Whenever there is a style drop along the fashion boulevard, the impact is unequivocally net crashing. More so, if it’s a quirky trend. The fine line between artistic craftsmanship and functional accessories, jewellery and home hardware is increasingly fading out.
With proclivity for bespoke orders dictating finicky customer choices, ornaments now reflect wearable art, statement pieces and an extension of individual persona. The latest pivot to haunt and dominate the jewellery chest is facelet or facial jewellery.
Viral vibe
If you are looking for a viral diktat in fashion trappings, then this one is definitely for you. Have you ever wished to be fashion farsighted and stay ahead of the curve? Then pick this talk-of-the-town element from store racks to adorn your face.
Designers suggest that facelet is a unique template in modern-day wearable fashion of delicate facial jewellery that frames the contours of the face. Research shows that it is a lightweight trinket in the form of a delicate chain, kundan, pearl strand or crystal accent worn along the cheekbones, temples, forehead, jawline or the bridge of the nose. Such unusual specimens are generously crafted from fine metallic wires, pearls or tiny crystals.
The fashion tip of the day is to envisage yourself as a style goddess with superb confidence and attitude who needs no rhyme or reason to flaunt her facelets. Just go all out without batting an eyelid!
Rare and ravishing
Pawan Gupta, chairperson at the Indian online jewellery shopping store P.P. Jewellers by Pawan Gupta, sheds light on the uniqueness of the facelet trend: “Facelet jewellery is a new and interesting way of donning jewellery. Instead of putting it only on the ears, neck or hands, it brings jewellery to the face. It gives people a chance to try something different, bold and stylish.”
If there could be armlets, bracelets, wristlets or anklets, why can’t there be facelets, one may wonder. Stylist, entrepreneur and content creator Priyanka Kathuria insists that “the concept of facial jewellery is nothing new for our desi ornament connoisseurs but the way it’s being styled and presented now is something to write home about.”
“With a contemporary fashion sensibility, the designs come across as edgy and go beyond the traditional forms,” she further attests.
Facelift
The proverbial saying goes, ‘face is the index or the mirror of the mind’, and what better way to embellish it with a design language that takes the shape of dazzling jewellery.
“Facial jewellery can make a look very eye-catching when worn correctly. It can girdle the forehead or be worn around eyebrows, nose, cheeks, lips and play up the eyes too. The objective is that the jewellery should touch and enhance the face and not hide its natural beauty,” opines Gupta.
According to Kathuria, who’s also the founder of Altique that redefines luxury styling, “the best designs should complement the face rather than cover it.” “Subtle facial jewellery with its finesse looks more appealing, thus allowing the natural features of the face to stand out instead of overpowering them,” she expands.
Pick your pattern
A string of ornaments can deck up the facial features as they add more definition and glow to the face.
Different types of jewellery can be worn on the face. Plenty of options are at one’s disposal ranging from nose rings, nose chains, maang tikas, forehead jewellery, face chains to small decorative pieces around the eyes or eyebrows.
“Indian jewellery has always included facial jewellery in its valuable paraphernalia spanning from a royal mansion to a humble abode. So, this trend is a modern take on something so deeply rooted and boasted in our culture for years,” informs Gupta.
Pic: Insta
Dwell on the medium
A slate of precious stones, gems, metals and exotic materials can be used to fashion facial jewellery.
“It’s important that the jewellery is made from good quality material to avoid any irritation to the facial skin, especially if a bride is wearing facial ornaments on her big day. One must be doubly careful during the ceremonial functions,” advises Kathuria.
Jewellery experts endorse gold and diamonds to work beautifully for facial jewellery. “Coloured gemstones like emeralds, rubies and sapphires can also add a bright palette and make the pieces more attractive. Pearls and enamel can be employed depending on the design. Simply because these are worn on the face, they should be light and comfortable,” volunteers Gupta.
Facelets drape the face gracefully, outlining its bone structure and elevating its beauty. The most appropriate facial jewellery can highlight features like the eyes, forehead, nose and the cheekbones.
“It can lend an unconventional dimension to the overall look without robbing of the person’s natural beauty. The key is to choose a design that fits the face to the tee,” helps Gupta.
Minimum is more
Facelets should be lightweight and minimalistic in design to accentuate the facial features. “Yes definitely, when they are worn directly on the face,” chips in Gupta.
“Don’t flinch an inch to be a plain Jane, yet make a statement with aplomb. Facial jewellery ought to be manageable and comfortable so that they do not weigh your face down or make it feel heavy and cause distraction from your facial landscape. At the same time, for special occasions and glittery events, slightly larger and more dramatic designs can spin magic if carried conveniently,” he explains lucidly.
Occasions to wear
Facelets can be widely worn at various festive galas and while performing wedding rites and rituals to steal the attention.
Facelets work really well for occasions where you want your jewellery to essay a very distinctive narrative. Prerna Khurana, director of Khurana Jewellery House, vouches for celebrations like “mehendi and sangeet, cocktail evenings, intimate weddings and even festive gatherings to match the essence of facial jewellery, conspicuously taking it to the next level.” “This renders an unspoken design idiom to the overall look,” she dispenses.
