Dainty, barely there jewelry has been the defining accessory trend of the last few years. Think hair-thin, delicate diamond tennis bracelets that are a mere strand of sparkles wrapped around the wrist. But a maximalist jewelry movement is underway, and the bangle bracelet is just the beginning. From chunky molten metal bracelets to sculptural see-through styles, the best bangles usher in a new jewelry era with a 'more is more' motto.
Make your way onto TikTok, and fashion content creators will tell you to wear a set of chunky bracelets in stacks of two or three (perhaps even four if you’re willing to commit to the trend in full force). Style tastemakers rave about the sculptural options sold by contemporary jewelry brands Charlotte Chesnais and Ben Amun within the Substack newsletter sphere. Other fashion writers brag about the ‘80s-era Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix bangles they scooped up at a bargain on vintage resellers (or borrowed from their grandmas).
A model walks in the Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1984 show wearing stacks of resin bangles.
Summer’s bangle trend has received a significant spike in celebrity attention, too. Namely from Bella Hadid, who accessorized throughout her time at the Cannes Film Festival with thick gold metal bands stacked up her arm. Earlier this spring, Anya Taylor-Joy also slipped on a stunning doughnut-style silver bangle, while Jennifer Lopez had thick crystal-embellished vines curving around her wrist for a pre-2024 Met Gala meal.
As most trends do, the widespread embrace of the bold and bulky bracelet began on the runways. “From a major designer perspective, the most important brands leading the bangles trend are Saint Laurent and Alaïa,” says Ryan Kleman, accessories director of Moda Operandi. He references the see-through resin styles at Saint Laurent Fall 2024 and the bulbous bangles of Alaïa’s Spring 2024 show, which he credits as the crucial element that tied the looks together.
Bella Hadid wearing an artistic stack of gold bangles at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
But long before bangles were clanking down recent catwalks, jewelry designer Alexis Bittar was sculpting statement bracelets that double as works of art. “I have been known for designing bangles since 1990. My name has become almost synonymous with bangle. It will probably be on my tombstone,” the Brooklyn-born artist jokes to Marie Claire.
Bittar’s bangles—which range from transparent lucite bracelets to golden pieces that resemble liquid metal—“have " spiked in sales” over the last year, which he credits to fashion’s pendulum swinging back in favor of the accessory. “We are coming out of an era of minimalistic and delicate jewelry, and what is the opposite of a small friendship bracelet? A large bangle."
Like Bittar, Tunisian content creator Emna Sellimi has long viewed bangle bracelets as a cornerstone of her style. The Paris-based creative calls them integral to her personality and style— she feels naked without them. But the bracelet is much more than just a trending add-on Sellimi: “In Arabic culture, you’ll see a lot of women wearing bangles (we call them chnechen). My mom and my grandmother wear them, so they have a very important place in my heart,” she adds.
This Fashion Week show guest and Emna Sellimi are both partial to eye-catching sculptural bangles.
Sellimi is overjoyed that the bangle is now becoming a widespread jewelry trend once again. “I love everything about bangles—how they look and sound,” she says. “They go with absolutely everything. A tank top, jeans, and a whole lot of other bangles—the more, the better—that’s the perfect look, in my opinion.”
Kleman concurs with Sellimi's maximalist mood. "With this year's bangles, it is all about the scale: the bigger and bolder, the better." As for the specific silhouettes to shop for summer 2024, the accessories director advises investing in a gold bangle, as it's "the most popular selling bangle [on Moda Operandi] and is best when styled as a set of two or three.” He crowns see-through lucite bangles as the luxury fashion e-tailer's best-selling runner-up and says you can't go wrong with a high-silver option either.
"It is all about the scale: the bigger and bolder, the better," Kelman notes. However, some fantastic thinner options are on the market if you'd prefer to start with a one-inch band and work up to a more bodacious bangle.
Whether you're a seasoned bangle-wearer or a novice, prefer a one-inch band or a chunky bodacious bangle, go ahead and slip one—or two—on this summer. You won't be the only one.
Emna Sellimi showing off a stack of molten-looking silver bangle bracelets.
