We’ve come a long way from a time when men wearing jewelry was something that was frowned upon by society, and the meaning behind the jewelry was misconstrued. Today men get to wear jewelry as much as they’d love to, and you really don’t have to worry about someone making inappropriate slurs in response to your style options.
Unfortunately, styling and even choosing the right jewelry is not as easy for men as it is for women, and in such times, getting some guidance on the choices of jewelry we can wear and how to accessorize with such pieces is very important.
To ensure that you are dressed exquisitely and accessorized right, this guide shares important tips and tricks that will guide you on how to wear jewelry right as a man. So, if you are thinking of adding one or more accessories to your wardrobe and you’d like to wear the jewelry with confidence, keep reading!
How to wear jewelry as a man (actionable tips)
In this section, we’ll be sharing some of the best practical tips that would be helpful to you when it comes to accessorizing with jewelry and doing so correctly as a man. But before we do, let’s first address some of the common misconceptions around jewelry.
Men have always worn jewelry.
Although men have been made to believe that they are not to wear jewelry, a look down history reveals that men have always worn jewelry. This is seen in depictions of men from Ancient Egyptian times and even the ancient Romans ad the Greek gods. Of course, the idea of men wearing jewelry seems to have faded, especially in the 20th Century, but this seems to be changing, just the way trends change, going in and out of style. History always repeats itself, and men wearing jewelry seems to be one of the things that is coming back and maybe even here to stay for a while.
The modern man wears jewelry almost as much as the modern woman, and though not all kinds of jewelry are acceptable for men in the office, the jewelry options selected and worn by men are, in many ways, pieces that describe who these men are. So, whether you wear jewelry for religious purposes, style, or to show off your hard work, the jewelry pieces represent the easiest way for you to show your personality and to set yourself apart from the rest.
So, how do you wear your jewelry as a man?
1.Buy pieces of jewelry that you like, pieces that you gravitate towards and easily connect with
At the heart of great jewelry is the feeling of appreciation for self. Anyone can buy and wear jewelry, but if you want to look and feel great in the pieces of jewelry that you are going to wear, you have to make sure that you have jewelry pieces that you love because they have elements that you connect with, and they make you feel more confident and connected to who you are.
How do you do this? Well, you should think of getting a number of versatile jewelry pieces that will be a nice, attractive touch to your everyday look. And if you are looking for pieces to wear daily, make sure that the ring, bracelet, or necklace you are thinking of buying will not have an overpowering effect on your outfit.
Keep in mind that the role of jewelry is to accessorize your outfit, and this means that it should add that nice, stylish accent to your weekend outfit without forcing you to actually splurge on the pieces you like.
At the end of the day, the selected accessory will be the perfect signature piece that enhances your appearance and style.
2.Invest in high-quality pieces
If you are looking to add jewelry to your wardrobe, the most important thing you need to do, after making sure that you invest in pieces that match your style, personality, and energy is to find high-quality pieces and that last long.
The best pieces of jewelry are the pieces that you can comfortably have for years and enjoy experiences or make multiple memories in without worrying about the accessory breaking or looking old and tarnished.
In many ways, good-quality chains, rings, or earrings become an important part of you because they literally go through the hard times with you – and this only happens with durable, high-quality pieces.
3.Rings, Bracelets, and Necklaces
Bracelets (and Watches) for men
The trendy way of wearing a bracelet as an everyday accessory involves choosing a bracelet made of material that comes in comfortable thickness. So, while the thick leather and metal bands were trendy a few years back, more and more people are an option for minimalist pieces, often known as refined bracelets. These dainty pieces can be worn on their own, but you could also layer one or more thin bracelets. You could, for instance, combine the simple cuff bracelet with another bracelet made of beads, rope, or leather for the perfect mix of textures. Avoid overwhelming pieces unless you want to turn your arm into an arm party of sorts.
And if you insist on the multiple bracelets, make sure that they all balance. At the end of the day, a single stylish bracelet will shine beautifully on its own, but for a bolder look, you can layer or stack a few bracelets, as long as your bracelets blend well with each other and they don’t look too heavy or distracting.
