Ankle Bracelet Etiquette: How To Wear Your Ankle Bracelet

Ankle bracelets are one of the most common accessories to wear with casual outfits during summer. We all want to be stylish when wearing our ankle bracelet so luckily there are a few rules of ankle bracelet etiquette to help you do just that. An ankle bracelet is a stunning piece of jewelry to own.

Ankle bracelets are for casual wear and worn on the bare skin of only one ankle. It is acceptable to wear more than one anklet together but always on the same ankle. Beaded anklets are suited for teen girls at the beach or pool while a simple gold chain is a more mature option.

Before you rush out and start wearing your beautiful anklet bracelets everywhere, be sure you know the few key rules on how to wear them. Doing so is the best way to get the most out of these gorgeous jewelry pieces and take just about any casual outfit and bring it up a few notches. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about wearing anklet bracelets.

Ankle Bracelet Etiquette Rules

When it comes to ankle bracelet etiquette almost anything goes as long as you remember that this is an informal/casual wear accessory.

Most girls opt to wear their ankle bracelets at the beach or around the pool during the summer months. However, that does not mean that you are not permitted to wear your ankle bracelet during the winter as well.

With those basics out of the way, let’s look at some basic ankle bracelet etiquette rules to keep in mind when wearing your anklet.

Choose the Right Setting For Wearing Your Ankle Bracelet

First and foremost, ankle bracelets don’t belong at the workplace or in any professional setting. Ankle bracelets that make noise or have bells or chimes on them will also be inappropriate in public quiet areas.

However, before you get despondent, there are many situations where wearing an anklet is totally acceptable, such as:

• At the beach
• While on vacation
• Relaxing poolside
• Casual summer party
• At a festival

Wearing your anklet is also a great option when you want to show off your legs during warm weather. Your ankle bracelet will look stylish when combined with a fresh pedicure and a pair of open-toe sandals or thongs as footwear.

The Importance Of A Good Pedicure

Wearing an anklet draws attention to your feet, so you will want to make sure that your pedicure is looking good so that you have pretty feet to show off. 

Choosing The Right Or Left Ankle

Choosing which side of the body to wear a piece of jewelry is something that many girls have questions about and ankle bracelets are no different.

By way of example, the wedding ring is traditionally worn on the left hand to signify marriage. At one time single earrings were worn on the right or left ear to signify sexual preference and thumb rings to indicate whether a girl is single/looking or in a relationship.

This discussion has expanded to the ankle bracelet as well. In some cultures, anklets were also once a gift given by the groom to the bride and the groom would place the anklet on his bride’s left ankle, the same side as the wedding ring. Historically, within those same cultures, an anklet on the right ankle would symbolize a single girl looking to hook up and in some cases the choice of call girls.

However, in today’s world, there is no longer any significance behind which ankle you wear yours on. The decision depends on which one you prefer. 

Positioning Your Ankle Bracelet

Once you decide which ankle you prefer for wearing your ankle bracelet, the next factor is how you position your anklet.

Here the basic rule is that you never want to place your anklet on top of anything but your bare skin. However, you should never wear your ankle bracelet with pantyhose, neither under nor over as it looks a little tacky and can snag and ruin your hose.

Some fashionistas defy the rule of only wearing their anklet on bare, exposed skin and choose to wear them under their pants or jeans. This is perfectly acceptable, especially in more formal settings where you would want your anklet to remain hidden.

Don’t wear your anklet over the outside of your skinny jeans or leggings. You want your anklet on bare skin where you can feel it. 

There is no rule about how tight or loose your anklet should be. It is a matter of personal preference how you actually wear it. Some girls prefer to wear their ankle bracelet hanging loosely from the ankle while others prefer it to be snug and above the ankle bone.

However, it is a good idea to measure the size of your ankle by simply taking a measuring tape and wrapping it around where you would like to wear the bracelet. Then add a half-inch to the measurement if you want your anklet to hang loosely.

Typically, a nine-inch anklet fits a smaller ankle, while a ten-inch is the average size. You don’t want to go through the process of shopping for your favorite anklet and have it cut circulation to your foot or maybe not even fit around your leg because you bought a child-size anklet.

When I was younger I used to do rock climbing. I made myself an anklet out of some really thin (3mm or 4mm) pink climbing cord. That anklet I would wear snugly around my leg at the thinnest part above my ankle bone because I didn’t want my anklet to snag on anything while I was climbing.

