Necklace as... neck tie?

Discussion of fashion elements and looks that are traditionally considered somewhat "femme" but are presented in a masculine context. This is NOT about transvestism or crossdressing.
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crfriend
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by crfriend »

Grok wrote:I took a look at a number of different forums, regarding jewelry worn by men. Generally, the people posting wanted to restrict men to the same old/same old.
This is precisely one of the reasons why this forum and community exists -- to fight the narrow-mindedness of the "same-old-same-old".
Permissible-a watch, perhaps a ring. Items traditionally worn on clothing, such as tie clasps and cufflinks. Otherwise, people used terms such as weird or effeminate.
What about watches worn as bracelets? Multiple rings? Earrings?

I tend to wear two watches, mainly out of habit from when I needed to keep track of a half-dozen time-zones simultaneously; one still runs on UTC full-time with its outer bezel set to something else useful. Sometimes I carry a pocket-watch (I own several, one of which is well over a century old) with the inevitable ornate chain. Are any of those artefacts "weird or effeminate"?

Sometimes, what onlookers may envisage as "effeminate" may simply be tools required for some other purpose. For instance, long hair is now at least tolerated on men, if not fully accepted. Sometimes long hair needs to be restrained to keep it out of other things (think high-speed machinery), and that requires "tools". What differentiates, then, a plain elastic from a barrette or even a bow? Those aren't "girly" things (and dammit I wish that term wasn't pejorative) but simply "long hair things" -- tools, if you will.

The notion of "tools" extends into the realm of skirts as well. What is a petticoat other than a modifier of how a particular skirt behaves when worn, or an added layer of warmth in the winter? Legwear? That's another tool in the box for us to use to alter appearance whilst still being nothing more than "blokes in skirts". Not all tools are suitable for all personalities, but it's important to keep an open mind.

As has been said, "Minds are like parachutes. They only work when open." Abandon preconception and see what something is in the context it's used in.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

It occurred to me that jewelry, as worn by other men, might be helpful-by breaking the monotony. Variety is the spice of life. But the vast majority of men are still dressed in drab clothing, making the world a dull place.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Sinned »

It has occurred to me that it isn't necessarily the particular "tools" that we use that make the look effeminate but the quantity of them. Thus a skirt or ear-rings or painted nails in themselves individually aren't feminine. But a skirt combined with long hair, ear-rings and painted nails may present an apparently womanly look. Certainly if I was to wear a skirt, tights ( the cold season is definitely approaching ) ear-rings and my long hair then MOH would accuse me of wanting to dress like a woman. Perhaps it's the overall effect of quantity that is the problem. Incidentally the reverse situation for women is no problem at all!!!! Isn't life unfair?
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

I think that people get used to things being a certain way as they grow up. Some individuals may still be somewhat more flexible than others, but the general tendency is to become set in one's ways.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by STEVIE »

Coming from dour Northern Presbyterian Stock, minimal jewellery was de rigeur whether male or female.
Of course, gems were reserved almost exclusively for the ladies.
It's a very long time since I've worn any at all, including a wrist watch.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by rick401r »

I work part time at a jewelry boutique. So I make and repair different pieces. I wear a beaded, choker type necklace of Hemitite. I think it looks good and Hemitite is supposed to have some healing properties if you believe in that stuff.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

I have looked at a number of web site regarding jewelry for men, and they generally say that such should be simple, modest, subtle, understated...and sparse. And the consensus is that gems are for the ladies.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

rick401r wrote:I work part time at a jewelry boutique. So I make and repair different pieces. I wear a beaded, choker type necklace of Hemitite. I think it looks good and Hemitite is supposed to have some healing properties if you believe in that stuff.
The Wikipedia article indicates that the mineral is actually iron ore, and , if I understand correctly, it may be magnetic.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

http://dappered.com/2012/03/the-man-jew ... lty-scale/ Chart regarding the difficulty in pulling off a look. The author said that the less functional an item, the harder it is to pull off. One of the people who commented suggested that a fountain pen can be a nice piece of bling.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by dillon »

