Some men look better in jewelry than others. Don't you agree?
I want to preface this post by saying we are not discussing whether men should be allowed to wear jewelry. Of course they should! I want to get your opinions on how it looks, and share mine as well. So let's get started.
Friends, with very few exceptions, I hate jewelry on men.
My exceptions:
David Cassidy looked cute in puka shells circa 1972.
Only wear puka shells if you 1) are under 22, 2) live on the beach, or 3) wear a loincloth on a regular basis.
Years ago, gold and silver jewelry for men was more popular. There were ID bracelets, tie pins, shirt studs, pinky rings (belch), cuff links, and related stuff like watches, money clips, lighters, and cigarette cases.
Liberace, for better or for worse, could carry off the bejeweled look -- or as it's more commonly known today, bling. Didn't he, like, invent it?
Hip hop/rap artists can also carry off bling, which I see more as an ironic statement about American materialism than a fashion statement, but what do I know (and where do you draw the line)?
Internationally acclaimed couturiers can get away with bling, not that they should...
I think that's it.
Diamonds are a boy's worst enemy, imo. If you're willing to mine your own, maybe.
Anything on the pinky....so wrong. Please leave that finger alone.
WAIT! How about earrings on guys?
HATE them. And call me old fashioned, ethnocentric, what have you: no part of the male anatomy should ever have a ring through it.
Awful. Only to enrage one's parents.
True confessions: I went through a jewelry phase years ago.
There was the American Indian phase...
The Danish Modern ring phase...
And the (very short-lived) chain phase...
I have some of my father's old cuff links, which I wear on occasion:
I generally avoid jewelry these days and I think (most) men should keep it to a minimum: one ring, cuff links, a watch -- period.
And please -- no piercings.
In closing, friends, I ask you:
What kind of jewelry do you think suits men best (if any)? How about stones? Are tiger's eye, star sapphires, and onyx acceptable? How about -- cough -- diamonds?
Do some types of men carry off the look better than others, and if so, which types?
Jewelry for men -- yea or nay?
Jump in!
Some men can pull off earrings, usually pirate looking types and those under 25. My son has "Industrials" in his ears and he looks funky fresh but he's 20 and an art student.
ReplyDeleteHow about no class-rings unless you are still in High School or a VERY recent grad? That look creeps me out. Another creepy look is guys of a certain age, still sporting bulls head necklaces or arrowhead necklaces. They are usually still wearing a "Member's Only" jacket or a satin bomber jacket.
yo starter is re-releasing the satin jackets hahaha...
DeleteI gotta find a weading ring that doesn't look stupid... and it's a total nightmare.
Males should be accepted wearing piercings. I wear 3 inch hoops on a daily basis. And i have my bellybutton and nose pierced. False nails look great too. I wear the french tips. Theyr hot. 16 year old boy
DeleteStick with just cuff links ....
ReplyDeleteWaaaaaait, piercings can looks soooooo good on both men and women! My husband has one earring, and I like it a lot. I also know some guys who can totally pull off pierced eyebrows, noses, or lots of ear piercings. It all depends on individual style. The same goes for finger rings, imho.
ReplyDeleteBut do consider I'm talking about gothic/metal subculture styling, or plain old motorcycle rockers. These things also go well with a suit, as some kind of subversive fashion statement.
Piercings below the neck are something I generally don't like, especilly further down there.
Stones and diamonds, I don't know, I prefer heavy silver jewelry on men. But I wouldn't generally say that it's a no-go, because everything depends on the context it's worn in.
I like a guy with one or two pieces of jewellry - but it really needs to have an 'heirloom' look to appeal to me. I love the idea of a man wearing something that was passed down from his father or grandfather.
ReplyDeleteOf course, 50 years from now I'm sure there will be young men trying to figure out how to incorporate granddad's earrings into a modern outfit.
BTW, I love those Danish modern rings - but for ME! The second one made me all swoony.
Jewelry is ethnic. It is very unusual to see an African-American, Asian-American or Middle Eastern American man who it not wearing a gold necklace, at the very least. Usually a bracelet,too, even in stuffy work situations. It's so common that it's not really a fashion statement.
ReplyDeleteI think white men can't get away with wearing jewelry without making a fashion statement. For them, it's best to stick with just cuff links after age 25 or so.
