The fashion magazines are filled with visual advice regarding what jewelry to incorporate into a stylish wardrobe, but rarely verbalize the rationale behind the selections. Many choices are inspired; others are downright inexplicable.

I was delighted, therefore, to read a feature on one woman’s “real style” in the September 2011 issue of Marie Claire that provides not only her tips for achieving edgy personal style, but also the very practical reasons behind the tips. In “Dress Code: 1 Fall Investment, 3 Ways to Wear It,” makeup artist Maud Laceppe discusses three ways to wear an edgy Rottweiler tee shirt for men from Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci. She chose the tee for its versatility and uniqueness: “Any way you wear it, it makes a statement.”

Among Laceppe’s spot-on advice as to how to style the tee with shorts, jeans, or leather pants (the latter “as cool as they are easy to wipe clean in the makeup room), she includes a couple of items of jewelry-related advice:

First, she advises, “Wear only simple charm necklaces that won’t distract from the shirt’s print.” By charm necklaces, she apparently refers to small pendants on thin chains, as shown in the photos. The small jewelry allows the graphic on the tee to retain center stage without major distraction.

Second, she suggests, “Choose leather bracelets and cuffs that won’t jangle when you’re attacking your to-do list.” Her advice incorporates an on-trend look into what is universally valid advice: wear jewelry appropriate to the situation. This is advice born of experience, well worth heeding.

Along with leather bracelets and single cuffs of leather or any other material, a single bangle bracelet, a trend I’ve discussed recently, provides another option for a jangle-free experience. All the jewelry Laceppe wears in the feature is described simply as her own.

While a Rottweiler tee shirt may not be on your shopping list this season, don’t overlook the savvy tips gleaned here – they apply, whatever your unique personal style.  

JCK