I loved it!
As a matter of fact, the sun DOES shine out of my ...
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Tor »

Interesting chart you found, Grok. I'm not entirely sure of its accuracy, but there is rather a lot of subjective judgment involved in such a chart. I rather liked the following from a comment by Amos:
One thing that my father always instilled to me in topics like this, and I always thought it was great advice was this saying, "Its not the watch that makes a man, it's the man that makes the watch."
That sentiment has been expressed here more than once, but I think it bears repeating.

I've worn gemstone pendants quite a bit. Sometimes have to push to wear a new one, but once I do it easily becomes normal. Haven't worn a stone for quite a while though.
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Grok
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Grok »

A question for members:

What is the future of mens' bling?
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Big and Bashful »

Grok wrote:A question for members:

What is the future of mens' bling?
From my point of view, none existant. I don't posess any rings, bracelets or tie clips and would have to search long and hard to find a set of cufflinks, which have been used twice thanks to a formal shirt which needed them. The thought of wearing bling never crosses my mind and I tend not to notice anyone else blinging. I have never blung. I don't know why, it's probably just the total lack of pride I have in my balding portly appearance. I have always worn a watch and since I was 5 I have been wearing specs, both serve a purpose, the watch's main purpose at the moment is to tell me it needs new batteries! once I find a jeweller who will open it up I will be back to having a watch which tells me the air pressure when I want to know the time (Stupid place to put a button!) which is why the watch battery is low. My specs help me read the air pressure on the watch so that I can curse it appropriately when I want to know thw time!

However, I am not against jewelry, I have known a couple of older men who were vehemently against men wearing jewelry of any sort and I couldn't understand why they thought it was so wrong, I still don't.

Finally, tie clips; I have never thought of them as "bling", they serve a purpose, if you have to wear a tie, or even want to wear one of the most pointless garments ever, it can dangle in the way and get caught in things or even land in your dinner, if you feel like keeping it out of the way with a tie clip isn't it just a practical way of keeping your tie clean and out of mischief? I haven't got one but see why they could be useful.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by crfriend »

Grok wrote:What is the future of mens' bling?
This is just one writer's tale on the matter, but I suspect it'll gradually gain acceptance, much in the same way that earrings for guys have. This is not to say that the truly gaudy stuff that the more outrageous tend to wear (e.g. sports and "music" stars), but rather more tasteful stuff.

Long hair is another example of an adornment that has little practical use, and can be a nuisance to maintain -- but which many men decide to.

I'm not about to go about wearing 5 pounds of gold plate around my neck, but cannot for the life of me see why a discrete necklace should not be accepted. I think it's down to the rule that you wear it, not the other way 'round. That's the difference between jewelry and "bling"; it's about more than ostentation and sparkle -- there needs to be some subtlety to it for it to work well. Sorry, dearie, your 5-carat rock is not attractive; it wears you poorly.
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Re: Necklace as... neck tie?

Post by Kirbstone »

Returning from dinner parties, State Banquets and the like, it's a fag to have to drive INTO the local town (Naas) to turf the tiara & danglies into the Bank deposit night locker on the way home. :wink:
No, I haven't ever blung (n)either, apart from the odd cufflink and oar tiepin.

Now Maysie and Jacinta were fruit & veg. stallholders in the notorious Moore St. market in Dublin. Jacinta manages to hook the local publican and clears off with him after he sold up the pub.
Years later Maysie spots Jacinta again in the crowd and there's a joyous reunion. Jacinta explains that the husband had expired prematurely, as ex-publicans frequently do, and had left her all his money on 'Wan condishan'...that she purchase a 'Memoariell stowan' for him.
She stuck out her left hand with a great big diamond ring on it for Maysie to inspect...'Di'ya loike ah?

Bling!

Tom
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