I love jewelry on men. Me hubs wears necklace and bracelets and watches.
ReplyDeleteBut I can't stand rings on men esp the chunky ones. And yep, leave that pinky alone.
I don't hate ear rings as much. Ok, I do esp when it's just ONE ear ring. Someone told me if you wear it on the right ear, it means something and if it's on the left ear, something else. Seriously, who cares? Looks stupid whichever ear. If you wanna wear ear rings, wear on both ear lobes. I love the Johnny Depp look. Does he wear ear ring? You know what? If you look that good, you can wear ear ring on your nostril!
In general, less is more.
ReplyDeleteBTW, love your Dad's car cufflinks!
Silver bracelet on a furry wrist... ;) !!
ReplyDeletemoi
Oops I forgot a very important word in the last comment.
ReplyDeleteI am less is more for sure. My hubby wears nothing..nada...nit! But truth be told, there are few things that turn me on MORE than a simple bracelet on the 'right' man. Put it on the wrong man and 'blech' I am disgusted. All in all simple bracelets are the only jewelery other than a wedding ring that I like on men. Oh...I can handle earrings on a hot young thing too. Most anything on a hot young thing would work for me.
I agree with you: only watches, wedding rings (or any discreet ring) and cuff links. By the way, those little cars from your father are adorable!.
ReplyDeleteI take my marriage vows seriously and have never been the jealous type. My husband has lots of female friends and coworkers. He has been faithful to me and a good father to our children.
ReplyDeleteBUT... I told him point blank that I would divorce him if he ever so much as tried on a pinky ring.
I love cufflinks, simple rings (my husband wears one per hand... on his ring fingers... a wedding band and either his signet ring or a diamond band I bought him), and a nice watch. Maybe a pocket-watch, which is the only reason a man should have a chain on him.
Every time we go to the beach my husband seems to think he needs to get a shark tooth necklace... preferably one on a pooka shell necklace. He doesn't really drink, never touches drugs, has never laid a hand on me, and generally kills the bugs in the house, so I let him have this one thing. ;) Of course, the only reason I don't fight this tendency tooth and nail is that we hardly ever get to the beach and most of the time you can't see his necklace under his shirt. And they tend to break pretty quickly too.
I love earrings on men. Small, simple, understated hoops, in both ears please.
ReplyDeleteI generally don't like men in jewellery. Well, maybe David Essex sporting an ear ring in his young gypsy days... x
ReplyDeleteI like me some man jewelry. I'm especially glad that the trend now is for both ears to be pierced, although the eighties one-side-with-dangles look is still pretty cute, too. My hubby has three holes in the one ear, although he rarely wears earrings in them anymore, sigh. I like plugs, too, although it takes the right person to pull off big ones. I like rings in moderation. Big, chunky cuffs (especially the ones Urbandon makes) are awesome.
ReplyDeleteI do think the hip hop bling thing is pretty silly, and most of the pieces are ugly.
What no picture of David Beckham and his earings, etc? Maybe I have been living in England too long and have lost perspective, lol. For those outside of the European football loop, here is a link http://www.google.com/search?q=image+david+beckham+earring&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=FQ6fTfqEAonMhAf7_a2EBQ&ved=0CCIQsAQ&biw=1109&bih=810
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't like jewellery on men. I don't like much of it on women either. I am not keen on tattoos or piercings either. So that's the kind of humdrum, plain vanilla gal I am!
I love cuff links on men. I think it's the only place I don't mind seeing some more 'interesting' bling. All other adornments should IMO be simple or left in a box at home.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with you here. Though, I will state that there are some guys out there who can wear one earring, in one ear, that's a small stud and for some reason, I really like it. But not everyone can pull it off, nor do I think they should. I don't find jewelry on men, outside of the cuff links, tie clip or pin, watch and one ring, flattering. But even on women, sometimes, too much is too much. Like when everything is all matchy matchy, like you have heart earrings, a heart necklace, a heart ring, a heart bracelet, a heart anklet and toe wring and well, the list goes on and on. You start looking like you want to be a teenager again and its weird. Less is more when it comes to jewels, I think and having nice statement pieces can really put you in a whole new category as far as fashion goes.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Sunni
lol i love stretched ears on boys... piercings in general, for the most part, except eyebrow rings & labrets (which i think are douche piercings, sorry any of y'all who have one!). my favorite jewelry on a boy is a septum ring, though!
