Face it fellas. Unlike many a male in the animal kingdom, those of us Homo Sapiens with a Y chromosome are expected to keep our personal-bling-level pretty low. And most of us don’t even bother with anything more than a wedding ring & watch. But some men push it further. In general, the less functional and more purely decorative a piece gets, the more difficult it is to be taken seriously as a man while wearing it. There are, of course, exceptions. What works on some won’t work on all. The scale below moves from easiest to hardest to pull off. Additions and feedback go in the comments. Above: one of the greatest photos ever taken in the White House.
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Eh you’re too generous…
Watch with stainless steel/leather band + super bowl rings + wedding rings = Okay
Everything else = feminine/I’d make fun of you if I saw you at a bar.
One non-wedding ring on opposite hand, gold watch with gold band (if you’re over 50), small gauge metallic necklace = Okay.
Big metallic cufflinks, non metallic necklace (unless you’re 14), stainless steel ball style necklace, multiple non-wedding rings = Not okay
Super Bowl or World Series ring = Always okay. Both can go right next to the wedding ring on the list in my opinion.
….. unless its a puka shell. I remember the day that I wouldn’t leave the house with out my puka shell necklace and my Doc Martin sandals….. poor misguided youth
I met Joe Gibbs last week. He offered to let me wear his super bowl ring. I respectfully declined explaining that I didn’t earn it so that it’d feel weird. I am not worthy.
I’m disappointed that you consider the pocket watch so gaudy, I’m a big fan!
This…this is awesome. Thank you.
yeah cuflinks are tie bars so feminine
Never said it was gaudy Kenneth. It’s just more difficult to pull off for us in the masses. Not everyone can wear a pocket watch without looking costume-ish. It ain’t easy, but yes, absolutely some guys absolutely can carry with them an heirloom and it works.
A crown? Is there a story behind that selection?
I wholeheartedly disagree with the placement of ‘crown’ on the scale
haha, good catch. I think I’d add tie bars and cuff links (not flashy ones, anyway) to the above “okay” list. Besides that, yeah. Rish is pretty much spot-on.
Agree with the Super Bowl/World Series rings. If you’ve earned them, I say wear them everywhere. If you didn’t earn them, leave them in the clear plastic display.
I could use some pocketwatch guidance because I do have an heirloom watch that I would love to be able to take out of the house some times.
What about college rings? …. Assuming they’re tasteful of course. None of those Super-Bowl-esque college rings.
Goes well with tweed, especially a tweed waistcoat
The only people I’ve ever seen wear those are salesmen
While I do agree here JC (obviously), I would say that combination could be tough to pull off without looking costumey. Obviously there are ways to modernize a tweed vest, but adding the pocket watch is a tough without looking like a hipster, IMO.
I don’t get why any man gets his ears pierced. It strikes me as automatically unprofessional looking and like a symbol of rebellious immaturity. There are exceptions, but it just seems like people put on either pinky looking earrings and don’t really sit well in the professional world, even off duty, or they put in diamonds and look like they are trying to be ‘fresh’ and flashy because everyone else does it. I don’t mind my few friends that do have them, but I can’t say I think it improves their looks at all.
Not a fan of necklaces either. There aren’t many icons for me that had necklaces.
I would say wedding ring, watch, cufflinks, tie bar, and that’s it. Anything else is not common and will look out of place in similar fashion to a fedora. It is just costume, trendy, or over-styled by today’s perception of common classic looks.
Or so I think.
Every day I wear my wedding band, either a leather or stainless watch and my silver chain with a Crucifix. For suits and other tie occasions I will wear a tie bar and cufflinks.
Missing from the scale: Bejeweled wedding ring. I find these very hard to pull off.. and you’re stuck with them long term.
I live in Texas, and the big college ring is a bit of a standard in the good ole’ boy crowd. Especially if it’s from UT or Texas A&M Law. I have no problem with the thin metal necklaces, especially if they’re subtle religious symbols, worn under the shirt.
My max is usually a wedding band and either a stainless or leather strap watch, with a pair of small silver cufflinks only coming out for special occasions.
My general instinct is to avoid gold (or fake gold) in watches altogether. For instance, the gold on this watch is pretty modest, but I still wouldn’t be sure how to pull it off. Does the color of the watch bezel have to match the belt buckle, or can it be worn with a steel belt buckle?
http://orientwatchusa.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/250×375/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/d/b/db08003w.jpg
I like sports as much as the next guy, but championship rings (Super Bowl, World Series, etc.) are ridiculous as far as wearable men’s jewelry goes. Sure, they’re cool–as trophies–but let’s leave them in the display case unless taking a team photo or shooting the cover of ESPN magazine. The same goes for class rings (high school (lulz), college, etc.).
