Skull Jewelry: Why It Works for Both Men and Women
"I collect skulls; I think that a beautiful skull is a really good gift for a guy." - Bella Heathcote
Skull jewelry has been on the market for decades, and since the beginning of the twenty-first century, it consistently appears in both men's and women's fashion.
Who Can Rock Skull Jewelry?
Who looks great in skull jewelry? Perhaps need less to say rockstars, bikers, and you. But is it right for women?
Bella Heathcote says she likes to gift skulls to her man. But the interesting part is she collects them herself and finds them beautiful.
You may have read our blog post 7 Badass Celebrities That Rock Motorcycle Fashion, all of whom were men (i.e. Johnny Depp and Jeffrey Dean Morgan), but numerous female celebrities have been caught flashing skulls as accessories.
Female celebs ranging from Kat Von D, Vanessa Hudgens, Katy Perry, to Jessica Alba were captured by paparazzi in skull jewelry of one form or another.
Why Men and Women Wear Skull Jewelry
Traditionally, warriors wore skulls as a symbol of power and strength to intimidate their opponents and to inspire victory. In the 15th century, people began wearing anything that reminded them of their mortality -- skulls and skeletons included -- creating what is known as "memento mori." The term translates to "remember you must die."
In modern times men tend to wear skulls to evoke these same feelings of power and mortality. But in this era of visual media celebrities, beginning with rock stars, have brought skull fashion to the masses.
Women are appropriating skull fashion and taking it as their own. You can even find it at Fall Fashion Week walking down the runway.
Women that wear skulls may choose to wear it for similar reasons as men. They may seek to exude a sense of power or edge, or they may want it for a bit of whimsy in their attire.
Skull jewelry has become part of numerous subgroups such as goth, punk rock, steampunk, and now frequents high fashion. Men and women should wear skull jewelry fearlessly as an expression all their own regardless of labels.
Screw the system, do what you like.
Skull Necklaces
When it comes to necklaces for men, you are looking for a statement piece. Start with a 20" chain or longer. You will want it to be chunky and durable to give you a more masculine look.
Sterling silver is a more affordable and sustainable choice for your skull jewelry. But the more intricate your skull necklace is, the more expensive it will be.
Status is another reason you will want to choose a statement piece for your necklace. No one wants to look like a broke chump, so focus on purchasing a skull necklace that speaks in your favor.
Women will want to wear their skull necklace on trend with an extra long chain. Keep in mind that a woman's chain is finer than a man's traditional biker chain.
Choose a pendant that adds whimsy with a small surprise skull. A perfect choice would be a feminine shape like a butterfly gothic pendant that juxtaposes the delicate butterfly with the hard edginess of a skull.
Skull Rings
No one wears skull rings quite like bikers, pirates, and Keith Richards. Bikers have made big rings what they are today. Nothing says "I'm going to leave a dent in your face" like a beautiful big skull ring. Men's large fingers can carry a large ring and look proper, but can a woman?
Consider this, your woman steals/barrows your ring and sports it on her thumb. Damn, that's sexy for so many reasons.
Not only does it look so darn cute for her to wear a tough guy ring on her elegant little fingers, but it also shows her spunky spirit that you love so much.
And best of all she is showing the world that she belongs to you. The new rule of fashion is that there aren't many rules so let her freak flag fly.
Skull Cuffs
Bet you never knew that some women think forearms are sexy. A great way to draw her eye to your defined flexors is a leather band or skull cuff.
Having a cuff is an extra touch to your style and shows that you are a confident man. This is one piece of skull jewelry that will set you apart from the crowd.
One man's cuff is another woman's bangle. It depends on the size of your lady, but she may be able to wear your cuff easily, or she may wear it loosely like a bangle.
The real trick is if her wrist is so small that it slips through the opening. But with that said, if your gal is that small she can rock your cuff on her bicep giving her a Greek or Egyptian style armband.
Once again, that's totally hot.
The Verdict
Skull jewelry can work for both men and women. You know you can carry it off cause you are a biker stud, but you will be amazed how a woman can magically pull off almost any skull fashion.
She will make it feminine because she is sugary sweet, and damn, skulls have never been so sexy as when they are on her.
If you need some more skull jewelry ideas check out what's in stock at the Biker Ring Shop. Their inventory is growing all the time with curated, high-quality designs.