ReplyDeletemy dad wears a tiny gold hoop in his left ear... he had it pierced as a young adult back in the 70s, and recently discovered an earring still fit in there. he had it as a halloween costume but he's been wearing it ever since, i think it's hilarious.
i love a man who wears a good watch. you don't see those anymore, thanks to cell phones taking their place.
My favorite ever item of jewellery on a man is that pearl earring worn by Sean Connery in the movie Highlander.
ReplyDeleteActually, I just want one like it for myself.
Wait, what was the question?
I'm not a huge fan of man jewelry, unless you resemble a cast member of the Lost Boys, and that's a whole different thing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got married, we wanted to integrate a family diamond into my husband's wedding ring, but neither of us like men sporting sparkly wedding rings (ewwww..... those three-stone diamond wedding rings give me the willies) We looked into have a ring made that was a plain gold band with the diamond set on the inside, against his skin. I loved the idea (he did too) of making that diamond private. Of course, it's pretty expensive to have a ring designed and we got married when gold was already $1,000/ounce, so instead we opted for a plain gold band.
I do love a men's tie clip, cigarette case, money clip, in an ironic sort of way! And non-obnoxious cufflinks are nice.
I don't like jewelry on men either. How sad it is for me that my parter wears a pinky ring--the biggest offense in the entire jewelry world. It makes me shudder just to think about that god awful thing.
ReplyDeleteFor a guy dressed casually, a wedding ring and a watch will do nicely. On the rare occasion that an American man is dressed with a tie, a nice watch, a tie tack or clip, and cufflinks are classy.
ReplyDeleteSubtle earrings seem nice on celebs, but I don't seem to like them on regular guys on the streets.
Wearing a high school ring more than a year or two past graduation just seems sad.
Pink rings seem too mafioso.
It would seem that opinions re: jewelry on men is mainly age related. I hate stretched ears, but do like a nice ring or bracelet on a man. Cufflinks are nice too. Pinky rings are dated. Piercings below the neck, WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? DH had his ear pierced when he sailed across the equator the first time. In another life he worked on a sail boat. Puca shells and Native American jewelry can be nice, but are dated now. He still has his but doesn't wear it anymore. He could easily pull it off during his surfing days.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of understated jewelry on men, especially with a suit or button down shirts. A lawyer friend pulls off the multiple earrings + eyebrow piercing while looking awesome. And the three piece suit really requires cuff links, pocket watch, and tie pin to look great. (Does a pocket watch count as jewelry?)
ReplyDeleteMasculine jewelry only - my husband looks yummy in his leather bracer or his watch-bracer combo.
ReplyDeleteRings are okay if you keep it to one. BFF's husband has a very elaborate wedding band with huge diamonds - but he's a jeweler, and it's in an interesting knot pattern and proportioned for a man.
I think it's all in how the man wears the jewelery, if he is comfortable and happy with them; then he can make it work for him.
ReplyDeleteBut then, I also have this little rebellious streak that kicks me when people are all "you should" or "you shouldn't" do whatever harmless thing. So I can't really be objective ATM.
I think it would make me happy inside to see a man wearing very girly jewelery, just because I like the unexpected.
Treadle, you're in the right place. ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat is a leather bracer?
http://www.darkknightarmoury.com/c-109-leather-arm-bracers-and-wrist-bracers.aspx
ReplyDeleteBoy, am I out of the loop!
ReplyDeleteMy husband is a classy and conservative dresser, and his main style icon is Fred Astaire. Fred wore the pinky ring, and DH has spent the last couple years trying to convince me he should have one too.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll agree to the pinky ring so long as he wears Fred's scarf-as-belt too. ;)
I will allow any jewelry in the world, as long as he does not stretch out any holes! When you have 2 plates in your ears, you kinda can only do that look. I have seen boys getting married, all cleaned up in a tux. And big flapping ear holes. Yuck. Lucky for me my husband wears no jewelry, not even a wedding band! It bugs him to have that kind of stuff on his body.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the less is more crowd. I do like a single small gold hoop in the left ear....it's fun and hot.
ReplyDeleteBut it does also depend on the guy and the age.
