Could SHS writer George Metcalf finally get over his aversion to wearing jewellery? We made him wear it for a week to find out...
I’ve never really been a jewellery guy. I've given the look a go a couple times in the past (with cheap bits from Camden market, I'm ashamed to admit), but nothing ever stuck. Not just because I'd always lose it at parties (that happens to everyone, right?), but because I was never able to feel comfortable while wearing it.
I don’t mean comfortable in myself, I mean like physically comfortable. I could never quite relax into it, and was always conscious that necklaces and rings were there, on me, getting in the way of everyday life. Even piercings and facial jewellery - while cool for a time- would eventually start to annoy me.
Which is why I was slightly apprehensive when I was asked to wear jewellery for an entire week. Although I was also instantly more excited when I found out the jewellery I would be testing was from Serge De Nimes, so unlike my Camden market bits, it's all the real deal (as in solid silver/ gold plated or solid gold).
So right off the bat I decided two things:
1. I wasn't a fan of mixing gold and silver, so I ditched the silver ring (and by ditched, I mean carefully put back in the velvet bag it came in).
2. Although the jewellery all looked really nice with a shirt, it felt way too formal for me, so I swapped it for a T-Shirt.
In the end I decided to top the fit off with a bucket hat. Yes, I felt a bit like a 90's rapper, but I didn't hate that vibe so I went off to work.
I was initially quite hesitant about getting on the tube wearing a lot of jewellery; I had visions of someone tripping and ripping my necklace off, or my bracelet getting caught in some guy's watch and us having to awkwardly spend the day together.
But obviously none of that happened.
Instead I felt more confident and, I'll admit, a bit smug, that I was able to rock up to work jewelled like a king, while everyone else around me had to suffer through a day of wearing a bad suit.
Obviously the real test started when I got to work. Would the jewellery get in the way when I was at my laptop? Would I be itching to take it off by lunchtime? Would the ring slip off when I was washing my hands?
Well no. Again, none of that happened. In fact, unlike literally every other time I'd worn jewellery, I found it all really comfortable.
By the end of the week I came to the conclusion that I'd been wrong about jewellery my whole life (so far). Not only was it easy incorporate it into a day-to-day outfit, but it actually added new layers and textures to my fits.
So will I be wearing jewellery again? Well probably yes. I think I'll be most likely to cop a bracelet, as it felt most low-key and natural for me. That's not to say I wouldn't rock a ring or necklace every now and again, but I could definitely see a nice gold bracelet making its way into my daily rotation.
So for any guys out there who've always felt nervous about rocking jewellery, I definitely recommend you give it a go. Trust me, you'll feel like a king.