1. I’m a little surprised how low you’ve made non-metallic bracelets. Especially considering how much they floating in the fashion and casual and tv/movie worlds. And no, I’m not talking Livestrong rubber bands or Depp-like loads of bracelets, but rather a fabric or leather strap or two, or single wrap.
2. A Super Bowl ring is about as ridiculous as wearing your high school/college ring. Agree with Justin up above. I actually really dig a right-hand ring or two, but nothing gaudy
3. It’s hard to rate earrings, since they tend to be a more personal statement. Barring gaudy diamonds and high gauge holes, a ring (not a stud) here and there isn’t that bad by default and has become much more acceptedsince 1992.
It’s really just all about looking pulled together and solid, rather than gaudy and immature.
A nice understate ring looks nice. Besides which, you can always take them out during the workdays (I do). And there’s nothing wrong with having a past that did include rebellious immaturity.
Actually, I think you hit on a truth in there, “…but I can’t say I think it improves their looks at all.”
The staples (watch, tiebar) can improve your look, but some of these other things are just flavor and personal touch. It’s hard to fault people when it doesn’t look awful. As long as it’s not jarring and out of place or looks like they’re trying too hard. My earring, ring, and bracelet don’t make me look better, but I will say I get compliments (ladies usually, but guys too) or comments on each of them over the years. Moreso my bracelets.
Not sure anyone has thrown a compliment about a Livestrong bracelet…
I found it interesting that cufflinks (silk, small metal or big metal) were viewed as more feminine / harder to pull off than a tie bar. Casually, probably right, but I feel as though I’d get laughed out of the office with a tie bar on, whereas cufflinks are seen as perfectly acceptable (wearing full suits every day).
Or worse, Aggies. 😉
That’s a joke — they’re sort of big in Texas generally, but otherwise I haven’t seen much of them elsewhere.
A&M doesn’t have a law school. Otherwise, no concerns. Didn’t see this comment before posting above — same idea.
Way I look at it is it’s a balance of masculinity vs femininity. The more “manly” a dude looks, the more they can get away with. Specifically, the bigger he is, more muscular, and generally hairier, the more he can get away with. Although he runs the risk of looking like some sort of role actor. Also seems that the darker your skin the more you can get away with — and this is coming from a white guy. White guys can’t do much with jewelry.
You’d make fun of “feminine” guy in a bar? What century is this?
While it’s not jewelry, per se, I consider my founain pen to be a bit of bling tucked into my shirt pocket. It’s nothing fancy at all – a black Kaweco Sport with a gold-plated clip that cost less than $30 total – but it matches my gold wedding band and my gold 1950s Elgin watch so I think of it as a very useful form of jewelry that’s fun to have. For an additional bonus, old people love talking about the fact that they don’t see many younger people using fountain pens anymore, so it’s got that going for it…
Whoop!
Thank you for this (sincerely). Good lord.
david beckham.
Wedding band (gold) with a subtle diamond, small ring on my right pinkie finger, often a gold watch with gold band (yes – I’m approaching the age demographic referred to above!), usually cufflinks (I used to buy antique chairs at auctions – cufflinks are much easier to collect), never a tie-bar, no necklaces, no bracelets, no toe rings!
Good point. But, contrary to some people’s thoughts, there’s not much confusing him for a woman.
My word, that is a spectacular photograph.
Getting my Aggie Ring in 15 days and am super pumped!
I wear a white gold wedding band on my left hand, a stainless steel engagement ring on my right hand (obviously got this one first). Often a watch which is either leather band OR citizen eco
My Burger King crown is always a hit at black-tie parties.
In my opinion, it’s safer on my hand than in a display case. If it’s got nicks and cuts, it’s even further proof of ownership and adds to the value, IMO.
I wear very simple, functional glasses (spectacles). A gaudy or over the top pair of specs can look ridiculous.
So, where do championship belts (WWE/MMA/WBF, etc) fall on the scale. If I was badass (or fake badass) enough to have one, I’d be rockin’ it all day, every day.
Skull rings are not included?
My wife has always said that “you can never trust a man who wears a pinky ring”, and she might have something there. I only wear a tungsten carbide wedding ring, I am left handed and any other material just has not held up. I have no issues with cufflinks or tie bar/clips, and ear rings should only be worn by pirates. These days watches are becoming less and less functional, so they have become a non issue for me.
