When you think of a bracelet or a ring, the first thing that comes to mind might be something a bit more traditional: a thin band, pretty little stones, a nice ornate piece of jewelry that will accentuate and compliment just the right outfit. Well, that just won’t work for a lot of guys, now will it? The point I’m getting at today is that the small accessories, rings, bracelets, necklaces, even down to money clips, can be the final touches that take you from average joe, to smooth and polished looking man.
Now obviously when we’re talking accessories here, there’s a huge variety to choose from, and on top of that, you have to find what fits you in particular. The line between amazing accent and gaudy over the top bling can make or break a first impression. The rule of thumb is to keep it tasteful and keep it in measure. This isn’t BBQ sauce we’re talking about here; there is such a thing as too much. It takes your own eye to tell what exactly is going to work on you, but there’s a few things that can help almost anyone when looking for the perfect addition.
First thing’s first: materials. While that classic bracelet that you thought of might evoke an image of white gold or sterling silver, that’s far from what we’re looking at here. If you’re looking for something more rugged, more masculine, it’s as simple as thinking what materials reflect that. Given the situation, leather can be an excellent combination with steel to create a clean, yet rough and earthy look; nothing like jewelry that evokes the thought of cowboys and lumberjacks to make sure you’ve got the right feel. While leather can go either way depending on it’s use, there is one material I absolutely love in this application. Carbon Fiber.
Carbon Fiber is a weave of ultra strong, light, and resilient carbon threads and is commonly used alongside stainless steel as an accentuating detail. I mean c’mon, the stuff was invented for use by the military and aerospace applications; it doesn’t get much tougher than that! What makes it so great is the clean woven look, there’s no mistake as to what you’re looking at when you see the black pattern inlaid into a steel or titanium ring band.
Once you know what kind of material you’re looking at, it’s just down to letting your style roll. From sleek updates of a classic cross made of steel and carbon fiber, to a bracelet made of woven steel cables, you can cleanly toughen up any look or fashion. From the very top, down to the little things that make a difference, something as innocuous as a clean and solid stainless steel money clip can change an impression of you from being “relatively well put together” to an individual that really puts the effort and focus into every detail of their appearance.
Don’t skimp out on really driving home the point of who you are, as even the smallest bling will make a statement about who you are and what you represent to everyone that sees you. Who knows, maybe seeing those sleek accents will be what makes the difference in an interview or that date you’ve been aiming for.
