Arm Candy

About the Author

Angie is co-founder of YLF and its resident fashion stylist.

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Arm Candy

— by Angie

on March 25, 2010

Bracelets and bangles are a year round thing. But they’re visually most effective in warmer weather when bare forearms and wrists create a perfect backdrop for the accessory. I see bracelets and bangles becoming more popular at retail level each season, and more people wearing them too. There is jewelry life beyond necklaces and earrings!

There is so much available in the world of arm candy that it’s quite overwhelming. From leather cuffs, metal cuffs, feathered cuffs and stretch bracelets, to enamel bangles, wooden bangles, bangle sets, charm bracelets, and beaded bracelets. There is no end to the variety of this jewelry statement.

If you like accessories with a quirky twist, bracelets and bangles seem to affordably offer that quality more than other jewelry in my book. It’s much easier to sport something unpredictable on your wrist than close to your face.

A studded pearl leather cuff, a peacock feathered wrist band, a bracelet set made of recycled Japanese newspaper and beads made of cake sprinkles, are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eccentric bracelet choices.

I am new to the world of arm candy and have precisely one style that I wear. It’s not an accessory that I am personally drawn to because it’s hard to find styles that fit my wrists. They also sort of get in the way when I pick up and cuddle our little dogs, which happens a hundred times a day. But I love looking at all sorts of bracelets and bangles and often admire them on others. Do you wear arm candy? If so, what’s your bracelet style? If not, do you think you’ll venture out into the world of arm adornment?

Accessories

45 comments · Add a comment

Amy

I am strictly a cuff kinda gal. I, too, have tiny writsts, so bangles constantly fall off and look a little ridiculous. I’m loving that pearl studded cuff — pyramid studs are a tiny bit too Judas Priest for my taste. Been there – done that!

March 25, 2010 at 2:15 am

Kyrania

Active Member

not me…i mean i LOVE the look but being a professional illustrator/animator AND using REAL paper both bracelets and rings kind block the flow of my creative energy….besides, if i happen to be inking a piece of art and move my hand across the fresh ink (i rotate the canves rather fast like a traditional animator) …well, a dangling object would most certaainly add unwanted effects to the art.

i tried wearing bracelets and rings when not working but then i feel as though i am being restricted and then it leads to a very uncomfortable feeling and i end up fiddling, twisting and playing with the bracelet or ring….

even wearing a watch gets me….so i use a pocket watch and chain.

March 25, 2010 at 2:28 am

Karianne

(website)

Active Member

I love big bracelets, but I usually don’t wear them to work as they get in the way (I’m on the computer a lot). But if I’m going out or dressing up for a party, I’ll wear them! I like to wear big earrings to, and since I feel that big earrings and a necklace would be too much, I’d rather wear bracelets and rings.

March 25, 2010 at 2:31 am

RebeccaD

I wear bracelets all the time and love them. My favorite is a slim sterling silver cuff bracelet, I wear that 3-4 times a week. I also cherish an ancient stretch ivory cuff bracelet that was my grandmother’s. Another new favorite is a $5 bangle that looks like turquoise but is really plastic – that’s going to get a lot of wear this summer. For me, I feel almost naked without a bracelet on my wrist.

March 25, 2010 at 2:37 am

lyn67

Yes. I have a single one piece of arm candy: a simple and cca. 1cm wide, dark brown, hand made leather cuff which I wear each day, and all the time/any occasion! (for more than 15 years long now).Wow, that may sound weird, but I wear it in the summer and winter, casual, or formal, even to the pool. It’s probably my statement piece. I think it goes with everything(in my book), and I feel so naked without it:-). It was a gift from a friend long time ago, nothing so special at all, but I think it’s so me! I will be very sad one day, if will wear out, cause I cannot find another one to replace it..(I tryed, but didn’t work..:-(()

March 25, 2010 at 3:27 am

Lisette

(website)

Active Member

My signature is a right wrist full of heavy silver chain bracelets. I even sleep in them! With my tank watch on my left wrist I have a sorta “Wonder Woman” thing going on. I used to wear a wrist full of silver bangles when I met my husband but one day he mentioned something about me sounding like a junk truck so I switched to chains they’re quieter -now I can sneak up on him! All of this is a hold over from my punk days when it was real chains and real junk, nobody else may get it but I look at my wrist and see the free-er spirit that I used to be.