If you already have a watch on along with a wedding band, it’s ideal to only add just a touch of metal from the bracelet. Or you could tone it all down with a cord bracelet on your hand that is less busy.
You can’t go wrong with a nice watch, and you only need to make sure that you reserve your metallic watch for your suits and the sports jackets and the cloth or rubber (leather and canvas) watches for casual events/ wear. Now, although you will look perfectly put together with just a watch, you could take things up a notch by throwing on a bracelet or two. Like watches, bracelets come in different shapes and sizes, and they’re also made of a different material. The most common bracelets are made of leather, beads, or cord, and they look great when paired with a nice watch. Together, the watch and bracelet combo will leave you with a stunning combination that matches most of your outfits well. You can also dress up with this combo well, depending on the occasion you’re dressing up for.
If dressing up for a special occasion, pair your stone or beaded bracelet with your gold watch and a suit.
For a nice, beachy and relaxed look, you could wear your sporty watch paired with a braided leather bracelet.
And for a work/ utility look, just go with the braided bracelet and skip the watch. This option also pairs with your ring easily.
Rings for Men
There are different kinds of rings that are worn by men aside from the wedding band. If, for example, you like the idea of signet rings, you should wear this ring on its own on that one hand for a trendy and stylish look. This is because signet rings are statement rings that look great on their own, and you wouldn’t need to add more accessories to the hand with the signet ring. In other words, less is more, especially when it comes to the signet rings.
What about the width or the thickness of the ring? Well, if you are looking at the very thick and/or heavy bands, you need to know that such rings are uncomfortable and are actually outdated. Essentially, you cannot keep such rings on throughout the day, especially if your days are active. If you are typing, for example, the chunky ring won’t just feel over the top, but it will be distracting, both to the wearer and anyone else in the room. So, what’s the best ring for you? Well, opt for the minimalist-style and lightweight rings rings that you can easily forget you have on unless you receive compliments. The ideal ring size for a man shouldn’t be more than 4mm wide.
Necklaces for men
This can be a little tricky for most men, but when choosing a necklace, always make sure that you choose the minimalist pieces that feel like you. You also need the personal pieces that you feel connected to and can be worn on top of the shirt or even tucked, preferably, with a sliver of the chain peeking from around the neck,
The good news is that most of the modern necklaces for men are designed at just the right length, and the necklaces will hit the mid-chest, adding character to even your simplest outfits, from button-up dress shirts to t-shirts and jeans for casual wear.
Though tempting, you should steer clear of the thick and big necklaces, especially the diamond-cut chains. Often, the high-polished look for these necklaces is harder to pull off most men. So, you need to choose unique necklaces that are either simple or even too plain or ruggedly stylish pieces.
What about length and layering? If you plan to wear at least 2 chain necklaces, we recommend starting off with the 24-inch simple chain necklaces that are plain or with pendants, then layer that with the 22-inch smaller chain, also with or without a pendant. Such chains will add a nice twist to your outfit, especially if you wear t-shirts or are accessorizing with a sweatshirt. Also, you get to mix and match the complementary metals for a great feel and next-level style.
Common types of necklaces for men:
- Chain necklaces– these are the simplest designs for rings, and they boast the most classic necklace design, meaning you can wear the chain necklace with just about anything in your wardrobe. The length is quite important, though, and your best necklace options will fall right below the collarbone. Regarding the metal type, you want to choose necklaces made of metals that match your skin tone well.
- Dog tags– this is another common type of necklace for men. Though it’s ideally worn for medical and identification purposes, the dog tag necklace is also quite fashionable and is worn for style purposes by many individuals today.
- Chokers– this is a snug-fitting necklace that is often worn in some subcultures.
- Religious medallions– these necklaces feature the medallions on simple strand chains. They are mostly worn as a testament of one’s faith and mostly go inside clothing.
