Could a man wear a charm bracelet?
Should he?
I'm leaning toward yes. I mean, it's 2016, right? This may be my next fashion hurdle.
Today I visited the Chelsea flea market with my friend Johanna and, happily, the market seemed more vibrant than it has in many a month: lots of vendors and lots of shoppers. I wasn't really shopping for anything in particular; my vintage sewing machine habit is currently under control. But I still like to go just to see what's out there.
Among the highlights I saw today: stacks of vintage Fifties issues of House Beautiful and Better Homes & Gardens magazines...
A storage box full of deadstock doll heads....
Vintage dress patterns. I was tempted, but there were no true must-haves.
A basket full of antique patchwork and quilting squares.
A Seventies Kodak Instamatic camera. We had one of those; maybe you did too.
Cute salt and pepper shakers.
Cool-looking optical equipment from who-knows-when. Very steampunk.
Johanna, an on-again, off-again doll collector, found this German china head doll and decided to purchase her. She's on-again!
I thought this vintage Haeger leaf serving dish was pretty, but I passed: I have too many ceramic knick-knacks as it is.
These days I find myself drawn to 1) vintage men's hats, especially felt fedoras; 2) silk pocket squares, preferably vintage Italian or French, and 3) old silver bracelets. Speaking of hats, today I wore my shantung Stetson, a few silver baubles, my waxed African print shirt, and my checkerboard Vans. I felt quite spiffy!
After the market, Johanna joined me, Michael, and my Mom for brunch. Johanna brought a homemade peach pie she'd baked -- delicious.
The summer is winding down fast, alas. Before you know it -- winter!
In closing, are you the charm bracelet type? Are they still something women wear?
Have a great day, everybody!
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Well, if such a thing is possible, that was a very butch charm bracelet. But what a great day altogether! I'm mad for that shirt, you know...
ReplyDelete...and now I want pie.
ReplyDeletebtw... a big fat yes to you wearing a charm bracelet!
Love bracelets, but they get in the way of sewing! Yes! & You rock that wax print. I think husband needs another...
ReplyDeleteAh...a flea market in the Fall! Loved seeing all your photos, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAs for the charm bracelet, sure why not? But the fun of a charm bracelet is starting from scratch and collecting your own charms for being gifted charms little by little. Then it really becomes a uniquely "you" piece of jewellery Think about all the fun you could have while hunting down charms at future flea markets!
Where does one even purchase charms these days and who attaches them to the bracelet?
DeleteJewelry store. Look for a place that does repairs, and that also sells reconditioned older pieces. They're sure to have some charms. I go to Gregory's on South Elm in Greensboro, NC. He does some custom work, too.
DeleteEbay for vintage. Etsy also. Like the male charm bracelet concept.
DeleteMy mother-in-law has just given my daughter her old, gold charm bracelet. Although she never wore it, it held great sentimental value for her. My pa-in-law had given it to her on the first day of their honeymoon over fifty years ago. In each country they visited, he bought a charm, including a gun from America, a double decker bus in England and a bidet in France. The first charm on the bracelet was a ram, meant to represent my pa-in-law - he was in wool and jokingly saw himself as a prize ram now chained to a good woman. My daughter loves the bracelet as it reminds her so much of her late grandfather and his naughty sense of humour
ReplyDeleteYes, men could/should and hopefully WOULD wear charm bracelets. I sat on the Metro this week next to a very dapper gent with a cane covered in "charms" - mainly hiking certain trails type insignia - and he could not have been cooler. A bracelet would be great and less likely to trip up passers by.
ReplyDeletececi
Not into charm bracelets for anyone, myself. Re thr typewriter photo, there was a very amusing video on facebook/buzzfeed something like that, a little while ago that had modern under 10yr olds being shown things like typewriters, bakerlite telephones, walkman machines and the like. They had no idea, but it was very funny!
ReplyDeleteShe bakes...PIE!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe crust appeared Johanna-made.
It was!
Deletei love charm bracelets, especially delicate ones, they suggest travel and culture and they look so cool and bohemian (i always wanted one as a kid). I'm not so fond of the newer pandora ones though, all the charms being so identical doesn't quite feel like it's in the spirit.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. They seriously try way too hard to sell the "Pandora Lifestyle", and it seems overly commercialized and sterile to me. For some reason my family is really into Pandora. It's weird because my mom gave me her old charm bracelet from forever ago and the charms are so unique and full of various life stages. There are a number of artisans on Etsy who make charms
DeleteDon't see why you wouldn't wear a charm bracelet. The proportions are large enough to suit a male wrist.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, charm bracelets are still madly in, or really-expensive-bead-bracelets, which you may put down as a trend I find baffling. Oh sure, bead bracelets are fab, but why are you spending that much per bead?
I have a gold charm bracelet that had belonged to my grandmother. I love wearing it, although normally reserve it for occasions. Apparently it was the bracelet my grandmother would wear when she had parties/dinner parties at her home and around the holidays.
ReplyDelete< gasp > That doll's head with the molded pony-tail is Cindy Sue, my first dolly! I was born in 1958, so you do the math.
ReplyDeleteI have three charm bracelets, one new, two older, probably from the 50's. I have seen a man wearing one, but it was definately more industrial and looked great.
ReplyDeleteVery cool stuff! I also have a gold charm bracelet, that was a gift from my aunt. Each birthday for several years she added a new charm - they're mostly large pieces, like a baby grand piano with pearls and beads for keys - and legs that always catch on things - so I never wore it much, but I treasure it. Have you seen the leatherman tool bracelet? A sewing friend of mine wears one, she says many of the little tools are sometimes helpful.
ReplyDeleteI say yes, wear the charm bracelet!
ReplyDeleteOooh, Peter. Make sure to check the background in your photos. The first thing I saw in your wax shirt photo was the word "Dumbo" on the moving van......
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of a charm bracelet. Maybe reconstruct one from your findings at the flea market to make it your own.
I think you should wear it if you like it. I have a very nice chunky man's ring that belonged to my dad. I mean very nice. I wear it every Sunday to church and it only fits on my pointer finger, with a guard. I refuse to have it made smaller. It may look clunky but I like it! And I do still have my charm bracelet from back in the day. Just looked at it recently. Not all that many charms on it, but now thinking, why not start adding to it? I think it needs a sewing charm!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a man's charm bracelet. I wish I could find something as cool as that optical equipment, though, being a steampunk aficionado. Your shirt is by far the best thing that anyone at that flea market saw, though.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has a bracelet started by my dad when they got married in 1957. A shoe for each child (5 in total), an airplane (he was pilot), an anchor (in the navy), something from each state they moved to... it means a lot to her, and to her kids.
ReplyDeleteThat bracelet kind of makes me sad... so many memories end up in boxes at flea markets. I think if I found a charm bracelet that aligned with my life I'd be tempted, but otherwise... probably not.
What I'd be more tempted by are all those vintage patterns! I'm a patternaholic!
Why not? I think it would be cool looking especially if the man likes the individual charms. You could make up a story about it....
ReplyDelete