Jewellery is a cornerstone of the modern fashion industry. It’s easy to see really upmarket items as the exclusive preserve of women. But the fact is that there’s a dedicated corner of modern jewellery whose aim is to cater to the needs of men.
It can be difficult to delve into this world for many men. If you’re looking at men’s diamond earrings, for example, then you might be unsure of how you’re going to adapt them to your look. This is where it can be useful to follow the example of a few prominent male celebrity trendsetters. If something looks good on them, then it might well work for you, too.
The History of Male Jewellery
As you might expect, the phenomenon of men wearing jewellery isn’t something that’s sprung up overnight. Neanderthals were experimenting with animal teeth and seashells. The invention of metallurgy opened the world of jewellery up to the ancient Egyptians, who viewed precious metal as having supernatural qualities.
By the middle of the 21st century, things had evolved considerably. At the time, it was just women who tended to wear wedding rings – but after the second world war, men fell into the habit, too. The counterculture and hippy movement of the 1960s led to more ostentatious, long chains and pendants, which turned into Mr T-style gold by the mid-70s. Today, men’s jewellery is more diverse than ever, being available in more forms and styles than ever before.
Harry Styles
In the world of fashion, Harry Styles is known for his bold collaborations with major fashion houses, in particular, Gucci. Greeting fans in colourful suits, high heeled boots and jewellery; most notably rings and pearl necklaces. Styles has been praised on many occasions for his willingness to blur gender boundaries.
Shawn Mendes
This chart-topping musician takes a fairly low-key approach to jewellery, preferring beads and pearls layered to precious metals. Those wishing to ape this style might restrict themselves to two necklaces.
A$AP Rocky
Hip-hop behemoth A$AP Rocky is notorious for taking bold, risky moves. This isn’t something you’ll want to try to emulate directly. Instead, take his approach to jewellery in small doses. A few choice rings and earrings won’t look quite so blingy when your main outfit is bold and striking.
Machine Gun Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly is perhaps best known for drinking Megan Fox’s blood and for picking fights with vastly more successful musicians. When it comes to jewellery, he’s toward the more maximalist end of the style spectrum, favouring chain necklaces and the like.
Pete Davidson
American comedian Pete Davidson has recently been named the face of H&M menswear while dating Kim Kardashian. So, life is looking fairly rosy for him. He’s also been named the ‘king of kooky jewellery’ by GQ, thanks to his penchant for wearing necklaces of basically every kind available.
