When is it acceptable for men to wear jewelry?

for women, jewelry is a given, wearable anytime and anywhere. But when it comes to men’s jewelry, the debate rages on. When is it acceptable and when not? If you want to add jewelry to your wardrobe but are concerned about looking overly feminine, try these simple rules of thumb:

Jewelry Suitable Occasions Jewelry

evening wear

If you want to dress for success, it’s important to match your jewelry to the occasion. For a night out, you can generally get away with a little more bling than on other occasions. If you love diamonds, gems and yellow gold, now is the time to bring them out. From pinky rings to chain link necklaces, your evening wardrobe offers by far the most flexible jewelry palette.

Casual wear

While wearing a diamond ring to the mall may be an enviable fashion statement for women, casual jewelry for men should be just that: casual. For relaxed occasions, try to keep your accessories as subtle as possible. When in doubt, avoid gemstones and luxury jewelry, but stick to earth tones and leather or wood materials.

Business attire

The right jewelry can be subtle and professional at the same time. Keep your accessories to a minimum on business occasions. For acceptable jewelry that adds a success-oriented touch to your business attire, check out cufflinks and button covers in silver, black, or gray tones.

What to wear

As appealing as “bling” jewelry may be to our magpie instincts, it’s generally more of an eyesore than anything else. In men’s jewelry, subtlety is key. If you use accessories with too many diamonds or gemstones, you risk creating an overly feminine look. Keep your jewelry subtle by choosing tungsten, titanium or white gold settings. If you want to wear diamonds, definitely wear them, but choose understated accent stones rather than large, flashy pieces.

What not to wear

Unless it’s a special occasion, try wearing two or fewer pieces of jewelry at once (your wedding ring is excluded from this count). For example, a huge faux pas in men’s jewelry is wearing more than one ring on each hand. When shopping, try to choose masculine stones like onyx, meteorite or black diamonds instead of the more colorful array of gems for women. Likewise, if you wear rings, avoid wearing watches and bracelets at the same time. While a watch, bracelet or ring alone can be masculine and attractive, the combination draws too much attention, detracting from your ensemble as a whole.

How do you make a masculine statement with your jewelry?

Jewelry can look actively masculine with the right selection of pieces. For a smooth, masculine look, choose pieces that are as simple as possible, with subtle geometric patterns or no design at all. Popular in men’s jewelry are tungsten, carbon fiber and titanium rings. Known for their tough and scratch resistant properties, these materials are both practical and attractive. For casual wear, simple wood-carved hangers on brown or black leather thongs are always a safe bet. For a unique touch, try buying a signet ring. These rings can often be personalized with your family crest or motto and have been worn as men’s jewelry for centuries.