MEN'S STYLE
You're probably reading this right now because the idea of wearing jewellery interests you, but you've never felt too comfortable with your ability to pull it off successfully. Or, like sandles, you don't believe a dude can rock a bracelet and are here to tell me to shove it and that I should start building wooden survival shelters with my bare hands like a real man. But, regardless of your reasons, understand this: a guy can wear jewellery with style and not have shoulder length hair, mysteriously brooding good looks, a tattoo sleeve, and a penchant for The Break Beat Poets.
Incorporating a bracelet, necklace, ring, etc. into your everyday look will elevate your daily style and help add a new, unique, attention-grabbing dimension to your getup.
1. You're an outlier. Most male jewellery wearing escapades stop and start at a watch. By clasping a chain around your neck, putting a bracelet on your wrist, or slipping a ring on your finger, you put yourself a bit outside the norm. This isn't a negative thing in the slightest, but being aware of this sartorial reality will further help you pull off the look successfully. Additionally, keep your personal style in mind. If you tend to stray on the more outlandish end of things, integrating jewellery into your everyday look isn't going to be much of a shift. But if you have a more "refined" style, it's a good idea to (initially) stick to subdued pieces and...
2. ...start slowly. Assimilate yourself to the jewellery wearing culture with cufflinks and, in certain circumstances, simple leather bracelets. As you begin to feel more comfortable sporting accessories, you can move on to more substantial bling.
3. Stick to one metal. It can be done, but mixing various metal tones is a tough move to execute with positive results. The safest -- and surest -- route is to wear only one metal (i.e. tungsten, titanium silver, gold, etc.) at a time. Gold garners attention and is a bougie as f*ck, whereas silver is almost always appropriate and gives off a smooth, I-don’t-need-to-peacock-but-I-still-have-confidence vibe.
4. Bracelets are a good second step. A bracelet will make a traditional suit standout and elevate a basic pair or jeans and a tee. Try pairing your steel link watch with a colourful leather bracelet, or an ID bracelet with your leather banded timepiece.. And always, always make sure to put the watch on first.
5. Jewellery dress codes. You wouldn’t wear a full suit to your buddy’s BBQ and, alternatively, you wouldn’t rock chino shorts and a tank to a job interview at a financial firm downtown. Save your big statement pieces for more glamorous events such a wedding or dinner party. Just like your outfit, your jewellery should match the occasion(s) you'll be walking into.
6. Cap it at two. Don’t wear more than two pieces of jewellery on one hand.
7. Match your jewellery size to your body shape. A giant faced watch and thick chain on a guy who weighs 124 pounds is going to look really awkward and only accentuate his thinness. Whenever possible, wear/purchase jewellery that is at least somewhat in a similar realm of your body shape, size, and manly curves (or lack thereof).
8. Unless you’re Johnny Depp, a pirate, Johnny Depp playing a pirate, or a Texan, understand that making a ring look good is really, really tough. A wedding band, yes. A teal studded, stainless steel number on your right middle finger? Not as easy.
9. Keep it thin. When it comes to necklaces, keep 'em relatively thin and never wear more than two at one time (Deion Sanders need not abide).
10. Ask for help. If it all goes to sh@t on the first dress down, or your more "blinged up" than your Great Aunt, ask for help,