Now is the perfect time to delve into the season’s hottest jewelry trends. We’ll start with one of the trends we’re most excited about: women’s wrap bracelets. A prominent feature on the catwalks and coveted by Hollywood’s finest celebrities, the wrap bracelet is the one to watch or should we say wear in autumn ‘19.
But why has the wrap bracelet suddenly become so popular?
Here we’ll share a brief history of the wrap bracelet and look at some of the reasons why it’s the piece of jewelry everyone wants to get their hands on.
What is a wrap bracelet?
Wrap bracelets are usually made from leather and nylon thread. Although they can be plain in design, the majority feature some sort of colorful beading, semi-precious stones, crystals or pearls.
What makes this type of bracelet unique is that it’s designed to wrap around the wrist several times and make a real style statement. Wrap bracelets come with various adjustable lengths and fasten with a clasp. You could say they mimic the appearance of stack bracelets, however, as a single piece of jewelry, they appear much more practical.
Wrap bracelets are not to be confused with slap bracelets. Remember them?
An American man called Stuart Anders invented slap bracelets back in 1983. They went onto become a huge craze in the early 90s, with kids enjoying the thrill of slapping them onto their wrists.
The wrap bracelets we’re talking about are slap-free and way more sophisticated!
A brief history of women’s wrap bracelets
Leather wrap bracelets were made popular by jewelry designer, Chan Luu. Her love for jewelry making started at a young age; when she would spend time stringing together shells on the beaches of her hometown of Nha Trang, Vietnam. After a successful career in fashion buying and retail, Luu founded her namesake brand and began making unique wrap bracelets and other pieces of jewelry from her garage in Los Angeles.
A keen traveler, Luu draws much inspiration for her jewelry designs from the handmade crafts she’s found around the world.
The wrap bracelet, which is one of her most iconic pieces, was inspired by a chance encounter with a man Luu met on the streets of India. She spotted the colorful, bohemian-style bracelet, featuring lots of beautiful threads and went over to ask him about it.
The man directed Luu to a local Hindu temple, where priests were blessing the colorful threads and bestowing them upon worshippers. Inspired by the spiritual element of the threads, Luu created her very own version of the man’s bracelet, which has become widely known as the wrap bracelet.
Of course, like with every iconic piece of jewelry, Luu’s luxury wrap bracelet soon inspired a whole host of jewelry designers to create their own versions, at a much more affordable price. Today, you’ll find it easy to buy cheap wrap bracelets online in a wide range of beautiful designs.
Why are women’s wrap bracelets popular?
One of the reasons we think wrap bracelets have become so popular is because they’re simple, yet original in design. Some wrap bracelets are girly and glamorous, adorned with colorful beads and precious gemstones. Whereas others are more androgynous in style, featuring metal detailing and studs.
Basically, what we’re trying to say is that there is a wrap bracelet for everyone; no matter what fashion trends they follow.
Here we’ll take a look at some of the other reasons we believe wrap bracelets are soaring in popularity…
Unisex and age inclusive
Although women’s wrap bracelets have become increasingly popular over the last few months, it’s also worth noting that they’re not just for the ladies. Many wrap bracelets are unisex in design and therefore coveted by men too.
We’d also argue that the wrap bracelet has no age limit. Whether you’re in your late teens or reaching retirement age, there’s nothing to say you can’t wear a wrap bracelet. It’s a piece of jewelry that everyone can enjoy.
Handmade and unique
Wrap bracelets are often handmade in design or if they are machine-made, they are designed in a way that makes them look handcrafted. As we’re sure you’ll already know, handmade jewelry is currently very popular, due to its uniqueness and sustainability.
Many people favor handmade wrap bracelets, as each one is individual. There’s something a little special about owning a completely exclusive piece, don’t you think? What’s more, handmade wrap bracelets tend to be of superior quality to machine-made pieces, yet still very reasonably priced.
Comfortable and versatile
Women’s wrap bracelets create the appearance of wearing multiple-bangles but are much more comfortable to wear because of their soft leather material.
They are also very versatile in design. Wrap bracelets can be worn casually in the daytime or used to style up an outfit in the evening. They can also be worn in several ways – something we’ve discussed in greater detail below.
Loved by celebrities
It’s fair to say that jewelry trends are often inspired by what celebrities are wearing and we think this is certainly the case with the wrap bracelet.
Several Hollywood celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Blake Lively have been spotted rocking a wrap bracelet and even Kanye West and Gerard Butler are fans too!
Spiritual meaning
The final reason why women’s wrap bracelets have become popular is because of their spiritual meaning. We have already mentioned how Chan Luu created the wrap bracelet after visiting a temple in India but the spiritual link is also prevalent through the use of precious gemstones.
For those who don’t know, precious gemstones are said to have different properties that are beneficial to the wearer. For example, some stones energize and heal the body, whereas others balance out our auras and emotions.
A lot of people are really into spiritual jewelry these days, so it makes perfect sense that the wrap bracelet is one of the season’s hottest trends.
READ MORE: Mid-Season Trends: Bracelets for Women
How to style women’s wrap bracelets
Before we look at the different ways you can style leather wrap bracelets, we should tell you that they’re not always the easiest bracelets to put on yourself. Luckily for you, we’ve found a quick and easy method that doesn’t involve the help of someone else!
To put on a wrap bracelet:
- Hold one end of the bracelet in your fingers (of the hand/wrist you want to wear it on)
- Use your other hand to begin wrapping the bracelet around your wrist
- Wrap it around several times (how many will depend on the thickness of your wrist and how tight or slack you want your wrap bracelet to be)
- Bring the end of the bracelet to the clasp and secure it – how you do this will vary depending on the clasp
You can wear women’s wrap bracelets on their own or pair them with other jewelry accessories. Some people like to stack their wrap bracelets with other bangles and bracelets; covering most of their forearm. Others like to style bolder looking wrap bracelets with dainty rings to offer contrast and make each piece stand out.
There’s no right or wrong way to style wrap bracelets. It’s all about having fun and experimenting with different looks to see what you like best.
Wear as an arm cuff
One of the great things about wrap bracelets is that you don’t just have to wear them on your wrist. Wrap your bracelet around your upper arm a couple of times to create a stylish arm cuff. Wear it with a little black dress on a night out to make a real style statement.
Wear as an anklet
Anklets are another big trend for 2019 but you don’t necessarily need to go out and buy one, especially if you already have a wrap bracelet in your jewelry stash. Simply wrap your bracelet around your ankle two-to-three times (depending on the size of your ankle) and secure it at the clasp. Voila! You have the perfect anklet to wear with your favorite midi dress and sandals.
90s-style choker
Another way you can wear your wrap bracelet is around your neck, as a 90s-inspired choker. Most women’s wrap bracelets will be long enough for you to wrap them around your neck at least twice. Just make sure you feel comfortable.
Alternatively, if chokers aren’t your style you could always wear your wrap bracelet as a long necklace instead.
Boho headband
Heading to a festival? Turn your wrap bracelet into a boho-inspired headband. Simply place it across your forehead and secure it at the back of your head.
As you can see, there are so many different ways you can wear and style women’s wrap bracelets. You’re not limited to wearing them on your wrist! It’s one of the things we love about them and another reason why they’re so popular.
Wrap bracelets: Trendy fashion jewelry for 2019
As you can see, we’re pretty big fans of women’s wrap bracelets. They may be simple in design but they sure are stylish, not to mention practical and versatile. With so many great benefits, it’s no wonder they’ve become so popular and are one of the biggest trends for 2019.
How do you style your women’s wrap bracelets?
Share in the comments below!
Leave a Reply