Earrings
Today, it’s no longer uncommon or weird to see men in earrings and suits. Of course, this wasn’t always the case, and most men would only wear a single earring at a time. This is not the case anymore, and an increasing number of men that wear earrings will have an earring on each ear.
If you are a man who’s into earrings and you are not sure about how to start, below are some of the best options for you to try:
- Diamond studs because they are timeless classics
- Small metallic stud earrings– these are the perfect minimalist pair for anyone who wants to add a dramatic flair to their appearance or style.
- Stud and dangle earrings– this is an earrings style that hit the fashion styling scene in the 80s, thanks to Elton John and other big names in pop music. However, this style is not for the faint at heart; you have to be bold to pull off this style. The best part is that once you are able to pull off the stud and dangle earrings look, you will, in an instant, transform your look from bland to boldly grand.
Other important considerations men need to keep in mind when wearing jewelry
4.Keep things simple
The rule of thumb when it comes to wearing jewelry will always be to keep things simple. You could start off with the simple, classic leather-strapped watch with gold, sterling silver, stainless steel face.
The quality of the watch is important, though, even with the simple watches, especially if you will wear the watch every day.
You can build up your jewelry options from there. Just keep in mind that you have to stick with the best quality pieces, whether you are buying cufflinks or tie accessories.
On keeping things simple, starting with simple pieces allows you to build upon your options with time because you get to grow with the pieces selected.
5.Consider your choice of metals and colors
Most of the jewelry for men is made of metals, but they are not always made of the finest quality metals. Even so, the best of men’s jewelry that you can invest in is made of gold and silver, although we recommend wearing jewelry in one of these tones, not both.
Not sure where to start?
- Gold is a warmer color that goes well with earth tones and browns, as well as deeper hues like hunter green and royal blue. But that is not all; you also need to make sure that you stick to one hue of gold because there are variations in the darkness and the lightness of the gold pieces.
- For a neutral feel, choose silver and silver-toned metals like the ones made of polished chrome or stainless steel. The silver and grays will not clash too sharply with many colors while also offering the right color contrast as gold. We recommend wearing the greys with dark gray or black clothing for a sleek and timeless look.
- Bronze and copper jewelry, on the other hand, come off as bold colors, but you can wear them with no restraint. But these pieces pair well with plain shirts and pants.
- Wear minimal jewelry with precious stones. A diamond stud earring would be enough in most cases.
- Turquoise is a bold color that is into the Southwestern or the western styles. Think a bolo tie, a ring, and a bold belt buckle with a collared shirt and pair of jeans.
- Wood and bone would be great options for you if you are into tribal pieces and will pair well with plain outfits in neutral tones.
- Leather, for example, in a bracelet or watch strap is a timeless option that looks great on formal and casual occasions.
6.Opt for meaningful jewelry
Again, don’t complicate things. Go for simple and meaningful jewelry options. Avoid the ostentatious styles, choose jewelry that is meaningful to you, and know when to wear those pieces.
Cool types of men’s jewelry
- Wedding bands
- Watches
- Blazer buttons
- Shirt studs and cufflinks
- Tie accents
- Lapel pins
- Belt Buckles
- Ethnic jewelry
- Military and Religious jewelry
Which types of jewelry should you avoid?
Though some men will still wear these kinds of jewelry, you should avoid jewelry like belly piercings, toe rings, anklets, grills, armlets, and engagement rings, among others.
Conclusion
Accessorizing and choosing the right kind of jewelry as a man can be a little challenging, especially if you’ve always been reserved.
But this does not mean that you cannot do it. All you have to do is to find pieces that match your style, and you’re comfortable in.
Don’t go overboard, and if you feel off with something new or bold, you really don’t have to try too hard. Also, you can always stick to the wedding band and classic watch combo if this works for you. And as you evolve in your style, you should always try to create a more cohesive style – you will look different depending on the type of jewelry you choose, few or many.
Minimal or over the top? The answer to this depends on your level of edginess in terms of your style. If you are more edge, you can comfortable get away with a bigger number of jewelry than if you are conservative.
Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.