One of the hardest parts about my job as an image consultant is telling my clients what they are ‘doing wrong’ when it comes to their style. Granted, they are coming to me for my expertise and advise, but this doesn’t make it any easier. My most recent client I’ll call ‘Dan’* ( obviously not his real name), came to me in a conundrum. He was not having much luck with the ladies, and I could immediately spot why. It was his inappropriate use of ‘man jewelry’.
Dan is a super successful lawyer in his early 20’s and looks exactly like a very famous sought-after celeb. He is very intelligent and has a great sense of humor and couldn’t understand why he wasn’t having any success with dating.
The first thing I did was sit him down and say; “I hope what I’m about to tell you won’t offend you. My objective is to genuinely help you. But the first thing you need to do is loose that thick, gold, chunky necklace-it smacks of Jersey Shore.” His response was: “I’ve never been to the Jersey Shore”. Oh- and that wounded look on his face! I told him that wasn’t the point…unless you have some connections to the Italian Mob- that crap just ain’t gonna fly. To make matters worse (for me!), his dear, old, sweet, beloved grandmother (may she rest in peace!) had given it to him as a gift just before she died. Yikes!
So Dan… this article is for you (and any other guy thinking of accessorizing). I have a few tips on how to best rock ‘Man Jewelry’…..You need to read this!
*name has been changed in order to not embarass the poor dude
Wear a Wedding Band
That is, if you’re married of course! Don’t be that guy that refuses to wear a ring….it can only make you look bad. Listen, in this day and age, you don’t have to be married if you don’t want to be….
Make Sure You Have the Time
The only accessory a man ever really needs is a watch. Men are expected to just ‘know things’, and the time is one of them. Wear a nice watch and chances are- you won’t need any other accessories. But to ward off gold-diggers, make sure it’s not too nice of a watch….
Don’t Be Afraid to Do Matchy-Matchy
When it comes to accessories, men often don’t want to look like they’re trying to hard. But matching up metals can make you appear very pulled together. A very stylish man I know has two wedding bands- a gold one which he wears with his gold Cartier watch, and a platinum one he wears with his platium Rolex. He also has different cuff links and belt buckles in gold/silver that corresponds. Sometimes his desire to ‘match’ is a little too obssessive, but he invariably looks stylish.
Go For Leather
As I told Dan, the gold chain was too much. When choosing necklaces or bracelets, mix in leather and you can never go wrong. David Yurman (davidyurman.com) and John Hardy (johnhardy.com) make some interesting bracelets and necklaces using leather. But save the leather accessories for your casual/weekend gear. They are not meant to be worn in the boardroom with a suit!
When in Doubt, Ask a Woman- Any Woman
Look guys, women have been accessorizing our entire lives. We’ve gotten somewhat good at it. So when you’re unsure about a certain piece, ask a woman whose opinion you trust.
Back to my client Dan. Every girlfriend of mine that had met him had the same opinion about his necklace (I’m on to something here!). He even admitted to me that other women had made snide remarks about his necklace, and he just thought they were being a bitch!
Less is More
I give this advice to my females clients also. A necklace or a bracelet…never both. Please don’t ask me my opinion on male earrings. I really don’t want to hurt your feelings. Go ask your mother about that one…..
Leave Your Religion Out of This
Accessorizing is all about expressing your style, not announcing which faith you belong to. Unless being labeled a ‘Guido’ is something you asspire to-leave the Crosses and Star-of-David’s at home. Believe me- this doesn’t make you any less of a Catholic or a Jew….I promise.
If You haven’t heard about Rockbands™, you’ve been living under a rock
Rockbands are super cool, handmade, one-of-a-kind leather bands favored by celebrities like Bono and Johnny Depp. They’ve been featured on Oprah’s favorites, E!, MTV, and Shark Tank. My friend Lee Dahlberg who makes them, says the rocks have special healing powers…added bonus! Personally, I’m thinking about getting Dan one for his next birthday. GET ONE and ROCK ON!
www.leatherrockbands.com
-Rebecca
The Guy’s Guide to Accessorizing