My beach/poolside anklets were looser fitting.

Outfit Considerations For Your Ankle Bracelet

Ankle bracelets and gorgeous shoes go together though it should never clash with your footwear.

Your ankle bracelet should compliment whatever you are wearing on your feet. Anklets are particularly effective when they’re paired with a typical summer shoe – such as sliders, backless loafers, or flip-flops.

If you wear your anklet with a pair of sneakers be careful of your anklet getting caught between your sneaker and your Achilles especially if it is a metal chain anklet. Speaking from personal experience, that hurts a lot.

In terms of what to wear with your ankle bracelet, they can look seriously chic when worn with cropped jeans and a crop top/t-shirt for a picnic or grill out with friends. Another option is with a throw-on casual summer dress, vacation-style. Speaking of vacation, add a touch of sass to your beach look by teaming your anklet with your favorite bikini.

Matching Your Ankle Bracelet To Your Personal Style

Your age is certainly a factor, as you wouldn’t want to choose an ankle bracelet with an abundance of youthful beading if you’re anything over 18. A mature lady would choose a simple thin metal chain. That would be more classy yet understated but still makes a serious style statement.

Whatever outfit you decide to wear your ankle bracelet with, make sure that the anklet you choose reflects you and your personal style.

Similarly, it would be better to avoid an anklet dripping with tassels and gems if you’re not a fan of the bohemian look. If smart, glamorous fashion is more your style, then a pretty, jeweled option might be more appropriate for you.

Ankle Bracelet Options That You Can Choose To Match Your Style And Mood

Luckily there are many styles of ankle bracelets available. You can choose from simple and delicate to the boldest and outrageous. Always choose a style that matches your personality as it will feel more natural while wearing it. Some types to consider are:

• Yellow or white gold anklets
• Sterling silver anklets
• Anklets accented with diamonds or gemstones
• Beaded ankle bracelets
• Leather anklets
• Homemade woven designs

Ankle bracelets also make great gifts especially if your friend is celebrating a summer birthday. Another option is to get matching anklets for you and your BFF to wear together.

More About Gold Anklets

Gold anklets are the perfect accessory for more mature ladies. Golden anklets are also more appropriate for slightly more formal settings and occasions. This is because gold is generally viewed as a luxurious jewelry material.

If you add special stones, diamonds, or even rubies your anklet will look even more sophisticated. 

More About Beaded Anklets

Beaded anklets are also a great option. However, keep in mind that for each kind of anklet, there’s a time and place to wear it.

When choosing to wear a beaded anklet, you might consider throwing on a pair of casual beach-style flip-flops to match it. 

Beaded anklets are the perfect accessory to match with your casual outfits or for a day at the beach or pool. 

More About Silver Anklets

Silver anklets are often a good choice for younger ladies. Gold is generally seen as befitting a more sophisticated setting, sterling silver anklets would be for a more laidback setting.

This makes it a better choice for young girls or teenagers. That said, gold jewelry often makes my skin tone look a bit washed out. So I’d choose silver or platinum so that my skin doesn’t look yellowish.

You can pair these easily with summer sandals. These can be either a cute pair of flat sandals or a pair of heeled sandals.

More About Charm Anklets

There is no hard and fast rule about any specific way to wear charm anklets.

You can wear these ankle bracelets with just about any outfit that you can imagine, though again remember the rule that ankle bracelets are a more casual-wear type of accessory.

As I mentioned earlier, you need to keep in mind whether the bracelet itself is either gold or silver, as this will influence the outfit or occasion that you could potentially accessorize with your ankle bracelet.

Charm bracelets are coming back into fashion with a multitude of potential charms. Choose one that suits your style, and you’ll be good to go.

More About Wearing Double Anklets

If you want to switch things up a bit, you can consider doubling your anklets on the same ankle. This is a cute way to add a bit of your own unique personality to the ankle bracelet you wear.

If you are going to try this then it’s better to double up on thin anklets rather than thick ones. 

If the anklets are thin enough, you can even consider wearing several anklets that overlap one another including some with charms.

One point that I do want to make is that you shouldn’t wear anklets on both ankles at the same time. Choose one ankle and double up the number of ankle bracelets on that ankle.

Wear Your Anklet With Pride

You can score some good style points as long as you wear your ankle bracelet correctly, in a way that suits your outfit and occasion.