Men's Fashion: Wrist Accessories Beyond the Watch

A while ago, the man who wore more jewelry than a simple wedding ring (if he was married) and a classic watch (thank you, Grandpa) could have been considered effeminate, rebellious, perhaps creative, and in the case of sporting a ring of the familiar stamp on the little finger, somewhat ostentatious.

In the last five years, that has changed. In 2012, the sale of men’s accessories skyrocketed, led at the time by a new trend for men’s bracelets, arguably the easiest adornment to be worn (successfully) by modern men, according to editor Mr. Porter. in the US, Dan Rookwood.

From one moment to the next, it was no surprise to see any male wearing a ‘decorative’ bracelet that he must have bought during his last vacation trip. The earliest and most daring to embrace this trend replaced their Livestrong bands with a slew of bracelets that practically overshadowed their old Rolex.

What caused the tipping point? “The growing popularity of Instagram had a lot to do with it, along with the emergence of street style photographers and menswear bloggers,” explains Simon Spiteri of Mr. Porter.

“In the case of bracelets, in particular, what had been largely the exclusive domain of the Milanese and Japanese avant-garde suddenly achieved global diffusion and acceptance among men on the street. This spike spread even further thanks to to influential celebrities like Kanye West and Johnny Depp. “The minimalist uses simple metal. Metal bracelets go hand in hand with timeless masculine style. Its origin dates back to identity bracelets during World War II, also worn by big screen icons such as James Dean, Marlon Brando and, in a version for sale on MR PORTER, Paul Newman.

Those who vacation on the Riviera wears colored woven leather. Men are already very used to leather watch straps so a leather bracelet is a relatively easy step in the world of men’s bling. The Tod brand has been making their instantly recognizable leather bracelets in a variety of colors for years and they remain a safe option. Alternatively, this two-tone olive and mint leather option from Bottega Veneta also conveys an air of understated good taste.

The bohemian uses tiered beads. The beaded bracelets express a definitive statement: “I am a free-spirited traveler who likes to venture to exotic places and bring back ethnic-inspired memories.” Also: “I feel comfortable coming to the office wearing a look similar to Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean.” At one end of the spectrum, you can find these accessories at a market stall; At the other extreme is Brazilian jeweler Luis Morais, who produces cheerful pieces with a trippy-hippy vibe. On the other hand, Isaia –whose trademark is a piece of red coral– also brings an unexpected twist of bohemia to her Neapolitan tailoring with pink coral and lapis lazuli beads. Something very Italian.

The man of action uses cordoned off rope. The nautical look is a perennial spring / summer trend, which means you should wear a lot of Miansai rope bracelets every year. This Miami-based brand has anchored this part of the market with colorful nylon cord styles, versatile enough for all but the most formal occasions. Luis Morais also offers multi-colored beaded bracelets that would brighten up any outfit. These types of bracelets tend to fit a younger man and, when they stick out from a shirt cuff, reflect an active life – even if you just climb the office walls.

The rocker wears black leather studded bracelets. This is a very different form of identity bracelet, and it says, “I’m with the band.” This style is suggestive of a music fan and / or someone modern. The edgy designers in this category are Alexander Wang at Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and once again, Luis Morais. There is a strong sense of the gothic in many of these studded black leather bracelets, several have skulls and crucifixes incorporated into their design – as the wearer’s tattoos surely do.

The Urban Dandy uses as many accessories as possible. For the man who is very confident when it comes to all types of men’s jewelry, more extravagant and eye-catching bracelets are available, like this sparkling green woven leather bracelet from Miansai. The style is less important than the color that the wearer will use to capture the attention – especially that of Messrs. Scott Schuman, Tommy Ton or Bill Cunningham. Here, the bracelet helps to combine an outfit by highlighting subtle tones in the look or adding another element to an already carefully assembled outfit.