Men's Jewellery Guide - How to Get it Right
Men's Jewellery Guide
Men's jewellery, like facial hair, is something that men have until relatively recently been wary of wearing. If done improperly, after all, there’s an appreciable risk that you might get things hideously wrong. Fortunately, this fate needn’t befall you, as there exist several rules of thumb that’ll enable you to wear jewellery without risking the slightest embarrassment. Let’s run through a few of the better ones.
Don’t Fidget
If you’ve just slapped down a significant sum on a piece of jewellery, then you might wish to get your money’s worth. On the other hand, you might subconsciously look to draw attention to your purchase. In either instance, the temptation to fiddle with your jewellery, whether it’s a pendant, a ring or a bracelet, might prove irresistible. Nevertheless, it’s a temptation which simply must be resisted if you’re to avoid looking like you’re trying to draw attention to it. A piece of jewellery should be ornamental – not interactive.
Wear Up To 2 Rings On Any Hand
The average men's ring occupies barely any space. You’ll have room enough for one on each finger – or perhaps even more. But there’s a reason that few people do this. Not only can it be uncomfortable, but it’ll look overcrowded and confused. The maximum you should wear on any hand should be two. If you really can’t decide which ring you’d like to wear, then try tossing a coin.
Men's Bracelets & Cuffs
The same ‘less is more maxim’ applies to other pieces of jewellery, too. In the case of men's cuff bracelets, you might be able to get away with slightly more, provided that the bracelets are in question are suitably austere. One might easily stack five or even six leather straps onto one’s wrist without looking gaudy, but if you try to do the same thing with five or six metal bracelets (cuffs), the result is almost assuredly going to be loud, brash, and distasteful.
Wear a Wrist Watch
One of the most popular accessories worn by men is the wristwatch. Get a mechanical one in silver or chrome, matching it with the rest of your jewellery. High-quality men's watches can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to several million, but they play a huge role in determining your overall look. Wristwatches are popular gifts for significant occasions – but if you’re going to buy one for yourself, be sure to set yourself a budget and stick to it.
Lose the Heart-Rate-Monitor
If you’re wearing a Fitbit or some other heart-rate monitor, then you might find that it doesn’t quite look as good as the more traditional wristwatch. Roll your sleeve down over the top of it, or swap out the strap for something more elegant. This is a case where you might wish to distract from an accessory rather than draw attention to it; so cramming several leather straps onto the surrounding space on your wrists might be more forgivable.
Pendants & Necklaces
If you’re going to wear a pendant and necklace, then wear it so that people can see it. This means either wearing it over the top of your shirt, wearing it so high that it peeks over the top of your collar, or unbuttoning your shirt so that your pendant and necklace is on display. Unless you’re wearing something for reasons other than aesthetic ones, then there’s little point in hiding it. Some workplaces might require that jewellery be concealed – but it’s not as though you’ll be concealing it from yourself!
What About Wedding Rings?
If you’re fortunate enough to be married, then a ring is the traditional means of advertising it. Invest in a wedding band that matches the rest of your attire, or a few that can be easily swapped around to match different styles. Naturally, the same prohibition against overcrowding applies – though the wedding band might traditionally be plainer than other ornamental or signet rings, it’ll still contribute to the overall level of bling you have on your hands.
Wear Something You Like
Thus far, we’ve outlined the men's jewellery guide – somewhat playfully describing them as ‘rules’. Of course, these aren’t ‘rules’ in the strictest sense of the word. We’ll therefore close by mentioning a final rule: that you should wear things that you like wearing. There’s very little point, after all, in clothes that you don’t like, however much your style might contravene some rule or other. The same goes for other people’s taste in clothing; if you’d like to wear skulls, bullets and animal teeth around your wrists, fingers and neck, then why let anyone else’s taste stand in the way of you doing so?