March 25, 2010 at 3:30 am

RoseandJoan

Veteran

If its for a night out I love the effect of stacked bracelets, glass, jet and pearls combined, otherwise I prefer my arms to be clear. Bangles slip over my hand, my turquoise bracelet pings undone when I type and I’m always aware of having to remove them when washing up or changing the kids.

For that reason I love them because to me they are quite exotic.

March 25, 2010 at 3:48 am

JuliaInGermany

Active Member

I don’t often wear arm candy. I don’t like anything that is dangly or moves around my wrist. I find it uncomfortable and distracting. I do have a handmade silver cuff and a few elastic beaded bracelets but that’s it. I also don’t think my hands are such an asset and I don’t want to draw too much attention to them.

I like necklaces better and wear them well, so I rather put the candy around my neck than my wrists.

March 25, 2010 at 3:51 am

Someone

Like Lisette, I wear a “stack” of sterling chain bracelets, only on my left wrist. I started building this small collection (8 different chains) whenever I found one that was short enough not to overwhelm my 6″ wrists.

I have gone so far as to order a custom sized leather cuff from an Etsy seller because of my inability to wear most standard bracelets, and thus I miss out on the majority of arm candy. I can’t wear bangles…too big, they just fall off. Therefore bracelets are the last kind of jewelry I usually think of. I do have a few that work, of course…one of my favorites is a made of a mix of red and pink glass beads on memory wire, which gives the look of a stack of slim colored bangles from India.

Love the blue feather cuff in this post!

March 25, 2010 at 4:20 am

Dusty

(website)

Active Member

I have a small beaded bracelet that I wear infrequently, a beaded “mother’s bracelet” with my kids’ names and Swarovski crystal that I wear more often and a silver cuff that I acquired recently. I love the look of bangles but I can never find any that fit over my big hands and they do tend to get in the way with the kids.

March 25, 2010 at 4:39 am

malcontent

I like bracelets but rarely wear them. It’s almost impossible for me to find bangles that fit over my hands these days, as it seems like most stores are importing them from India or other places where the average frame size is very small. And linked bracelets seem to snag on everything. I would like to have a gold or bronze cuff with intricate cutout metalwork maybe. I think it would look good with light summer dresses.

March 25, 2010 at 5:47 am

greenglove

(website)

Veteran

I wear a bangle of some kind practically every day. I have found a few that come in small enough sizes for my wrist. Most are huge and fall right off. I love the look and wear them layered and singly. I recently found wide wooden bangles that come in small at H&M and bought one for each wrist which is a new look that I think is great for a symmetrical twist.
I also love wide cuff bracelets. I have been wearing this look since I was a teenager. I remember a bracelet that looked just like a slinky that I wore to death in high school.

March 25, 2010 at 5:48 am

Queen Mum

Veteran

I love the idea of bracelets, and usually buy one or two a season, but don’t end up wearing them much. It’s probably for the reasons others have stated…. they just seem to require too much fuss for daily wear.

March 25, 2010 at 6:04 am

Phoebe

Veteran

I like the look of bracelets and feel that something´s missing when I wear jackets with cropped sleeves or boyfriend blazers with scrunched sleeves. I wear all kinds of style: bangles and leather cuffs are my favorites, especially my very cool black studded Jimmy Choo leather cuffs:)

But: they are so in the way when I write something, and bangles even make it hard washing my hands…

March 25, 2010 at 6:07 am

Maya

Veteran

Like you, I can’t find a lot of styles that fit my wrists. They are always too big or they rub against my prominent wristbones, in addition to getting in the way when I’m on the computer (which is most of the day). I also prefer to wear a watch now. It’s true that they are better in warm weather, but the flip side is that cuffs in particular tend to be uncomfortable. I used to wear a cuffed wristband when I was in high school in summer, and it gave me a heat rash! I do admire them on others though and that peacock one in particular is gorgeous.