Pinky rings can almost never been worn appropriately...male or female.
A nice watch, a wedding ring and a little understated bling for special occasions...I'm there.
I couldn't disagree more, Peter. I happen to have both ears pierced, and own many rings, some for the pinky. My fingers are so large that sometimes that's the only finger I can find rings to fit! Most days I just wear small silver hoop earrings, but I also have diamond studs. Why should the girls get to have all the fun? Why can't the boys have some bling too? It's bad enough that most off the rack mens clothing is so blah and boring!
ReplyDeleteusually none. maybe only a wedding ring. And only Bruce Willis can carry off an earring.
ReplyDeleteObviously, religious/cultural beliefs/family piece/etc are more important than doing something just for fashion. But if we are discussing something purely for the sake of fashion, yeah, I am maybe a little bit opinionated.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with less is more theory. I think having fewer things makes them stand out as a fashion statement, rather than blending in and just looking like so much bling like on Liberace and the rappers.
Necklace/bracelet - depends on the guy and the piece, but if they are very large/blingy please only 1 of each. Bracelet of leather/rubber/woven materials are ok in multiples as long as you don't go crazy and look like a 13 year old girl who just took her first allowance to the mall.
Rings - yes. Pinky rings... I have seen guys who had a special ring that only fit on the pinky, and it was small, and they carried it off. But in general, pinky rings... no, not so much. Wedding rings are a yes. Large stones... depends on the guy. I think onyx (and other dark stones like garnet) can look nice on thick men sized rings. Diamonds are ok if small and used as accent sparingly in the design. But really, simplicity is a statement.
Cuff links - always a yes. Always.
Watches - also a yes. Pocket or wrist, these are functional and pretty, so they get a pass.
Earrings - ok, I don't have a problem with guys and earrings. BUT, it must be the right guy and the right rings. I have a friend with a clip on. He doesn't want to commit to a life-long hole in his body, but in the young days still wants to look hip with the in-crowd.
Other piercings - well, I suppose if you can commit to having a hole through your eyebrow/nose/tongue/etc/etc you can probably pull it off. Health concerns aside, I don't think it necessarily attractive, but then usually the ones trying this look are the ones actually capable of pulling it off. On a side note, if I can't see it I probably don't want to, so I really don't care.
Plugs - just no. I know we will all be joining you with the droopy ears when we get to our 80s, but why speed up the process?
So, yeah, less is more. Maybe a rule of 3's? You can have 3 things (ring/watch/cuff links being the classy option, in my opinion) but more than that just starts to be too much.
I agree with the commenter above who said jewelry is ethnic.
ReplyDeleteMy dad is Italian American and he can TOTALLY carry off a pinkie ring. Fuhgeddaboudit.
My husband, who is Asian, can NOT. He can, however, carry off a heavy 24K gold chain with a tiger claw on it. ;-) Thankfully, though, he leaves his tiger claw at home and just wears the crucifix his grandma gave him. The most jewelry he's ever worn all at once is: Tag watch, wedding band, cufflinks & crucifix. But only three of them "show" at any one time. He does have a pierced ear, but he hasn't worn an earring since our wedding. It makes him look like a nidjit.
Most guys that I know, and see who wear jewelry are young, and when your young you look pretty good in everything. However, when you have mutton trying to dress up like lamb then it can look really tacky.
ReplyDeleteMy niece has tatoos and I think a tongue piercing.
She is half Burmese/English, she is very exotic looking and one would never think that she had tattoos and piercings. I think because of her age, it suits her and she looks good. However, when she is older, maybe not so.
I agree, for me, less is more. I am not a person who showcases jewelry very well, but just one of something special usually looks good.
I am probably one of the few, but never a fan of Liberace.
I guess I'm a member of the "less is more" crowd.
ReplyDeleteIt's all my father's/brothers'/husband's fault.
Minimalist, here. A wedding ring (if applicable) and a watch. Cufflinks: OK. Tie tacks or pins or whatever they are called can be OK. A medical ID bracelet if necessary is OK.
ReplyDeleteIt really depends on the person! I general I'm not a fan of jewellery+men either. When I was 11, I had the extraordinary experience of sitting next to a boy whilst he pierced his ear with a staple. That probably turned me off jewellery (definitely piercings) for life... :)
ReplyDeleteYES to medical ID bracelets!
