Why An Anklet Should Be At The Top Of Your Wish List This Summer

As with so many culture-crossing jewels, the meaning and symbolism behind the anklet has evolved and changed over time and borders; designs have even been found in Persia (now Iran) dating from the end of the second millennium BC. Since the early 2000s, however, pop stars have led the charge for making them synonymous with free-spirited style. Beyoncé, Jennifer Affleck (née Lopez) and Rihanna were among those who wholeheartedly embraced body jewelry in the aughts and often championed the anklet – a playful piece that allows us to add extra sparkle to bare skin in a slightly unexpected place.

Fast-forward to 2023 and a cohort of contemporary designers is declaring the anklet a hero piece for summer, retaining its flirty personality and embellishing it like never before. “For me, anklets are the perfect anti-accessory,” says Libby Page, market director at NET-A-PORTER. “For somebody who doesn’t like to over-accessorize, this delicate finishing touch feels very chic, personal and elevated.” SS23’s shoe trends especially set the scene, owing to the barely-there sandals that are top of everyone’s wish list: The Row’s ‘Ginza’ flip flops, for that ’90s Y2K minimalism; Toteme’s ‘The Chunky’ sandal, a chic yet comfortable style to explore cobbled streets; and Saint Laurent’s ‘Tribute’ leather slides, the epitome of quiet luxury.

If this is your first foray into anklet territory, then take note: you can go as loud or as laid-back as you like. Maximalists should look to precious gemstones, kaleidoscopic beads and meaningful talismans on bright cords, stacking them two or three at a time. Those seeking beads for beach-side meditations should turn to vibrant orbs by Jacquie Aiche, Andrea Fohrman and TBalance Crystals. Chain addicts will appreciate Foundrae, Anito Ko and Shay’s slinky gold styles, while Marlo Laz, Yvonne Léon and Mason and Books feature cute dangling charms that will catch the light at sunset.

“In summer, everyone just wants to have fun and be free,” reasons designer Octavia Elizabeth, whose anklet designs are part of the NET-SUSTAIN platform for consciously crafted fashion. Elizabeth wears her emerald ‘Nesting Gem’ anklet with flip flops during the day, and heeled sandals or pumps by night. “Whenever I get a glimpse of my anklet, even when I’m wearing jeans, it makes me smile – it’s a good reminder to have fun with fashion and fine jewelry,” she says. “For whatever reason, to me, anklets just inherently suggest that their wearer is fashionable and fun.”

If your personal style errs more on the understated side, you may wish to consider the most elevated iteration of the anklet – a pearl design. Pearl expert Mizuki Goltz, founder of New York-based brand Mizuki, designs elegant anklets featuring freshwater pearls and is drawn to their seasonality, believing this is part of their lust factor. “Women wear earrings, necklaces, rings and bracelets all year round, but when we shed our layers of winter clothes, the longing for summer makes anklets so much more desirable,” she says. “The luminosity of pearls looks beautiful on every skin tone, and I want modern women to wear pearls casually in this way, to make a new tradition for them,” adds Goltz. “I just love designing and wearing anklets; they are playful, sexy and chic – and doesn’t every part of the body deserve a beautiful piece of jewelry?” Indeed, it does.