March 25, 2010 at 6:29 am

Sally McGraw

(website)

Active Member

I adore bracelets and have them in all styles. While I am drawn to both chunky cuffs and delicate bracelets, a middle-ground usually looks best on me. Something with drape that’s about an inch wide.

March 25, 2010 at 6:31 am

Rebecca

I dislike bracelets that jangle and rattle. Single cuffs are my favorite — in winter, an antique gold one and in summer a simple old Mexican silver one that belonged to my mother-in-law. I also wear bracelets I make from linen tape and old bone or pearl buttons. My next project will be to interpret that lovely leather and pearl cuff using buttons.

March 25, 2010 at 6:31 am

malcontent

I looked around and found an online store called Beachcombers that offers Indian glass bangles in different sizes. I might try them after I measure my hand. I watched their video and found that bangles are supposed to fit tightly and be a bit tricky to put on, which may be part of my problem. I’m a little nervous about forcing a bracelet on.

I wouldn’t wear so many bangles at once, but I could see myself wearing three or five with a summer dress in a complementary color.

March 25, 2010 at 7:21 am

Joy

Veteran

I have mixed feelings about bracelets. Angie, you opened my eyes to the value of wearing them (and a watch) to distract from sleeves that are a bit too short but common in the closet because a petite fits best in the torso. However, I wonder if they call attention to my hands, fussy bits that are not attractive because of large veins I’ve always had and can do nothing about.
I think one needs to give bangles or chains some time to get used to the feel of them on the arm. Once you do they are not a distraction. I have several bead bracelets and some bangles and am on the lookout for cuffs that don’t match but compliment each other to wear on each arm. Summer is my favorite time to wear bracelets because necklaces can feel too hot and heavy in the heat.

March 25, 2010 at 7:56 am

Vani

This post is SO close to my heart and style I am all about arm candy. It is hard to find bangles, chunky or not that won’t slip off my small wrists but most bracelets work for me and I have a huge collection. I would pick a chunky bracelet over a necklace anyday!

March 25, 2010 at 8:07 am

Donna

I love bracelets. Although I also have small wrists and have difficulty finding bracelets to fit, I’m always on the lookout for new and different ones. I searched for about a year to find the perfect sterling cuff and am glad I persevered. It is my “go to” piece now. I wear cuffs, bangles and chain bracelets and many times I layer multiples. Some chain bracelets can be modified to fit a smaller wrist if you’re handy with jewelry pliers and I always keep this in mind while shopping.

March 25, 2010 at 8:16 am

Anne B.

I love to wear bracelets and watches and have a collection of both(: If I wear a funky watch I usually skip the bracelet.

March 25, 2010 at 8:45 am

marianna

Veteran

Because I do not have a nice watch yet, I wear a bracelet to make up for it. I really like wearing big chunky bracelets, especially white ones.

March 25, 2010 at 8:59 am

SusanH

I have slim wrists too and I often have fit issues, but I finally managed to find a leather cuff on Etsy that fits well and helps make some of my more conservative outfits feel more relaxed and “me.”

March 25, 2010 at 10:04 am

Louise

Veteran

I have phases with bracelets/ bangles, currently i love sporting a leather studded cuff or 3 elasticated faux pearl bracelets which i made from an old necklace and sometimes i wear them altogether which make a real statement x

March 25, 2010 at 10:41 am

Louise

Veteran

Oh and how could i forget an elasticated bracelet made from strips of shell which i paid £1.99 for from a cheap beachside gift shop years ago!! which i come back to year after year

March 25, 2010 at 10:59 am

taylor

I have always worn bracelets and lots of them, from big stacked gold bangals to large gold chain bracelets with large charms. It has always been a part of my look , popular or not my wrists always have a few dangling from them. Over the past several years I added stearling too .