I have a couple of nice pocket watches that my father gave me. I only use them for special occasions that i would dress up for. On the other hand I regards to my father, he buys pocket watches off the Internet and fixes them as a hobby. He usually wears one all the time, but they are not flashy and the same for the watch fob he uses on his belt loop. One thing that my father always instilled to me in topics like this, and I always thought it was great advice was this saying, “Its not the watch that makes a man, it’s the man that makes the watch. But I do agree with the author in the sense that there is room for a person to go overboard. Hope this helps
One thick metallic (silver) bracelet is ok as is a non-wedding band as long as its silver and not worn on the pinky.
The 21st. Yes, we still make fun of feminine men. Because they aren’t acting right.
I think a plain pocket watch can be added to the list of OK. I feel like, since it’s actually less decorative than a regular watch, yet still has the same function, a pocket watch is pretty masculine.
Also, I agree with b612, though tie bars are a bit much. They don’t serve much of a function…
Bunch of madmen wannabes and corporate conformists. What about brass knuckles? Grills?
You, good sirs, are no Flava Flav.
tie bars are really functional- people in uniform often wear them, or wait staff so that ties don’t drape into food.
french cuffs are definitely less functional
West Point class ring?
Military rings = always okay.
Hiya Chap!
Speaking as a girl this is how I’d rate the list:
Yes: No:
Watch with leather strap Watch with metallic strap
Pocket watch (with waistcoat) Any kind of cufflink or tiebar
Wedding Ring (unless it’s a really formal occasion)
Earring simple loop or stud (in one ear only) Any flashy ring
Single drop natural pearl earring Any necklace/chain worn outside the collar
(think Elizabethan Gallant) Any gold coloured bracelet
Simple silver (torc) bangle Puka shell (not ethical for one thing)
(very nice on a lean tanned wrist)
One item with personal meaning on a slim
chain or leather thong
Tie pin (simple is best)
Non metallic bracelets – only on very
young eco-warriors
Crown as badge of office: yes. Crown as bling: no!
Mangagement rings? Really? Yikes!
Silver beats gold every time – gold usually looks tacky unless its antique.
Remember the golden rule – you wear your clothes (and jewellery) they don not wear you. if you don’t feel that an item complements or enhances the person you are then don’t wear it.
Cheers guys!
I’ve always wanted a crown of some sort
The general advice is to keep your outfits to one metallic hue when it comes to jewelry, so if you’re wearing a watch with gold on/in it, don’t wear a steel belt buckle.
Though, at the same time…who really cares?
A lot of what you’re referring to is actually just all in the mind. What a person can “get away with” depends on their confidence and how they carry themselves, not on their skin tone or how much hair they have.
And I would imagine that a more feminine man would more easily “get away with” jewelry than a more masculine man.
When you spend all day long at a keyboard, I think the sound of your watch band bouncing off the desk a few thousand times a day is distracting. I’ve carried one for years, and they make a leather pouch to fit most watches. Usually it starts some conversation. The watch I found at Stauer, the pouch Ebay
Stainless steel ball necklace = no
You’re kidding, right? It’s 2014 and there are no ‘rules’ about what a man can or cannot wear as far as jewelry is concerned. It is just like anything else – you can wear it if you are man enough to carry it off. How do you know? If it bothers you, don’t do it. I did enjoy the article, thought, a very adroit turn of words.
How about a simple, modern pocket watch in the front pocket? No fobs, watch pockets, vests. etc. I guess that’s a different option than what you’re addressing, obv. But I like the actual object, the crafting etc. Then it’s not really a fashion piece anyway which is what you’re addressing. But that’s an option.
I used to really like silver and gold bracelets just for the actual material of it, not the fashion/coordination/statement etc. The strength, the shine the fact that it’s a material that has driven the world, that resists tarnish. It’s royal while also calling up some ageless adventure. It could be that one possession that rides the river with you for life and is there at the end. Your piece. It’s always good to look at a strong, figaro-link silver ID bracelet. It’s just a strong possession that you’ll never tire of looking at from time to time.
Yet, when you see someone else wearing that kind of glitter you immediately think they’re a cheeseball or worse. It’s troubling because I want to wear one for my own sake but I’m way too aware of how people regard it, because I do the same thing. I just think of guido sleaze or some kind of hip-hop a-hole. Troubling.