OFF THE CUFF: THE STAPLE STATEMENT PIECE

We oooh and ahhh over earrings, we swoon over statement squashes, and we can’t resist a ring that catches your eye… but it’s high time we give a little love to the unsung heroes of the accessory game: big, bold bracelets!

“This is going to come as a shock to many, but uh, I tend to get on a ‘kick’ for things,” Cheryl laughed. “And right now, it’s cuffs and bracelets. But not just any, I’m talking ones that stand out – real conversation-starters, ya know? Gauntlets got me started, I think. The wide leather look just has such strong 19th and 20th Century ranch hand vibes that it became integral, in my mind, to make them a part of Cowpoke U. And then you know how it goes – I start scouring every vendor’s table and vintage case looking for good gauntlet cuffs and along the way I find a Timothy Yazzie bracelet that is literally a turquoise-studded saddle, and I had to have it, and then I’m obsessed with detail, which leads me to falling in love with Shawna Erickson’s stuff, and next thing I know, I’m on the phone with her talking about custom collab just for DDR! It’s like ‘if you give a mouse a cookie’!”

And now y’all know why she’s always in trouble with Audrey – and Doris! But, as you all well know by now and we’ve long-since learned, she keeps one foot firmly planted OUTSIDE the doghouse because, well, Cheryl’s got an unrivaled eye for what’s cool, what’s coming, and what’s collectible.

“You know, my sisters always laugh at me when I go on these buying benders, because I tell them I’m buying it for design inspiration,” Cheryl said, “They always mock me, like ‘Oh, she needs it! It’s for research!’ But it really is true, it’s part of my creative process, and I often envision a collection 360-degrees; sometimes I add accessories at the end, but a lot of times, that’s where I start. They sit on my desk while I design, and they ground me back to the core of the collection when I start to get a wild hair. And then once I’ve wrapped a collection, I always let them go.”

“Almost always,” Audrey interjects.

So, what are some of her favorite finds from this go ‘round?

GAUNTLETS

“I know we talked about these a few weeks ago, but I can’t not mention them if we’re going to talk about what I loved for Cowpoke U,” she said. “They are quintessential cowboy, through and through, and they’re so beautiful – even as they age, they just get more beautiful to me – and they’re collector’s items. I understand that they’re not going to fit everyone’s aesthetics in terms of actually wearing them, but they’re awesome to own, even as décor. In fact, I have a pair styled on a bookshelf right now, and I just think they’re the coolest thing.”

KETOHS

“I consider these the cousins of gauntlets,” she explained. “They’re similar, but different, ya know? They have that wide leather cuff, but they’re singles and they’re usually a lot more ornate. I like one with a cool stamped silver shade, but I really swoon over sandcast silver. I don’t know what it is about it, maybe the sturdiness – or more accurately, how it can be so solid and so ornate at the same time. And of course, bonus if there’s turquoise!”

SHAWNA ERICKSON’S CUSTOM CUFFS

“Have you seen these?” she asked. “No, really, like in person? I mean, a million kudos to Mitchell for fantastic photography, always, but pictures do not even do these babies justice! The level of detail, the intricacy and symmetry of the scrollwork, it is truly remarkable. Y’all, I have been scrutinizing Southwestern jewelry since I was a rugrat at the racetrack, and Shawna’s work is absolutely remarkable, she’s unbelievably talented. And they’re slender; the silver isn’t super bulky, which is really nice when you like to wear 50 bracelets at a time! She also has some great scarf slides and she did a very cool custom buckle for us, but I’m told I can’t talk about that one quite yet – I think it’s in our holiday collection.”

TIMOTHY YAZZIE’S SILVER SADDLE

“Ok, I’m gonna be honest – earmuff it, Audrey! – I haven’t ruled out keeping this one for myself,” she whispered. “This isn’t just a one-of-a-kind find, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime. It’s a ‘strangers stop you in the street’ kind of conversation piece. It’s 3-dimensional, which is very cool, and it’s so detailed, like a show saddle – stampwork, repousse, stirrups, even a lasso. And not only is it adorned with turquoise, those are Kingman Mine cabochons, which just takes it to the next level. Someone special is going to end up with this piece. And it might be me.”

Oh, and those are just the bracelets!

“Do we talk about bronc belts and bolos now or not yet?” she asked, eagerly.

That’s a story for another day, Cheryl – don’t spill all your beans in one sitting!