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An anklet,
ankle chain, or ankle bracelet is an ornament worn around
the ankle. Barefoot beaded anklets and toe rings
historically have been worn for centuries by girls and women
in Egypt and Arab world especially in Bedouin and
countryside and married women in India, though in the United
States both casual and more formal beaded anklets became
fashionable in the late twentieth century. While in western
popular culture both younger men and women may wear casual
leather anklets, they are popular among barefoot women.
Formal anklets (silver, gold, beads) are common women's
fashion beaded jewellery. Anklets are an important jewellery
in Indian marriages worn along with saris.
Much more rarely, the ankle chains are joined by a stretch
of chain to limit the step. This practice was once more
prevalent in the Middle East, where the effect was to give a
'feminine' short tripping step. Today a few western women
follow this practice, but rarely in public. Very few people
even have 'permanent', e.g. soldered-on, ankle chains, and
more rarely still, so is the connecting chain.
In India,
anklets are worn on both ankles. However, outside India most
beaded anklets seem to be worn on the right ankle. Perhaps
this is due to more people being right-handed. Although in
eastern cultures, anklets are worn on both ankles. Worn on
the right ankle it may indicate a "hotwife" or cuckold's
wife, though this is not universal by any means.
Anklets can be
made of silver, gold, and other less precious metals as well
as leather, plastic, nylon and other such materials. In the
western world beaded anklets or ankle chains are mainly worn
by younger females, but some older women also wear them.
Metal anklets are of two types - flexible and inflexible.
The flexible ones, often called paayal, pajeb or jhanjhar in
India, are made by tying links in a chain. Subsequently,
sonorous bells can be attached to the chain, so that the
wearer can make pleasing sounds while walking. Inflexible
ones are usually created by giving shape to a flat metal
sheet.
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