Wrist-accessories can make or break a metal outfit. Too much metal bling, and you look like a runaway Avril Lavigne backup dancer. Too little, and you look … well … normal. And who wants that?

Metal music does not favor the subtle, and the same rule applies to our dress sense. No thin silver bracelets or delicate beaded strands here – no one’s going to notice them as you thrash around the mosh pit.

Dragon cuff by Batwings and Battleaxes, $25

Thick leather straps studded, spiked, laced, cuffed and emblazoned with skulls and danggers and all manner of terrible things … metal wristwear aims to shock and intimidate, and often mimics armour styles from the medieval and viking period. Even the terms – cuffs and gauntlets – evoke imagery of rogues and warriors.

So how do you turn these arcane accessories from displaced Viking garb to metal fashion statements? I have a theory – hear me out, it’s all a little bit expositional at this stage.

Leather corset cuff in black / red, $65, Sewlutions by ANO

In warlike cultures, the best warriors had the best armour, because they’ve fought for many seasons, taken many prizes from many enemies, and bedded many rich men’s wives. Not only is their armour the best and most ornate, it’s also the most worn. Dents in the breastplate, chinks in the gorget, dirt encrusted vambraces and wonky pauldrons. The old warrior like this worn look – they’ve earned their beautiful armour, dents and all.

If a new git turns up the first day of training with an expensive suit just off the smithy’s forge, well, he’s going to look like a bit of a plonker. And the other warriors are going to mock him mercilessly and throw mashed potato at him over the mess hall. He hasn’t earnt the right to wear that armour.

The metal scene works in much the same way. The more you “contribute” to metal, the more crazy you can dress without looking like a try-hard. It’s warrior-culture for the 21st Century.

If you’re in a well-known band, for instance, you can wear corpsepaint and 12 inch nails embedded in your wrist and you somehow seem … right. You’re kreig. Wear that same getup to a party when no one knows you from their dorky younger brother, and you’ve just earned yourself negative fifty scene points.

Cuffs with worn edges, knife scratches along the leather, tattered laces and faded designs denote an aged and wise metaller – a grand magus of knowledge and experience.

Younger Metalheads shouldn’t over-accessorize unless they’re dressing up for stage / band photos. Don’t stack cuffs up your arm or you’ll look like a delusional punk. One SMALL cuff will suffice. Find a unique one online or make one yourself.

Because of the damage they cause in the mosh pit, 2 inch spikes are being phased out in favour of domes, rivets and other, less gouging, adornments.

Here's a cute idea - wear your cuffs on your biceps. Now that's kreig!

Ladies can get away with much more metal bling, because we’re rare commodities, much desired by the menfolk. We earn scene points just by existing. I love to mix thin leather bands with metal jewelry to create the effect of striped cuffs. I make most of my jewelry myself – CDH cuts the leather for me and I punch it, and I buy chains and charms from local craft shops or Etsy.

Black Vertebrae cuff from Project TransAction, $45

Plunder

A few shops selling bogan-beautiful wrist accessories, cuffs and gauntlets:

Sewlutions by Amo: high quality corset and steampunk-inspired leather cuffs. Many contain secret pockets. Also sell utilitarian wrist purses made of amazing leather materials.
Batwings and Battleaxes: heavy metal leather cuffs, some plain, some studded, some inspired by medieval designs.
Heavy Metal Laundry: an astounding range of glam-metal style patterned cuffs.
Project TransAction: a leatherworking a screenprinting company producing some unique cuffs.

Till next time!
Super Snuggles and Shoggoth Kisses
Steff