Saturday, July 4, 2009

MARRIAGE PLANNING – Payal Ankle Bracelet


MARRIAGE PLANNING – Payal Ankle Bracelet


Payal, also known as anklets or ankle bracelet refer to ornaments that are worn around the ankle. Anklets are an important part of women's adornment in the Indian culture though they have also been found in other ancient cultures of Egypt and Middle East. Anklets are a part of ornamentation and has great spiritual and social significance. However, apart from their aesthetic value the basic motive of the anklet is to draw attention to the wearers legs and feet.

Payal, called 'pattelu' in Telugu is a significant part of bride's jewelry in India. Traditionally, the new bride announces her entry into her husband's house with the tinkling of he payal. Mostly, Indians prefer to wear payal made of silver, as gold is considered to be the metal of the gods. People in India, therefore, consider it disrespectful to wear gold on the lowermost part of the body. Many people though go in for gold-plated payals these days.

Anklets come in varying shapes and sizes in present times. From the traditional and rather delicate silver and gold chains, they have developed into beautiful threaded and beaded versions in wood, crystals, semi-precious stones and seashells.


Varieties of Payals

A significant part of woman's jewelry in India and even countries across the world, payal or anklets come in huge variety and patterns.

Flexible and Inflexible Anklets:

Anklets are broadly categorized into two types - flexible and inflexible. The flexible ones, often called 'pajeb' or 'jhanjhar' in India, are made by tying links in a chain. Usually reserved for wearing as part of a bridal trousseau, it covered the entire foot and was attached by hooks to toe rings. Subsequently, sonorous bells can be attached to the chain, in order to make pleasing sounds while walking. Inflexible payal require less skills to make are created by giving shape to a flat sheet. Flexible anklets are more popular in India.

Materials Used in Anklets:

Anklets can be made out of different types of materials, though these days gold anklets, sterling silver anklets, beaded anklets, magnetic anklets, diamond anklets etc are very popular worldwide.

Ideal Measurement of Anklet:

Ideally, an anklet needs to be at least two or three inches larger than the ankle size, so that the beads, bells and other embellishments fall right under the ankle bone. But then, there are exceptions, depending upon the outfit or footwear it must match with and the comfort level of the wearer.

Payal with Ethnic and Modern Looks:

Women go in for anklets with ethnic or modern look depending on their taste, the outfit they want to wear it with or the look they want to project. Ethnic payal may be heavy oxidized type with bells. For a modern and casual look one can opt for beaded anklets, gold anklets, diamond anklets or anklets made with gemstones.


Tradition of Payal in India

Since ancient times, payal or anklet has been an important jewelry for Indian woman. Even today this piece of traditional jewelry has not lost its charm a bit. Payals are still one of the most important fashion accessories of modern Indian women.

Gift for New Born Girls:

Silver payal in exquisite carving is one of the most popular and traditional gift for new born girls. Small tinkling bells are usually added to the baby payals so that when little girl learns to walk she delights everyone with the "chham chamm" of her payal. Attachment of young girls with payals is formed quite early thus and remains for life.

Wearing Payal on Traditional Occasions:

On traditional occasion such as festivals and weddings, most girls adorn their feet with designer payals. Most girls in India keep quite a collection of silver payals. These days ankle chains made of less precious materials like rubber, seashells, beads etc are very much in vogues. These are worn casually on family get together or outings.

An Important Part of Indian Bride's Jewellery:

Heavily crafted and designer payals are an important part of Indian bride's jewelry. Traditionally, the new bride announces her arrival in her husband's house with the tinkling sound of anklets.

Gift for the Bride:

Payals are considered to be traditional and auspicious gift for the new bride in India. Heavily carves payals or payals embellished with exquisite meenakari work are an all-time favorite gift for the newly weds.

Tradition of Wearing Silver and not Gold Payals:

Mostly, Hindu women prefer to wear payals made of silver and not gold. This is because Indians believe gold to be the metal of the gods and is therefore sacred. To wear it on the feet, the lowest part of the body, is considered to be an ill-omen and disrespectful.


Expert's Advice on Payal

For centuries, womenfolk have used payal or anklets to accentuate the beauty of their feet. Even in contemporary times, women across the globe wear anklets to attract attention on the lower part of their body. Given here are some tips from beauty experts on ways of wearing anklets to ensure maximum impact.

Best Time to Wear Payal:

Beauty experts say the best time to wear anklet is the spring or summer season. To a short summer dress or swimsuit, an anklet does wonders. With a swimsuit, a multi-colored neon thread anklet or an anklet made only of beads looks amazing.

Perfect Dresses for Anklets:

Anklets look extremely gorgeous when worn with dresses that leave ankles exposed. Dresses like capris, short skirts, shorts enable anklet to be displayed. Ankets also look enrapturing when worn with traditional Indian outfits like sarees and lehangas.

Perfect Footwear for Anklets:

Fashion experts observe that foot jewelry like anklets and toe rings look amazingly beautiful when worn with open-toed heels, sandals or flip-flops. Keep your feet pedicured and toe nails painted to amplify the impact of your designer payal!

Jewelry that Work Best with Anklets:

Anklets are fun when worn on their own but fashion experts say, they look even more stunning when worn in combination with a coordinating bracelet or necklace.


Contemporary Payal

The ancient tradition of wearing payal is still very much in vogue. Even today women love to draw attention to their feet with payals that have taken trendy new avatars to suit the taste and requirements of modern women.

Heavily Carved Anklets:

When it comes to wearing anklets with traditional Indian costumes like saree and lehangas, women still go in for ethnic payals. These come with exquisite carvings and magnificent designs. Trend for heavily carved ethnic Indian payals have been kept alive by Bollywood actresses who still love to team their heavy sarees and lehangas with heavy payals. Carved anklets are very much a part of the bridal jewelry in India.

Payals Studded with Gemstones:

Anklets studded with precious and semi-precious coloured gemstones are very much in trend. This allows women to match the color of the anklet with their dress. One can also go in for delicate graceful jewels like pearls and diamonds for a smart and cool look.

Gold Anklets:

Gold anklets come in huge variety to lure women with regal tastes. One can go in for stunning heavy gold payals or light weight anklet chain depending on the costume, preference and budget.

Anklets made of Less Precious Materials:

Anklets made from other less precious materials like plastic, rope and rubber are a great fad amongst young girls who consider these to be an important fashion accessory. Even older women are going in for such anklets due to their chic designs and comparatively much lower cost. Such causal anklets or ankle chains are very much in trend in western countries also.

Popular Types of Anklets:

Traditionally, women chose to wear flexible type anklets known as 'Pajeb' and 'Jhanjhar', which also produce tinkling sound. Other contemporary kinds of anklets consist of adjustable stretch anklets, delicate weave anklet, cherry anklets, locking anklets, floating ankle bracelets in designs of butterfly, stars, daisy and hearts.

Anklets with Matching Toe-Rings:

For heightened impact, fashionistas go in for the anklet and toe-ring sets. These days, markets are flooded with a commendably fabulous range of anklets and toe rings. They give you a chic look. These bridal foot jewelries flaunt your feet in the most elegant manner. Intricate designs in works of meenakari, kundan and beads do wonders.

Anklet in One Leg:

Fashion savvy youngsters all over the world have devised the trend of wearing anklet in one leg. They consider this trend ultra cool. There are no rules which define whether this anklet should be worn on right leg or left leg but it has been noticed that when wearing only one anklet most girls prefer to wear it on the right leg. A recent survey carried out in the United Kingdom revealed that most anklets are worn on the right ankle. The statistics were 87% right ankle and 13% left. Perhaps this is due to more people being right-handed.