CHARM BRACELETS—RETRO OR NO-GO?

What little girl didn’t want a charm bracelet growing up? A piece of jewelry that allowed you to wear all your most prized memories on your wrist for all to see—the allure was obvious even when the finer aspects of long division eluded our understanding. However, one of the drawbacks of the charm bracelet was the very aspect that made it desirable—handcrafted charms that dangle from the main piece. While these charms mesmerized and enchanted its wearer they also snagged on to whatever was nearby. Yet, the charm bracelets are much like wine in that they get better with age, and also by adding a little something different to the usual recipe.

Charm bracelets get better with age because as refined and sophisticated jewelry owners, we now know that we can tailor any fashion trend to suit our tastes and our needs. Say you’re interested in the latest trends, like chains; you know now as an adult that you can add a few charms to your chain style bangles to make the piece your own. You also know that sometimes less is more—so instead of wearing all of your charms at once, you can instead switch out the charms you want to wear depending on the occasion.

Another benefit of owning a charm bracelet as an adult rather than as a child is that you will now appreciate the responsibility that goes along with owning a delicate piece of jewelry. Instead of running around the playground and getting frustrated every time you snag your charms in the jungle-gym equipment, you appreciate the care that someone put into selecting a charm that reflects your interests and passions.

Also, owning a charm bracelet as an adult holds the added benefit of being a potential jewelry tradition that you can pass on to your future children and grandchildren. Charm bracelets also seem to be the unsung favorite jewelry of the celebrity sphere. Oprah Winfrey is a self-proclaimed charm bracelet enthusiast, and Jennifer Aniston, Mary-Kate Olsen, Kiera Knightley, Victoria Beckham, and Kate Middleton have all been spotted sporting their own take on the classic charm bracelet.

These lovely ladies support the charm bracelet trend as a retro must-have. Bring on the charms!