My clients are used to hearing my wrists jingle with bracelets as I work on their hair..”) They actually will ask me about a piece if I don’t have it on that day.

I also have a small wrist too, but you can buy good jewerly to fit a 6 or 6 1/2 in. wrist.

March 25, 2010 at 11:31 am

Mac

Veteran

I don’t have pierced ears and I don’t especially love necklaces (for a variety of reasons: I don’t like the feeling of having something around my neck, I think most necklines look best uncluttered, etc) but I think the look of one “important cuff” as the only jewellery is just stunning.

Unfortunately, I have a watch I don’t adore – lost my Cartier a few years ago and don’t have the heart to spend serious $ again on something I love – so my left wrist is now occupied by a gray plastic watch. I also wear a lovely old watch chain wrapped twice around my wrist; the fastening is so hard to do/undo that I just leave it on at all times. It’s a lovely old piece but more traditional/ delicate than what I’d normally wear; it was a gift from someone special so I wear it as much for sentimental reasons as for adornment purposes.

March 25, 2010 at 11:38 am

Antje

Veteran

Ooooooh, so pretty! I LOVE the one with the peacock feathers, would be nice to find something like this for a tenth of the price But the others are fun, too.

I wear bracelets and cuffs occasionally, but have far more earrings and even necklaces at this point. I have one relatively plain silver bracelet, and then I have a few that are “fun”, in that they are in bright colors and interestingly constructed. I’m not set on a specific style and have beaded ones, metal ones, plastic ones, and a wood one (but in color). As befits my overall style, I’m much more drawn to bright, funky designs than to classy silver or gold bracelets or to earty or boho styles, and I only wear wide/thick/chunky ones, nothing delicate. So the one with the cake sprinkles definitely caught my attention!

I actually have a polka dot one that I forgot to mention in yesterday’s polka dot comment It’s black (plastic) with just a few big white polka dots. Very fun.

March 25, 2010 at 11:43 am

yublocka

(website)

I have a couple of bracelets, but rarely ever wear them. I bought a cuff in China hoping that’d get me to start wearing more. It worked over there, but I soon put it away here and forgot about it. I wore it last night though after readingthis post! I also havea few smaller, layering bracelts that I was given by a friend and really shouldwear, because they are lovely!

March 25, 2010 at 11:43 am

Meredith

I reserve “arm candy” for special occasions because it gets in the way of just about anything you might try to do.

I do adore wearing lots of bracelets at the same time however.

March 25, 2010 at 12:09 pm

san

I just started wearing braceletes about a year ago. I actually prefer them, for now, peeking out from a shirt or jacket cuff, rather than on a bare arm. I might get over that this summer.

March 25, 2010 at 12:27 pm

Auburn

I recently purchased a very chunky and wide lucite bangle. Initially I thought it was sort of a statement piece, meant to be worn exclusively on its own, but because it’s clear, it actually is far more understated. With so many blogs and websites featuring “mix and match” jewelry, lately I’ve been experimenting with sandwiching it between several other bangles of different styles and textures. It makes for a fun look that is much more interesting than just the lucite on its own. And the combinations are endless! Plus, I must say, I love the sound that is bangles jingling and jangling together.

March 25, 2010 at 1:10 pm

Beth

Veteran

I have three bracelets and wear two of them regularly. My wrists are very small so bangles are usually out, but my daily bracelet is a child’s size silver cuff that I bought 20 years ago.

Maybe it’s time to branch out a little. :O

March 25, 2010 at 1:41 pm

KAVERY

(website)

Hi Angie
I’ve followed your blog for so long and thought now is a good time to write and say how helpful it’s been to me. Love how you breakdown trends and outfits.
I’m in two minds when it comes to arm candy. I love how they complete an oufit but not how they get in the way when I’m at work.

