Suzy Solidor, 1932
Jacqueline Goddard,
1932
Man Ray knew a good arm party when he saw one. He famously photographed Nancy Cunard, heiress turned political activist, wearing her armloads of African bangles (below). It also seems that Ray had a thing for the Chanel bracelets, above. He photographed both Suzy Solidor, and Jacqueline Goddard wearing the same ones.
Nancy
Cunard, 1926
Madonna was arm partying back in the 80s (link) …
Indian women have been at it for
thousands of years.
In South Africa, arm partying is not
just for women …
Guys arm party too (as I hear they are
starting to do in the
US, as well).
These young men of the Ndebele tribe
engage in serious partying
on
their initiation day.
While the current incarnation of the timeless trend, was popularized
last summer by the blogging Man Repeller, Leandra Medine (who also coined the
phrase), the party apparently continues to be going strong.
Megan, of New York Diaries instructs:
Put as many bracelets on your wrist as you desire…throw in a watch (or two)…the more the merrier! And don’t worry about matching…that’s the fun part!
And then there was this item on WSJ.com:
Q: I notice that lots of women who are into fashion have these
stacks of bracelets, sometimes with watches. They go way up their arms
sometimes. This is a new trend that I want to start trying. How can I get the
right mix of bracelets, and can I wear them on both arms at the same ... (To
continue reading, subscribe.)
Now did someone actually write to the WSJ asking for fashion
advice--would someone really do that? Or did the Journal invent this question--would
they really do that? I’m still trying to figure out which of these alternatives
is more disturbing.
Sorry to be such a party pooper …
Man Ray photos via auction sites.
Black and white Ndebele photos by Constance Stuart Larrabee photos via Smithsonian .
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