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Gone are the days when bangles were worn with traditional outfits. IF in 2009 long and beady necklaces overtook the hegemony of the chandelier earrings, this year they have been gladly elbowed out by bangle stacks. Bangles (the word having been derived from the Hindi bangri or bangali, which in Sanskrit means the ornament which adorns the arm) have become a fashion statement today.
Indian bangle jewellery is clearly the flavor of choice in the West, and also the designer’s choice from the world’s hottest designers. Gold bangles hold a ritualistic significance, appropriate for religious or festive occasions, informs Priyanka Krishnan, a bangle designer, and adds: "Glass has an all-purpose, everyday use. By and large, we work around convention and religious practices with a touch of the modern. After all, bangles also hold great sentimental value to Indian women." Bangles today are available in innovative patterns, colours and materials at prices that suit everyone. You can have bangles for as little as Rs 10 from a vendor or shell out an exorbitant amount for a designer’s version sold at an exclusive store. Think of tradition and custom, and the first thing that comes to mind are the glass bangles, which are considered more auspicious than those made of gold or silver. In Bengal married women wear red and white bangles. The white bangle is artistically crafted from conch shells. The red is made from coral or lac. Both are symbols of matrimony. In Gujarat the bride receives an ivory bangle from her family just before the marriage ceremony. The saptpadi (seven rounds around the sacred fire) cannot be performed if she is not wearing this piece. Rajasthani brides wear ivory bangles on their arms and forearms, right up to their shoulders. In Punjab the bride is given slender and delicate red and white bangles in ivory in multiples of four by her maternal uncle in a blessing ceremony. These bangles, when worn in the traditional set, are called the chooda. The current trend is for college-going teenagers and youngsters to mix-n-match colourful bangles with their dresses. "A pair of jeans are my favourite attire but I always wear bangles with them. If you mix-n-match the bangles, you look hep," says Tanvi, a third year engineering student of Chandigarh. " Though bangles have always been part of our culture, the modern teenager seems to have come under their charm now more than ever before," says Rekha Paudwal, Hyderabad-based bangle designer, who makes custom pieces for Bollywood actors and models. Of foreign brands, Jessica Kagan Cushman’s fun and colourful bangles (from Rs 5,000 onwards) are available at Tarini Jindal’s fabulous multidesigner boutique, Muse, at Kala Ghoda, Mumbai. Most people love the circular shapes but square and diagonal-shaped bangles are also making it big. Go easy on the rest of the accessories, and let the bangles do the talking. Stack them up on a single wrist to give that grunge look with jeans and T-shirt. Or wear just one for that elegant evening out. You can also team them up with your bikini for that beach party. Since we wear summer whites like no one else in the world, it is best to accessorise them with bold, clashing colours on your arms. Gold bangles go great with a summer tan. Instead of investing in the precious metal, take your pick of silver bangles and have them dipped in gold. Silver and oxidised silver choodies can also be worn by mixing together the patterns and sizes, or just wearing large plain ones together. For evening wear, one would suggest Swarovski bracelets or beaten old wires that coil around the wrists. You could even wear Hyderabad lac bangles for a kitschy look by pairing them with silver or plastic, picking a little colour from what you are wearing. Silver or gold mesh or net-like pieces are for a formal night out. Big metallic bangles give a Latino look to your outfit. Bronze shade adds a warrior-like appeal to you, whereas wooden pieces make you look rebellious. Sheila Rani Mathur, who has a tie-up with a Belgian company, has incorporated various concepts like French enamelling, Victorian-based themes and stones set in 18 K diamond. Designer ones are priced anywhere between Rs 500 for wooden and metal and Rs 1 lakh for diamond and other precious stones. Otherwise you can stack them up to your elbow, provided they are made up of different textures and shapes. For complementing your linen suits or other western dresses, a string of wooden beads for bangles is the best choice. Remember, there should be a lot of colour stacking; do not try to match the shade of bangles with your outfit. It is no more in fashion these days. Try to add contrast not only in terms of colours but also in shapes and designs. You can choose square twisted bangles in metallic colours or matte colours. The number of bangles you stack together depends most upon the thickness of the bangles that you intend to wear. Make sure you do not wear more than two, if they are about 2 or 3 inches thick. No matter whatever number of bangles you wear, make sure you stack them in one hand, leaving the other for a ring or tiny trinkets. Throw out the bangles together randomly on your wrist, plus forgo the use of any other body accessory. Also, avoid wearing too many metal or glass bangles as they tend to make noise. OK gals, you have
bangles for all your ages and career groups. Now what is stopping you?
Go and have that cool chic look with big, chunky bangles. — MF
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Gone
are the days when they were worn by few and matched with traditional
wear. Today, jean-glad girls are wearing it with as much style as what
their mothers and grandmothers wore as part of ritual, tradition and
occasion. It is no more the simple slim bangle — it has gone wider,
bolder and a whole lot bigger in size. Be it a black tie event or a
Sunday brunch, oversized chunky bangles are a universal fashion staple
today.