March 25, 2010 at 1:42 pm

Lori

Veteran

I love, love, love bracelets, and have quite a few that wear regularly. I haven’t had much luck with cuffs b/c I have super tiny wrists, and I haven’t found one that isn’t too big or bulky. Although I must find one like the peacock feather cuff above, OMG, it is too die for.

March 25, 2010 at 2:32 pm

Fathenry

I also had a hard time finding bracelets to fit my small wrists. I persevered and I’m so glad I did because I’ve found that they are a wonderful addition to outfits.

I’ve looked for small elastic bracelets that don’t slip off. I only wear them on my left hand above my watch so they don’t get in the way. I’ve also found that some decorative hair ties, of all things, actually work great as bracelets. I have one that looks just like an oversized pearl bracelet.

The adjustable cuff styles also work okay for me but are not quite as comfortable. I also keep away from anything heavy.

March 25, 2010 at 2:33 pm

Lynne

Like so many others, I have small wrists, but I love wearing bracelets. I have a charm bracelet full of meaningful charms (well, they are meaningful to me) that is a great conversation piece.

March 25, 2010 at 3:39 pm

Ingrid

I never used to wear bracelets as I found them impractical, but then I never used to wear rings much either. I’m a huge fan of bracelets now, but tend to only wear them when I dress up to go out so I have a few really beautiful ones. I don’t wear them during the day as I find they get in the way and get snagged on various things but I’m loving the look more and more. I also have extremely small and bony wrists and long arms so I have to be careful in my choice.

March 25, 2010 at 4:59 pm

JewelryGirl

LOVE ‘EM!! Daily I wear watch, traditional lobster style bracelet, and then usually a stretch bracelet &/or bangle on the left wrist. On my right handle I wear a very form fitting lobster style bracelet that contours to my wrist. I can’t have anything noisy on my right hand or that gets in the way when I’m on the computer or taking notes so the right hand I am very selective about what goes on my wrist. I always wear a statement ring on my right hand as well. I’m really a necklace girl at the core though! On the left hand I most always wear the same watch but change out most of my bracelets with my outfits – same as the statement ring on the right hand. A girl can never have enough jewelry!

March 25, 2010 at 6:17 pm

Laura

(website)

Veteran

Have tons of bracelets, and wore them much more than necklaces, until I discovered YLF and the statement necklace. Bangles rarely fit my small wrists (although I’ve actually purchased children’s bangles successfully!) so most of mine are chain or links of some sort. Hayden Harnett cuffs also work really well and make a dramatic statement.

March 25, 2010 at 7:11 pm

Lena

Like many other posters, I love bracelets, but find that my small wrists limiting. I have bracelets in various styles, both stretchy and solid, from jade, metal, turquoise and shell. I’m also thinking of adapting some too short necklaces next summer season.

I really like bracelets, especially bangles, but don’t wear them a lot during the day because I dislike how they interfere with typing and hand washing. So they mostly come out to play for special occasions.

Love the peacock cuff!

March 25, 2010 at 8:09 pm

mamark

I always have some sort of bracelets on, even if I’m not wearing other jewelry. I prefer to wear things in multiples, like bangles (in a variety of widths) or pearl strands or charm type bracelets. The only kind of bracelets I really don’t like are colored bangles – I’m strictly a gold, silver or pearl wearer.

March 25, 2010 at 8:27 pm

carmen

Ditto Vani!!My thoughts exactly.

March 26, 2010 at 6:43 am

Tanya

Veteran

I like bracelets in theory, but they just not practical for my everyday life. I have a couple of them that usually wear only if I am going out. That studded pearl cuff is awesome! Wish i could get my hands on that one…

March 28, 2010 at 2:47 pm

About the Author

Arm Candy

Recent Ensembles

Recent Trends

About the Author

Share this Post

Recent Ensembles

Recent Trends