Article Detail
02 Oct
The following is a condensed list of every piece of male jewelry I could think of; here’s a more in-depth look at the core pieces of male jewelry if you’re looking for more info.
Wedding bands – A common piece of jewelry for over half a century, wedding rings are normally made from gold, silver, and platinum and are simple in design.
Watches – A functional piece of jewelry, watches are as safe as wedding rings and acceptable to wear in all circumstances except black tie events (although this is an old rule followed by few). In general the simpler the watch, the dressier it is. A plain black leather strap and simple silver timepiece with Arabic or Roman numerals is versatile and classic. Metal watches are fine for suits and sport jackets, while cloth bands and plastic watches should be reserved for casual wear.
Blazer Buttons – When a man buys a blazer it normally comes with simple brass buttons. He then has the option to upgrade them to gold or silver buttons. Horn and mother of pearl are options here as well, but the key is the blazer jacket is clearly distinguished by the ornamentation of the buttons.
Companies such as Ben Silver have built a strong reputation thanks to their wide selection of quality blazer buttons.
Cufflinks & shirt studs – Cufflinks and shirt studs are functional jewelry pieces that hold the cuffs and front of a dress shirt in place, normally where buttons would have been. Shirt studs are most commonly associated with black tie attire, while cufflinks only require French or double cuffs. Metallic cufflinks made from precious metals in simple designs are the most formal, while any cufflink using a novelty design is more for fun around the office. Silk knots are a simple alternative to metals, and are a favorite with younger men.
Tie accents – a tie accent serves the practical purpose of keeping your tie in place. This is commonly accomplished in three ways: with a tie pin, a tie bar, or a tie chain. Tie bars are simple strips of gold, silver, or other metal that clip onto the tie horizontally and hold it in place using the shirt as the anchor. Tie chains serve the same purpose as the tie clip but remain unseen, while the tie tack accent is best avoided as it sticks a pin through the tie.
Rings – Rings come in a wide variety of forms: class rings, fraternal rings, championship rings, and decorative rings. As mentioned previously, wedding rings are always acceptable, but other rings should be worn with more caution in the US. Class and fraternal rings are in most cases acceptable, while championship rings are best left for celebrations with old teammates or fights in a back alley. I have many European friends that wear decorative rings; within their ethnic circles in cities like Chicago and New York this is normal.
How many rings can a man wear? My answer is as many as he can confidently pull off. For most of us this is one or two rings–our wedding ring and perhaps a university or fraternal ring. We’ve been raised in a society that frowns on showing off success and wealth in this manner. But there are many men–especially travelers and immigrants–who can confidently wear 3 to 5 rings and not come off as a sleazy used car salesmen.
Lapel pins – They can be ornamental, collectable, or reveal a group affiliation. Lapel pins have been around for half a century, although the recent headlines would make you think they originated from American politicians looking to display their patriotism. Their history actually lies with the USSR and China where portraits of communist leaders were worn to display loyalty. Nowadays pin designs come in all shapes, colors, and meanings.
Belt Buckles – In the American West, trophy belt buckles have been around since the 1920s, handed out to rodeo and other contest winners. Not practical for normal work wear (although some wear them when dressing up), they became more common in the 1950s as Hollywood influenced their demand and acceptance. The rules on wearing a western buckle are this: if it’s a prize buckle, you or an ancestor should have won it. Otherwise leave them on the shelf. As for western buckles in general–wear them if they fit your personality and meet your needs.
Bracelets – Decorative, functional, cause-related, and medical alert. Men of royalty have worn ornamental bracelets for thousands of years, but more common today are cause-related bracelets such as Livestrong, functional ones such as parachute cord bracelets, or medical alert bracelets with a man’s vitals in case he loses consciousness.
I personally feel a man should be very careful with decorative bracelets; cause bracelets are another story. Despite their recent overuse, I think if a man is a true advocate of the cause, they are great conversation starters that can lead to greater awareness. As for survival bracelets–well, I have yet to hear a true story of a man surviving on account of his paracord bracelet. But feel free to enlighten me in the comments.
Necklaces – Decorative, functional, medical, or religious. As a military man I wore my dog tags for 6 years–never really got used to it though as I’m not a necklace wearer. I know other men who love their gold chains, and wear them 24/7 even on the beach. Necklaces are an easy piece of jewelry to wear because they can be hidden under the clothing. Since only a sliver can be seen by others, they create a feeling of curiosity and can thus be a great conversation starter. As for length and number to be worn–less is more. Two is about the most I recommend. For length, at least six to eight inches above your navel is a good standard.
Earrings – The most accepted piercing for men. They have gained wider appeal over the last 30 years and nowadays do not garner much interest in large cities, although in smaller communities and conservative businesses they are still frowned upon by many. Ear piercings’ main advantage is that the earring can be easily removed if required for work.
Other Piercings – Nose, brow, and other. Facial piercing and the jewelry associated with it have not reached mainstream acceptance. There are cities (and cultures) where this type of ornamentation is normal; however, it is perceived by many in the US as a sign of rebellion.
Ethnic jewelry – As varied as the people of this planet, the key with wearing ethnic pieces is to remember your surroundings. What works in northern Thailand won’t necessarily fly in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. However, tasteful pieces such as tribal bracelets can help you stand out from the masses and help tell the story of your family’s journey.
Military Jewelry – Warriors have adorned their uniforms with pieces of medal and ribbon for thousands of years. If this doesn’t dispel the myth that jewelry is feminine, I don’t know what will.
Religious Jewelry – Prayer beads, rosary beads, Japa mala, medallion necklaces, and scapulars. Wear them in accordance with your faith’s teachings. And be respectful of the importance others place on these items even if you are not of their religion.
