Terms such as ‘mewellery’ and ‘mangles’ literally send a cold shiver down my spine try matching to the base tones of your plaid shirt/blazer.
Men’s jewellery has long been a subject that polarises opinion.
For example, when asking his wife her opinion on the notion of men wearing bracelets, “Don Draper wouldn’t wear a bracelet. James Bond wouldn’t wear a bracelet.”
We have seen bracelets take off and develop into a go-to accessory for style-conscious men.
From wooden beads to leather cuffs to metal bands, there is currently a wealth of options available to choose from, for those men who aren’t afraid to confidently adorn their wrists.
With all this in mind, for the average man who is interested in exploring the world of wrist wear, what are the key styles available this year?
Metal Bracelets
Metal bracelets represent the most masculine wrist wear option, largely due to their military connotations.
Metal bracelets have long held a place within men’s style.
Their popularity is also on the rise today, with celebrities.
For this reason, it is also a good idea to wear it on your free, non-watch hand, rather than weighing down the same wrist with both your watch and metal bracelet.
As with everything, it’s important to wear with confidence.
Nautical Trend Bracelets
A perennial trend each and every spring/summer, investing in a nautical-themed bracelet therefore offers longevity and is the perfect finishing touch to any maritime or Riviera-inspired outfit.
The nautical concept has been applied to wrist wear in several different ways in recent seasons, from type of fastening, to the use of rope and cabling, to the inclusion of nautical-themed motifs and emblems.
At the slightly more affordable end of the market, Top man are offering a double rope bracelet with a marine-themed badge closure, and Urban Outfitters are stocking a beaded bracelet featuring a silver anchor piece cleverly embedded in a rock-effect stone.
Beaded Bracelets
When researching and gathering images from recent street style photography, it seems one bracelet style is currently head and shoulders above the rest, in terms of popularity: the beaded bracelet.
From ethnic-inspired wooden beads to high-end crystal/ebony versions to statement plastic styles, the range of designs currently on offer is vast and provides something for every personal taste.
A large part of their appeal stems from the fact that you can effortlessly stack a variety of styles together to create a look that is completely unique to you.
Alter size of bead, material and colour to create your own individual combinations, whether you opt for timeless and monochrome or bold and statement-making.
They are also versatile enough to adapt to a wide variety of looks.
For example, black and grey scale beads will give smart, tailored outfits an edge whilst wooden versions offer a natural, outdoors charm to heritage ensembles.
In terms of technique, beaded bracelets can be used to inject an unexpected pop of colour into an outfit, tie together the palette by picking out subtle colours within the look or simply add another tactile element to an already carefully layered autumn/winter ensemble.
Leather & Woven Bracelets
Men are already accustomed to wearing leather on their wrists in the form of watch straps, so a leather bracelet is perhaps not such a big leap and may be slightly more appealing, especially for those taking their first tentative steps into the world of jewellery.
The positive aspect of a leather bracelet is that it retains a sense of masculinity.
Leather as a material is also refined and versatile, so depending on the style and size of the bracelet it can retain a sense of formality whilst at the same time appearing roguish and rebellious.
For example, a black or dark brown leather bracelet can be integrated into a smart, tailored look without jarring and, similarly, a wide leather cuff could be worn with a t-shirt and slim-fit jeans for a more edgy, rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic.
Conversely to metal bracelets, leather versions can complement and contrast nicely against timepieces, whether leather, fabric or steel band, which means you are also given the freedom to choose which wrist you wear them on.
Woven Bracelet
The woven bracelet is another style that is currently experiencing resurgence in popularity and they are often found in leather.
The good thing about a woven bracelet is that fabric versions can be relatively cheap and come in a wide range of bright colours, should you want your accessory to pop and act as a point of reference for the whole outfit.
Again, woven bracelets can be stacked and even combined with leather or beaded versions to create an interesting visual effect without becoming too scruffy and unkempt.
Final Word
There will always be naysayers and critics but, as with all controversial fashion choices, generating a bit of debate seems to only increase the popularity of a trend.
So proof that bracelet can be a stylish, considered accessory choice for the modern gent.
Culled/Adetutu Adetule
Spicy and Trendy
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