If you’ve ever looked at our nail polish posts, you know I can be heavy handed—by which I mean I flood my fingers and wrists with bracelets and rings. It’s a lifestyle I adopted in my teens, after my mother gave me a silver bangle and commented that it would look great stacked with others. I interpreted that statement to mean that every single bracelet I owned—or would come to own—must all be worn together at once.
If my mom can’t convince you, check out the armored limbs of rock stars—the mismatched rings, the cuff bracelets (very Ryan Atwood)—and the stack-‘em-high-and-proud aesthetic of editors like Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele [10]. So break the rules, mismatch your metals, pair delicate pieces with heavy ones, and pile it on. Here's how:
Jennifer Fisher Brass Small Arm Cuff : With any sort of combination jewelry, it’s important to have a simple piece on hand (pun certainly intended). Jennifer Fisher’s open-ended cuff is a clean gold bangle to build on.
Maria Rudman Embroidered Leather Bracelet : These are like the adult, leather-and-pewter version of a friendship bracelet. No box-stitching skills necessary.
Campbell Knuckle Floating Ring : More is more, but that’s not to say you can’t get more with less. Campbell’s ring is a single piece that appears as two, hugging your knuckle on either side with a band of silver.
Monique Péan Diamond Stacking Band : The key to layering well is to throw one aspirational piece in the grunge mix. This diamond ring is up for the task, and, more importantly, its modern details keep it from immediately reading as a wedding band/engagement ring. Phew.
Loren Stewart Silver Shakti Ring : Want to feel a little bit dangerous? While I would never condone fighting, this Loren Stewart ring will make it clear to everyone that you are not to be messed with (à la Liz Giardina [8]).
P.S. Any jewelry story would be a failure without mentioning Catbird (based in Brooklyn), makers of the exceedingly popular first knuckle rings (I’m wearing three as I type). While they are available to purchase online, size is key, so if you’re in the area, a short train ride on the L is worth the trip.
—Elizabeth Brockway