Jewelry to Avoid – Grills, anklets, toe rings, belly piercings, engagement rings, armlets………no,no,no, never, no, and no.
Wedding bands – A common piece of jewelry for over half a century, wedding rings are normally made from gold, silver, and platinum and are simple in design.
Watches – A functional piece of jewelry, watches are as safe as wedding rings and acceptable to wear in all circumstances except black tie events (although this is an old rule followed by few). In general the simpler the watch, the dressier it is. A plain black leather strap and simple silver timepiece with Arabic or Roman numerals is versatile and classic. Metal watches are fine for suits and sport jackets, while cloth bands and plastic watches should be reserved for casual wear.
Blazer Buttons – When a man buys a blazer it normally comes with simple brass buttons. He then has the option to upgrade them to gold or silver buttons. Horn and mother of pearl are options here as well, but the key is the blazer jacket is clearly distinguished by the ornamentation of the buttons.
Companies such as Ben Silver have built a strong reputation thanks to their wide selection of quality blazer buttons.
Cufflinks & shirt studs – Cufflinks and shirt studs are functional jewelry pieces that hold the cuffs and front of a dress shirt in place, normally where buttons would have been. Shirt studs are most commonly associated with black tie attire, while cufflinks only require French or double cuffs. Metallic cufflinks made from precious metals in simple designs are the most formal, while any cufflink using a novelty design is more for fun around the office. Silk knots are a simple alternative to metals, and are a favorite with younger men.
Tie accents – a tie accent serves the practical purpose of keeping your tie in place. This is commonly accomplished in three ways: with a tie pin, a tie bar, or a tie chain. Tie bars are simple strips of gold, silver, or other metal that clip onto the tie horizontally and hold it in place using the shirt as the anchor. Tie chains serve the same purpose as the tie clip but remain unseen, while the tie tack accent is best avoided as it sticks a pin through the tie.
Rings – Rings come in a wide variety of forms: class rings, fraternal rings, championship rings, and decorative rings. As mentioned previously, wedding rings are always acceptable, but other rings should be worn with more caution in the US. Class and fraternal rings are in most cases acceptable, while championship rings are best left for celebrations with old teammates or fights in a back alley. I have many European friends that wear decorative rings; within their ethnic circles in cities like Chicago and New York this is normal.
How many rings can a man wear? My answer is as many as he can confidently pull off. For most of us this is one or two rings–our wedding ring and perhaps a university or fraternal ring. We’ve been raised in a society that frowns on showing off success and wealth in this manner. But there are many men–especially travelers and immigrants–who can confidently wear 3 to 5 rings and not come off as a sleazy used car salesmen.
Lapel pins – They can be ornamental, collectable, or reveal a group affiliation. Lapel pins have been around for half a century, although the recent headlines would make you think they originated from American politicians looking to display their patriotism. Their history actually lies with the USSR and China where portraits of communist leaders were worn to display loyalty. Nowadays pin designs come in all shapes, colors, and meanings.
Belt Buckles – In the American West, trophy belt buckles have been around since the 1920s, handed out to rodeo and other contest winners. Not practical for normal work wear (although some wear them when dressing up), they became more common in the 1950s as Hollywood influenced their demand and acceptance. The rules on wearing a western buckle are this: if it’s a prize buckle, you or an ancestor should have won it. Otherwise leave them on the shelf. As for western buckles in general–wear them if they fit your personality and meet your needs.
Bracelets – Decorative, functional, cause-related, and medical alert. Men of royalty have worn ornamental bracelets for thousands of years, but more common today are cause-related bracelets such as Livestrong, functional ones such as parachute cord bracelets, or medical alert bracelets with a man’s vitals in case he loses consciousness.
I personally feel a man should be very careful with decorative bracelets; cause bracelets are another story. Despite their recent overuse, I think if a man is a true advocate of the cause, they are great conversation starters that can lead to greater awareness. As for survival bracelets–well, I have yet to hear a true story of a man surviving on account of his paracord bracelet. But feel free to enlighten me in the comments.
Necklaces – Decorative, functional, medical, or religious. As a military man I wore my dog tags for 6 years–never really got used to it though as I’m not a necklace wearer. I know other men who love their gold chains, and wear them 24/7 even on the beach. Necklaces are an easy piece of jewelry to wear because they can be hidden under the clothing. Since only a sliver can be seen by others, they create a feeling of curiosity and can thus be a great conversation starter. As for length and number to be worn–less is more. Two is about the most I recommend. For length, at least six to eight inches above your navel is a good standard.
Earrings – The most accepted piercing for men. They have gained wider appeal over the last 30 years and nowadays do not garner much interest in large cities, although in smaller communities and conservative businesses they are still frowned upon by many. Ear piercings’ main advantage is that the earring can be easily removed if required for work.
Other Piercings – Nose, brow, and other. Facial piercing and the jewelry associated with it have not reached mainstream acceptance. There are cities (and cultures) where this type of ornamentation is normal; however, it is perceived by many in the US as a sign of rebellion.
Ethnic jewelry – As varied as the people of this planet, the key with wearing ethnic pieces is to remember your surroundings. What works in northern Thailand won’t necessarily fly in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. However, tasteful pieces such as tribal bracelets can help you stand out from the masses and help tell the story of your family’s journey.
Military Jewelry – Warriors have adorned their uniforms with pieces of medal and ribbon for thousands of years. If this doesn’t dispel the myth that jewelry is feminine, I don’t know what will.
Religious Jewelry – Prayer beads, rosary beads, Japa mala, medallion necklaces, and scapulars. Wear them in accordance with your faith’s teachings. And be respectful of the importance others place on these items even if you are not of their religion.
Jewelry to Avoid – Grills, anklets, toe rings, belly piercings, engagement rings, armlets………no,no,no, never, no, and no.