Necklaces: From neck to wrist!?

Bracelets by Je'Mere on Polyvore.com

This past weekend I had the pleasure of working the Rachel Roy collection backstage at BET’s Rip the Runway. Being backstage gives you the up close and personal relationship with the clothes and the tricks used to style them. From my view from backstage, I saw endless sparkle, fitted bodysuits, vivid color dresses/separates. However, one trend caught my eye. It was the stacked bracelets used by the Rachel Roy collection. Yes, we have seen this trend across numerous runways but it was the way her collection was styled that gave me an idea.

If you want the chunky bracelet look but want to avoid pulling out the plastic, here is what you can do:

1. Stick with a color theme. If you’re comfortable with gold, stick with gold bracelets. If you’re a silver chick then stick with silver bracelets.

2. Stack away. The rule of thumb (or wrist) is when stacking from wrist to elbow, stack no farther the ½” up your arm.

3. Play with different textures and sizes. Mix some dull pieces in there along with some that sparkle. Remember, have fun because there’s no real rules in fashion!

4. Be creative. If you searched through your jewelry draw and don’t have bracelets but you have long chain necklaces, use them! If the necklace has a charm, that’s even better. Just align the charm so it hangs from the under part of your wrist. Then, wrap until you can’t wrap the necklace anymore but leave enough space between the bracelet and your wrist. You don’t want to cut off your circulation. Then to finish it off, use a black or silver safety pin to close the link.

Rip the Runway airs March 21, 2011 on BET