Ankle bracelet, ankle chain, anklet (whatever you prefer to call them) – a pretty souvenir you tend to see a lot in any hot, tropical or beach destination, often with a boho/gypsy vibe to them. I’ve got a few.
You see them at home in high street shops as well, especially in the summer – they’re just a piece of pretty jewellery right?
These days, ankle bracelets are largely seen as accessories/fashion items, but after doing a quick bit of curious digging, it turns out there’s been a lot more to the simple ankle bracelet than serving as a pretty trinket. It goes deeper.
Ankle Bracelet History Lesson
Here in the west, ankle bracelets are generally nothing more than a fashion accessory but historically in other cultures they’ve carried symbolic meanings.
Egypt
I’ve read all sorts of bits and pieces, claims about who wore ankle bracelets first, and what century….
Egyptians keep coming up as the initiators of ankle bracelets and that they were originally worn as a marker of wealth and status.
Elaborate anklets of precious stones and precious metals.
Slaves would wear string or leather ankle bracelets.
In modern day Egypt – ankle chains are still worn by dancers as an accessory rather than any other deep symbolic meaning.
India
India is another key player. I’m not entirely sure how much of this is still customary but it’s interesting:
Unmarried Indian women would wear anklets that would make a jingling noise when they walked – helping to draw the attention of potential husbands and generally signal the approach of a woman so that she’d be received respectfully.
Anklets were/are a popular wedding gift for an Indian woman.
Spiritual
Some other theories out there suggest worshipers of a deity known as ‘Baal’ allocated ankle bracelets to be worn by prostitutes.
Source
The Swinging Sixties
Ankle bracelets also became linked to the 60s/70s sexual liberation era, though this association is virtually non-existent today.
By contrast, other countries like India, embraced the anklet deeper into its culture, which continues to this day.
South East Asia and the Middle East
In other parts of the world, a bride would wear anklets attached by a chain to shorten her steps and make her walk in a more feminine/dainty way.
UK
Well back in Victorian England, ankles were deemed too ‘provocative’ to be seen on display so I guess you didn’t see many ankle bracelets back then.
So where does all that leave the modern day ankle bracelet then?
I think it’s fair to say, most women who wear anklets these days have no clue about their past history or connotations attached from different cultures and eras – we’re just buying them as we would any other piece of jewellery.
There are even suggestions of health benefits linked to wearing ankle bracelets these days!
It’s never a bad thing to be aware of how things used to be and how others view things across the globe, it’s all very interesting!
Ankle bracelets are not alone though.
If you do a bit of research, you’ll find most items of jewellery have their own histories, varying across cultures with different meanings and symbolisms, so there you go…..
This post resonates with me on a personal level. Your ability to blend personal experiences with informative content makes your blog stand out. Well done!
Rudha
Aww, thank you Rudha.
I adore this blog post so much. It has a wealth of high-quality informational material and is highly informative for readers of all stripes. I read and investigate many blogs on a regular basis for the purpose of learning new things. I therefore wish to play my bit in helping other readers and researchers become more knowledgeable as a member of the readers’ organization.
Missori Silver
Thank you Missori, I’m glad you enjoyed this post – I enjoyed researching and putting it together, learning some new things along the way.
Ankle bracelets, also known as ankle chains or anklets, have become synonymous with tropical getaways and boho-chic fashion. While they are commonly regarded as stylish accessories, there’s a fascinating history behind these pretty trinkets. Beyond their decorative appeal, ankle bracelets have cultural significance and a deeper story that often goes unnoticed. From being traditional symbols to evolving into trendy fashion statements, these delicate adornments carry more than meets the eye. It’s intriguing how a simple piece of jewelry can bridge the gap between fashion and tradition, adding a layer of meaning to the allure they bring to any outfit.
A great article for those who don’t know the history behind the ankle bracelet!!
Thanks Akshay✨
Thanks for your informative article on ankle bracelets! Might you make a post on toe rings one day? : ) R
Thanks Rebecca, you never know…. never really gave it much thought 😊
This is an interesting read. ♥️
Very interesting. I was not aware of this history and the meaning in other cultures.
Me neither 😊 definitely very interesting.
I still have mine from the late 60s. I wore it every day and it never came off until I got a job after high school. It is in a trunk with all my other days gone items. They keep coming back into style.
You’ve hung onto it for a long time, without managing to break it/misplace it ✨ that’s great. Yes they’re always around – especially in the summer months 🔆
Glad to have read this! Sent it to my daughter because years ago when my daughter was 8 or 10, she wore an ankle bracelet and my mother was horrified. She said only prostitutes wore them! I told her I didn’t know what century she was pulling her information from but I asked my daughter not to wear it around her grandmother. Glad to see that meaning wasn’t pervasive throughout all the countries who wear them!
Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be any negative meanings attached these days. It seems pieces of jewelry (and fashion items in general) have carried all sorts of different meanings throughout history, depending on which part of the world we look at. Hope this post reassures your mum too!!😊
Thanks for reading.
I learned something new today. Thank you.
Thanks for reading💫
An interesting post!
Such an interesting read 👍🏾
Very interesting!
Thank you for sharing a brief history of the ankle bracelet. I didn’t know the history went as far beck as ancient Egypt. I found this post interesting.
Thanks for reading, yes it’s interesting, I had no idea about the Egyption connection either – not somewhere that springs to mind when I think of ankle bracelets ✨
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