SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
February 2006

Designing Men's Jewelry
Written by: Thomas Soles
Edited by: Sara Hardin

Men. We love to make the ladies crazy. It is actually one of our job requirements. No, we do not want to go shopping. Target is something you hit with a bullet, not a place to buy clothes. Movies are meant to entertain; chick flicks are not entertaining to us. We don't just like to get under your skin, it is our duty. You ladies with your silly shoes, fashion magazines and your Oprah. We just don't get it. We have to make fun. Jewelry, what is that all about? Making beaded necklaces and bracelets... It is a bunch of rocks, for goodness sakes. Rocks belong on the ground, not on your neck.

That is how most of us think.

However, though some of us may be a bit rough around the edges, we might be willing to change. We are willing to participate in your hobbies and share what you find entertaining. How do you spark an interest in us for something like beading? It's not impossible; just show us why beading excites you. A good start is to craft some pieces that we might actually wear. So, how do you design something we might actually wear? It is not difficult; just tailor your piece to the individual. The guys at Soft Flex® Company are placing our bets that more and more men are getting into beading and wearing beads. As you may or may not know, even the owners of Soft Flex® Company, a company that manufactures the leading bead stringing wire and materials for this industry, are two men. I was thrust into the beading world when I joined the Soft Flex® Company crew and though I have been sort of a closet beader ever since, I will admit here and now that even I have been won over. There are so many different types of men in the world. You just have to figure out who it is exactly that you are designing for and use that knowledge to reel your leading man into joining in on all of the beading fun.

There are men in the world who will wear anything. Anything. Pink saw a spike in popularity in the hip-hop community recently. Men were buying women's sneakers because our own shoes are not typically available in pink. The guys who wear pink are the easiest ones to design for. The extroverts. Big and chunky necklaces with lots of bling and drama are no problem for this breed of man. Anything that catches the eye is perfect. This is a guy who is ready for attention... Rubies, Tourmalines, sure why not?

Another segment of men are the low-key types. The low-keys do not mind wearing a necklace here and there. Just make sure it is hush-hush. When picking a stone for a necklace for them, make sure it has a matte finish. Earth tones are suitable, anything that doesn't scream out too loud. Low-keys like stealthy fashion. Low-keys are blue jeans on the weekends and tan slacks at work. Bracelets might be a difficult sell here. Bracelets are still in the shady effeminate zone for these guys. Stick with a slightly longer choker length necklace that can be concealed beneath a shirt.

Some guys are boarder-zoners. The zoners survive on meat and potatoes, but when nobody is watching, they go for sushi. Zoners like to fit in, they wear what ever will meld them into the crowd, but underneath lays a happy medium of deviancy. Zoners tend to wear common clothes, but might have the flashiest necklaces concealed below the collar. Zoners might wear bland facades, but it is just to cover their tattoos. They are easy to design for, just make sure the design will stay out of sight.

The stick-in-the-mud. This is a man who will not, won't hear of it, cannot make him do it - kind of guy. Necklaces are for ladies or sissies. Bracelets are for criminals or princesses. There is nothing you can say to this man to make him change his mind. He is conditioned to avoid anything that might seem girly. His father raised him with football and boxing. He shot his first deer at five and has taken out enough animals by now that Bambi has put out an A.P.B on him. Any attempts to make something for this man will be laughed at... and not in a fun way. Anything you design for him will end up in his sock drawer. However, he may pull it out from time to time just to shake his head and think about the fact that you thought that you could get him to wear such a thing.

Aside from these archetypes, there are the genre crowds. Men who like to surf or hit the beaches might enjoy a shell necklace with wooden spacers. A guy who rides bikes, motor or mountain - why not make him something using the links from a bicycle chain as beads or a focal piece. Maybe he is a gun nut that is not against wearing jewelry; consider bullet casings as a fun idea. It is nice to combine your favorite hobby with his. It provides him with something that is familiar and comforting, while introducing him to something new that might seem very foreign to him.

Whichever guy you are designing for, realize that it is the thought that counts. And, he will appreciate the thought that you have put into his handmade design or that you want to involve him in your favorite artistic pursuits. It may not seem that way. He may tease you or pretend to hate it, but deep down inside you couldn't make him feel more special. And eventually, he may even have a weak moment and admit it to you.