Fashion Jewelry Bangles

With respect to fashion or costume jewelry, which is typically designed to wear with current fashions and made of inexpensive materials, a bold bangle can be a game changer. Antique and vintage fashion bangles and other costume jewelry bracelets complement outfits from casual to couture and everything in between. 

Colorful cuffs and bangles add instant glamor to any ensemble, whether they’re mod styles inspired by the 1960s, Art Deco bangles or designer fashion bangles from the likes of Chanel (who loved costume jewels but was devoted to designing with diamonds), Hermès or Louis Vuitton.  

Bangles are distinct from other bracelets by being rigid, with their use as ornamentation dating back to ancient India. They continue to be popular on the Indian subcontinent as well as in Africa and Southeast Asia. In traditional Indian weddings, the bride’s arms are adorned with bangles; in the Caribbean, it is common for newborns to be gifted with small silver or gold bangles. 

Because this cuff is a solid piece, you have to slide it over your hand. Bracelets, however, are flexible pieces. Whether they’re charm bracelets, link bracelets, beaded bracelets or another variety, you open and close a bracelet at its ends, where it locks around your wrist with a clasp.

Just slipping on an elegant gold bangle such as a Cartier Love bracelet or a stack of vibrant bangles like Mark Davis’s bright Bakelite bracelets can elevate an outfit, either by coordinating with an ensemble’s colors or letting the bangles stand out. Bangles alone or in multiples accentuate arms, wrists and hands to create a look that’s memorable and iconic. 

Browse antique and vintage fashion bangles on 1stDibs — as well as the range of bangles and other bracelets in the fine jewelry collection — to find the perfect one or a whole stack for your jewelry collection.