that comes from pulling off a dinner party with only a head of lettuce, half a jar of mustard, two frozen quesadillas, and leftover airplane peanuts? (Wait, maybe that wasn't exhilaration as much as indigestion.) Granted, a lot more thought goes into the pieces in Ponomo, a line from designer Hannah Tarkinson of Portland, Maine. But we're similarly impressed by Tarkinson's ability to combine totally disparate elements into works of wearable art. Fresh into Flock (274 Shawmut Avenue, Boston, 617.391.0222) are selections from Ponomo's one-of-a-kind collection of handcrafted jewelry, fashioned from repurposed and reconstructed vintage materials and hardware. We love the Vintage Tribal Necklace ($398), a swooping piece whose elements of elegant femininity (rose-gold watch chains, sterling Guatemalan wedding beads, and mother-of-pearl details) are balanced by rugged industrial counterpoints (leather, crackled lambskin, and brass buttons). And though we'd prefer no one rap our wrists as a result, we roar with approval at the inventiveness of the Lion Wrist Cuff ($248), a strong and sexy piece that combines an antique knocker with brass rivets and leather. In food or fashion, who needs to follow recipes when you have such good taste?