ReplyDeleteNO to staples (and other paper fasteners).
Yuck to jewelry on men--except for tasteful cufflinks and tie clasps, perhaps. Although I did dig Atticus's pocketwatch and chain in "To Kill A Mockingbird."
ReplyDeleteJewelry - fussy jewelry does not belong on anyone over the age of nine. "Tasteful" heirloom jewelry in moderation looks good on everyone - pinkies are fine just don't stick it out there when you're drinking tea or from your flask.
ReplyDeleteSome men can wear four pounds of jewelry and almost look understated and others wear 1 ring and look ostentatious.
What we are thinking sends a stronger message than we often realize. If a guy is thinking "I feel like a moron in this jewelry." That pretty much sets the tone.
From the Left Coast
"Diamonds are a boy's worst enemy, imo. If you're willing to mine your own, maybe."
ReplyDeleteNice. Very nice. Tip of the hat.
The vintage-wearing conservative in me says no jewelry except a wedding ring if applicable and a watch of quiet good taste.
The other part of me doesn't care and wouldn't judge.
I like jewelry on men, women, babies, puppies, etc. However, to me less is more. ...but this is what I like, and if a person likes lots of jewelry or very little jewelry, I think they should do what they want to; I know I do.
ReplyDeleteLess is more here. I did think Liberace was over the top when I watched him on TV with my Grandma. Karl L. makes me retch (his taste for himself). My son, 26, told me when he was in late teens he was going to dye his hair blond, and wear a "nice, big chain". He was into rap then. I thought this would be awful, but said, well, we'll have to get you quality hair dye... he decided not to do it. He did tell me he is thinking of making himself ONE piece of jewellery. But, in gemeral his taste is classical, with kick. Hubby sticks to cuff links, and we both have matching hierloom gold wedding bands. Hubby looks great in bright skirts and ties. No pinkies were ever mentioned. Love this blog!!!!!!! To-day I found my Advance cocktail dress pattern, with jacket, as I was vacuuming with my "new" Hoover. Cathie, in Quebec (wearing 2 silver bracelets, a vintage plastic bracelet, and a necklace (hand-made) of beads in different sizes).
ReplyDeleteI'm not much for shoulds or shouldn'ts either. I have noticed that the men I'm most attracted to don't have time for things like jewelry.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the man, the situation, and the attitude. That being said, I'm fairly conservative with my own bling, and so is my man. He wears a wedding band, sometimes a watch, and on the rare occasion, cuff links. He also has an Eagle Scout ring which he has worn from time to time. I, myself, only wear two things on a constant basis - my wedding/engagement ring set and a mother's ring with my birthstone, my husband's birthstone, and that of all of our four children in the middle of it. I'd love to get him a masculine version, but with as many stones...not sure it would look good.
ReplyDeleteTenshi made the perfect statement. As with any other article of clothing ... context, context, context!! In the same way that western women cover their heads in middle and eastern cultures or how the outfit you wear to a wedding vs what you wear camping, its appropriateness is based on the context. For example, I have lived in the street punk culture where tattoos, plugs, industrials and dreads were the norm and I've lived I'm conservative rural America where your momma better not catch you in that getup. It depends on a guys whole style, from haircut to shoes (the allowance is different for style if you wear Chuck Taylors vs dress shoes...). I personally like puzzle rings and the triquetra rings on men... things with symbolism not just bling... but context and personality determine whether it is "OK" or not.
ReplyDelete"Are tiger's eye, star sapphires, and onyx acceptable?"
ReplyDeleteBoring and expected, in my eyes. You see them everywhere in catalogues and jewellers, but I don't see a lot of men actually WEAR them, and those that do are over age 40.
Most men between 20 and 30 with whom I associate choose subtle pieces that are often meaningful. For example, my boyfriend wore a silver chain with a silver kanji "ox" (his asian astrological sign) charm pretty much constantly until it was tragically lost. I've known several other young men to wear a charm of some sort, symbolizing an aspect of their being in some way. A few of the more stylish wear "masculine" necklaces of wood and steel beads, and one acquaintance is fond of hats and cuff bracelets.
