By:  Michelle McNickle, Guest Blogger & Editor at Fashion Hippo

What is an arm party you ask?  Good question.  For the past few months, street style blogs and magazines alike have featured wrists filled with bracelets, bangles, beads, and more, all mixed together to create an eclectic look that’s all your own.  The best part about this trend?  With the right accessories, it requires minimal time and effort, all while adding a personal touch to whatever you’re wearing.  

From dainty, simple links to beaded friendship bracelets, anything flies when it comes to your arm party.  And, to put a spin on our wrist-worthy gathering, we looked to our favorite local boutiques to add some Maine-based flair.

But, before we show you our picks for Maine arm party must-haves, let’s examine a few ways to craft your own wrist revelry, shall we?

Cue my lovely roommate and arm-party aficionado, Christine Hultgren.  Christine is the Operations Manager for the Maine Red Claws, and given her hectic schedule, this pint-size professional prefers a wrist full of eye-catching accessories to instantly take any outfit to the next level.

 

For a simple, monochromatic look, opt for bracelets and beads in the same color family.  As shown here, a wrist full of silver bangles and muted beads creates a fun yet toned-down version of the arm party trend.

And, of course, we can’t forget about yours truly.  Thankfully, my wrist tends to photograph better than my face, which is why I included a few different “parties” of sorts to showcase the many ways to stack your favorite bracelets.  

Here, it’s easy to see how one piece of costume jewelry can do all the talking.  Pair more simple bangles and beads with one chunky piece, especially if you’re trying to avoid overwhelming a small wrist.

Here, I used a favorite piece from J.Crew and framed it with like-colored bracelets in golds and tans.  This mash-up is perfect for the winter season. 

And lastly, if you’re looking to invite anyone and everyone to your arm party, try stacking a bunch of bracelets, bangles, and beads for the ultimate eclectic look.  Granted, a wrist full of stacked, chunky accessories isn’t ideal for the office, but nothing adds a personal touch more on a night out then all your personal accessories piled together on one arm.

Ready to create your own arm party?  Take a peek at our favorite finds from Maine-based boutiques and see if you can’t create an arm party that’s all your own.

Nothing screams east-coast style more than this Nantucket Knotworks Bracelet, $10, from Sea Bags.

Bright and fun, this The Ropes Maine bracelet can be worn on its own or mixed with your favorite beads.

Add the perfect juxtaposition of hard and soft with this Ponomo Leather with Rhinestones and Cut Steel Bangle Bracelet, $118.

A dainty bangle never looked so clever as this Elizabeth Prior Latitude and Longitude Bangle Bracelet, $170.

This Toko Indo Three Abalone Piece Elastic Bracelet, $8, adds a certain beach-inspired flair.

This Abacus Black Spinel Bracelet, $98, is simple and intricate, making it a necessity to counter-balance large bangles.

And lastly, we loved this Keishi Pearl Bracelet from Wilder Designs to add a home-made feel to your Maine-inspired arm party.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 10th, 2012 at 12:00 am and is filed under Fashion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.