Friendship Bracelets – All Grown Up

So much talk of macramé and friendship bracelets in fashion these days…and I am loving it. While regular followers know by now, I just need to tell all you new peeps that my jewelry roots are in macramé and beads. Yes, indeed, I started making and selling jewelry in 1967 in Southern California – height of the hippie and bohemian era. While I was what I would call a beach kid – my knotted and beaded cording designs fit the bill for all factions during the early years.

Fast forward a thousand years (okay, so I exaggerate a bit – maybe more like 45 years, which, at times, feels like a thousand) and what were once macramé, beaded and knotted designs have evolved into the stackable beaded bangles that have quite a cult following within my brand. (Why does “brand” sound so powerful and big? Alexis Bittar, who I love, would use the term “brand” not little ol’ me!)

Part of what I love about these designs is the fact that the actual technique has been used around the world for hundreds of years. I took that time-honored technique and modified it to meet my love of all things oversized. Pumping up the base beads and mixing in unusual gemstones, pearls and glass beads as charms adds just the right touch. I love making these bracelets so much that I always have several pieces in the works – the repetitive nature of creating the bangle base is quite relaxing to me; so there is always a work-in-progress within reach scattered around the studio, house and even in my car. Just in case I get delayed someplace! God, I am nuts.

Many of my clients love the ease of these bracelets. Designed to just roll gently over your hand and onto your wrist you won’t find yourself running around looking for a doorman, a neighbor or a complete stranger to help you get dressed! The bracelets look fabulous on their own – the “charms” are quite large and I use the best gemstones within reason, so you’ll enjoy flashing them and you’ll find yourself ogling them at the oddest moments. This design also looks great with other beaded stackables or metal bangles you may have acquired over the years. The stackables look terrific with the multi-strand designs in my collection. That’s the fun part of it all – you get to be the stylist, you get to design your signature look and you won’t look like anyone else in your happy corner of the world. Isn’t that grand?

Who would have thought that something that started in a little beach cottage all those years ago would still be popular after all these years? I have all of you to thank for making it so. I would love to know how you style yours in the comments below. It's so much fun to share between friends, isn’t it? You can see all the stackables here.