The only young men I've seen to wear more than two pieces of jewellery at once were goth/punk/emo/insert-rebellious-sub-culture, in which the point of the style is to produce a reaction in viewers. OR, they dealt marijuana and spent some of the proceeds on far too much 14k gold jewellery.
I think regardless of a person's personal style, less is more. Pick one statement piece that actually says something about who you are (or rather, who you are THAT DAY :P) and let it do the talking by itself, or complement the statement piece with very simple accessories. This approach, as opposed to too many accessories is as an Italian aria compared to the cacophony of crows.
Less is definately more... 2 rings are allowed if one is a wedding band(one per hand) and a watch and cufflinks are also okay. The only necklaces I've ever not minded on a guy were the kind that weren't meant to be visible- say a rosary or a patron saint medallion or a cross...
ReplyDeleteFor men the maximum jewelery allowed is one ring per hand, watch, tie pin or clip and cufflinks. That is unless you time travel frequently to the late 70's, then you can cover yourself in gold like Mr T.
ReplyDeleteJewelry on men? Depends on the man and his style.
ReplyDeleteI like the type of man whose style is not to be combined with jewelry. According to me jewelry makes men look like they are playing a role.
earrings (or piercings of any kind) are a no-go on guys unless they are a pirate. EW!
ReplyDeleteWedding bands, and other understated rings that mean something - yes (my father had a simple steel engineers ring - all engineers where them in Canada - loved it!)
Cuff links - very class with the right shirt!
Glad to see JJ mentioned the engineers' iron rings; I'm from a city that produces a lot of engineers, so I think they're conservative. Plain wedding ring is fine, non-gaudy signet, but only one ring per hand, please! (I apply the same rule to women, with engagement/wedding counting as one.) I like watches, shirts with French cuffs need links, and that's about it. No tats or piercings, either.
ReplyDeleteJewelry for men:
ReplyDeleteWedding rings are sexy.
Necklaces are only for David Cassidy (c1972) and Johnny Depp.
Earrings should only be worn by genuine swashbuckling pirates.
Cufflinks: Vintage, to be worn with white or black tie.
Bracelets are the stringy kind worn by teenagers during the summer months.
Finally, Liberace and Henry VII can wear as much bling as they want!!
I love your father's sports car cuff links.
ReplyDeleteAs for jewelry on men. It depends on the man and which jewelry. Generally I agree with your perspective.
The only jewelry on men that I like are wedding rings. :) MAYBE an earring, but that really depends.
ReplyDeleteI have two sets of cuff links. Whatever happened to tie clips? I don't even wear a watch. Don't pick on Liberace. It's because of him that I play the piano. As a kid, I was hypnotized by his black tux and candelabra when he played live on WPIX in the 1950s. The wild outfits and jewelry came much later for him, though he did keep the candelabra.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Tom!
ReplyDeleteI used to wear a stainless steel ring and a watch, all of which I gave up because my hands and arms get wet at work. I wear a Chai charm on a leather string around my neck for sentimental reasons, it's only visible when I wear V-necks. A guy can look *HOT* with a necklace, or a bracelet, or a ring, but he can just as easily look like a d-bag. It's black or white, no gray. To me it isn't about the actual jewelry as much as it is about the way it's worn, the intent behind it. If it's intended as an accent, an effortless way to add detail, mmmmmh hot, but if it all becomes about the bling and the rocks and it looks overthought and overworked, it gets obnoxious. This applies to everything I think; clothing, outfits, shoes, hairstyles... As a hairstylist, I always smirk when I see a boy sporting a "bed head" style but it's obvious he spent 45 minutes in front of the mirror gluing each strand in place to create the perfectly sculpted mess. I think the more natural (i.e. effortlessly elegant) a man looks, the more you actually notice the man and not the shell.
ReplyDeleteoh, I LOVE those car cufflinks - my brother would kill for them, I'm sure!
ReplyDeleteI think a man of any age can wear jewelry well, if it's an expression of his personal style. My father rocks the heavy silver and turquoise bracelet my mother gave him for their 40th anniversary, and he's 88 years old!
ReplyDeleteComing in late on this....
ReplyDeleteJewelry is about personal style.
Some guys can pull it off and others look stupid, but isn't that the case in any form of fashion or trend?
