The look: Arm candy

The start of summer means loose tops and bare wrists; it’s time to let your arm candy shine.  A bold blend of bangles can instantly up an outfit’s ante.  For a chic, put-together look, try one of these three methods suggested by michellephan.com:

Heavy Metal



It’s practically taboo to wear silver and gold together, but combining these metals on your wrist can be surprisingly fresh.  If you decide on more neutral tones, make your accessories bold. Layer gold and silver accents in thin and thick sizes. Spikes, leather wraps and watches will also take a simple outfit to a whole other level. Choose one metal as the foundation for your look and layer on a few bangles in that shade.   Add a pop of colour, then finish off with a bold piece in a contrasting metal.

Texturise



For a more bohemian feel, pile on the woven bracelets and playful patterns.  Nothing pairs better with bright braids than sleek metal, so add an industrial-inspired silver cuff (or two) to complete your look. If your outfit is colorful, accent your wrist with coordinating or complementary colors. Go for brights and pastels and intermix a few textures. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors that aren’t in your clothing either. As long as they are similar in shade or tone, your swag will be safe!

Watch It



For this look, make a bold watch the focal point and take it from there.  Play up the glam factor with gold accents, or tone it down with delicate beads – just make sure the embellishments complement the watch and don’t overwhelm it!

This summer is all about the arm swag. But if you just throw a bunch of bangles and bracelets on your wrists and expect them to look chic, you might find yourself a bit mismatched and sloppy-looking.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2014.

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