subject: Bangles, Charms, And More: Choosing The Right Bracelets For Your Look [print this page] When it comes to adorning your body, ancient civilizations knew what they were doing. As far back as 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians were wearing bracelets made out of natures materials. Today your choices of material are far broader, but the intent is the same. It finishes your fashion look.
Charm bracelet
If you want a bracelet that you can add to, consider a charm bracelet. You can start with as little as one charm on a link bracelet and then add to it as you are able or as special events occur in your life. Some people collect gold or sterling silver charms on every trip they take. Add an Eifel Tower after you visit France, a crown for England and a Big Apple for New York City. Some women add a charm for each of their children, pets or hobbies. The variety is almost endless.
As an alternative, you can also buy a link bracelet already loaded with charms. These charm bracelets have a set color palette or theme, such as the Sweet Romances Squirrels Harvest charm bracelet. A wonderful piece to wear in autumn, this gold-tone, double link bracelet holds an instant collection of colored Czech glass leaves and a squirrel, as well as an acorn and other leaf charms in copper and bronze. The toggle closure even has a green enamel leaf. The Squirrels Harvest harkens back to the 1940s when elaborate costume jewelry was all the rage. This is a bit daintier, but quite clever.
Another offering from Sweet Romance is its unique gold-tone Mother-of-Pearl French Dream Verse bracelet. Made in golden burnished bronze, the rolo chain bracelet has one large ring, from which a cluster of charms hang including a crystal leaf, heart and bead. Engraved on the large ring are the words oi vont les raves quand on les oublie? which translates to Where are the dreams when we forget? This is a truly romantic piece of jewelry. The bracelet is 8 inches and closes with an oversized Byzantine clasp.
Bangles
These are solid form bracelets, most often made of metal, wood or plastic. You will find them smooth, hammered, or even set with gems. They are generally narrow bracelets about an eighth or quarter of an inch wide. For this reason, you usually wear more than one at a time.
A very popular style of bangle bracelets is Cloisonne bangles, which often come in sets of several bracelets. Cloisonne is a Chinese process in which the bangles are decorated with crushed glass enamels in a variety of colors. They are fired and polished. The end product is an enameled jewel bracelet in which the colors are separated by polished metal wires. Wear a mix of the vibrant colored bracelets or just one or two for a subtler look. Each bangle measures 7 inches around.
Beaded bracelet
These bracelets can be as simple as loose beads strung on a piece of string or elastic or they can be much more elaborate, with multiple rows of beads woven together with small gems or gold beads.
A simple beaded bracelet to start with is the Cruz Stretch Bracelet, made with black Tourmalinated quartz and multi-gems with 18K Vermeil beads. Because it stretches, it measures 6 inches. The bracelet features six rough cut black tourmalinated quartz, one round cut dyed lemon chrysoprase, one round cut green fluorite and two pear-shaped black agate cabochon. It is a simple, but beautiful way to add some interest to your wrist.
With its triple strands of black obsidian, this Triple Strand Bracelet is a bit more intricate. Obsidian, created when lava cools rapidly, was used to create six nugget shaped beads, intermixed with sterling silver beads. The three-strand bracelet measures 8 inches and fastens with a magnetic clasp.
What size do you wear?
The standard bracelet size for a woman is 7 inches; 8 inches for a man. Of course there are plenty of other wrist measurements. To find out your size, wrap a soft tape measure around your wrist bone on your dominant hand. Then add 3/4 to 1 one inch to get your true size. Another option is to measure a bracelet you already own. If you are measuring for a closed bracelet, like a bangle, be sure to measure across the widest portion of your hand.
How to wear bracelets
Of course, you can wear just one bracelet, but it is sometimes more interesting to mix it up. If that is the case, following these rules:
Wear thick and thin bracelets together
Make sure the styles and colors are complementary.
Dont be afraid to mix old and new styles together.
Bracelets are one piece of jewelry that you can experiment with. You are not likely to wear more than one necklace at a time, but with bracelets you are actually encouraged to do so.