I wear two mismatched wedding bands on my right hand...one is gold and the other platinum. When my partner and I committed to one another almost 31 years ago we exchanged rings, When he passed, I placed his on my right ring finger and capped it with mine in honor of the great life we had together. Not a month goes by when someone asks "WHY the 2 bands?" ...one more chance to speak Luke's name and honor our love.
My left ring finger bears an antique intaglio ring that had been Luke's and in his family forever...on special occasions I replace it with a Jeweled Byzantine band that Luke got me before he died...it's ornate, and probably over the top in most people's eyes, yet it isn't so ostentatious as to stop traffic.
Those are my classic signature pieces, as for other adornments, I got 'em, I wear 'em...great belts, a couple of chains and pendants, bracelets, and a few watches. how they all come together is a fine balancing act...one that i enjoy performing in my daily routine, and something that would not be swayed by anyone's disapproval.
I do like jewelry on men in a tastful way.My guy wears a garnet ring on his pinky finger ,looks good
ReplyDeleteJewelry on Men: As a Jewelry Designer myself, I really do not like more than just Cufflinks, a Watch (Wrist or - much more Vintage-Style - Pocket) and a Wedding-Band.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there a heirloom Ring with a big, but flat inlay - so what. Myself I wear one of those (but I'm a girl) on my Index-Finger. On Men it always reminds me of Don Vito Carleone in THE GODFATHER - way too much Mafioso.
As a male, I've worn Jewelry most of my life. I always have on my wedding ring, a fashion ring, a necklace and bracelet. I feel "naked" when I take my jewelry off. While many feel jewelry may be "taboo" for men, the right pieces and combinations can work wonders and add to the wardrobe. Tacky, gaudy and loud pieces do not work for me. Too much worn is a turnoff.
ReplyDeleteI have simple,classic and tasteful pieces with no flashy diamonds or designs. I never wear a pinky ring and no more than one ring per finger and one necklace and bracelet. I do have a collection of which I alternate a different piece every few days. I also prefer silver and stainless steel as opposed to gold.
Some people look great with tasteful jewelry on and others do not. It's more or less an individual choice.
My wife and I vacationed recently to Italy and most men wear a bracelet and necklace.
I agree with the less is more train of thought... Even if it's something more unusual, like an earring, piercing, less is usually more in my eyes. Easier to pull off, too.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's easier to pull off when the piece has some sort of significance for the wearer. Wedding rings (obviously), or - my brother-in-law wears a pendant from the Taizé community - they've been there with my sister and both have one - it's often hidden under his clothing, but even when it isn't, it's obvious it's a piece with a meaning behind it, and that somehow makes more sense.
And a funny and rather diconcerting thing I figured out while thinking this issue over: I don't like rings (especially bigger ones) on chubby older men's hands because it reminds me of an Asterix story where a corrupted Roman official poisoned someone and the poison was hidden in a ring - actually, he used all his rings to hide poison.
Hmmm, I mostly agree with you, the average man shouldn't really wear much jewelry. Some people can pull it off; pirates, 17th century French kings, eccentric art students, and those lords you see in movies who wear giant black robes and one great big golden necklace. But I HATE all that lumpy, shiny crap that rappers wear, it could be because I hate rap in general.
ReplyDeleteAbout the earrings, I think the one earring thing can work for some people, in The Breakfast Club for example, John Bender WEARS that diamond stud. But then, he also managed to look like a badass in a tweed coat.
Lawrence Gowan also carries off one earring quite well, Have you heard of him? Probably not. Look him up, he's amazing. In his music video for "Strange Animal" his earring was a tiny bone and it fit the scene so perfectly. He is also one of those guys who looks gorgeous in anything.
I can't give a specific yea or nay answer for this one, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
I hate jewelery on men, although some guys can pull off an earthy, leather-based bracelet look (Maybe Johnny Depp, but that guy can pull of anything. He's hot.) In general, I think earrings make men look like douches, and they shouldn't be done.
ReplyDeleteI cant believe how unbelievably sexist many of the women on this discussion are. Like saying how they will allow their partners to wear certain things. Imagine if it was the other way round and it was a man dictating what his wife should wear, there would be an outrage!... talk about double standards! Men - wear what you want, if you have a partner that wont allow you to wear certain things then get rid of them as they are horrible and controlling !! I wear what I please and if women dont like it then that's their problem and I'm better off not knowing them!
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