Charmed, I'm sure!

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UK Cancer Research Celebrity Charm Bracelet, Inspired Silver

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There's just something wonderfully girly about charm bracelets, don't you think? They are, I think, the ultimate expressions of style - miniature emblems of important things in a wearer's life. And though many simply pick out charms because they're pretty, there are those who put a lot of thought into the charms they end up wearing.

After all, charm bracelets aren't just a fad; they reveal more about your personality than any carefully edited Facebook profile ever could.

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Charms by Tiffany & Co.

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It's been said that wearing charms most likely began as a form of protection to ward off evil spirits or bad luck. But charm bracelets only began to truly catch on as a fashion must-have after Queen Victoria was revealed to be a major fan.

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Not quite the sort of thing Queen V wore, but definitely one of my favorites from Juicy Couture

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If, like me, you have a soft spot for charm bracelets but...

• Don't know where to go
  
• Don't fancy coughing up anything more than RM100 for a bracelet (*cough*Thomas Sabo*cough*)

...fret not. There are loads of places in KL you can go to where you're sure to find good, solid bracelets and charms that won't break about five seconds after you've put them on. (Did I mention I do not like those RM20 bracelets they keep hawking from those shopping mall stalls? You know the type. They are TACKY.)

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And who said style and functionality couldn't coexist? Pirates of the World skull Charm Bracelet Watch, by Inspired Silver (top); Me and My Shoes, by Swatch (bottom)

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My personal favorite is Strands Bead Gallery & Academy, a little place tucked away in Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas. One look around the shop, and you can tell these are people who take their charms very seriously. Crystals; semi and precious gems; freshwater pearls; Bali silver beads; glass beads; seed beads - I swear they have every bead known to man stored in their many drawers!

If, unlike me, you happen to be artistically enabled, you can try your hand at putting together a bracelet yourself. But hey, you could always just take the easy way out and ask them very very nicely to make it for you. I had a bracelet made for my sister's birthday last year, and I was more than thrilled with the result. I can't remember how much I paid for it, but it was around the RM65-RM85 range, which I thought wasn't bad, considering the bracelet had a nice, chunky feel to it.

For those of you who think paying RM85 for a piece of jewellery is too much of a 'commitment' (c'mon, you know who you are!), you'll be pleased to know there are alternatives that are easier on the pocket but are just as funky.

While tootling around Bijou Bazaar last weekend (shopaholic sisters in tow), I came across a table manned by Handmade Tiny Thoughts (HTT). They had the most precious lil' charms too, which they happily offered to turn into anything: bracelets, necklaces, and even bag charms.

So as you can expect, my sisters and I immediately pounced on the display case they had set up, and began sorting out which charms we wanted. The charms were pretty affordable too, at RM9 a pop. Talk about a steal!

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Charms, Handmade Tiny Thoughts

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After a night of serious mall crawling (disguised as an attempt at sniffing out the best places to buy ready-made charm bracelets), I've decided I'll quite happily stick with HTT the next time I feel the urge to have something pretty dangling off my wrist...at least, until the next 'hot' label comes along!

Final Verdict: An unequivocal YES. Quirky, fun, and oh-so-you...how could you not love these?