Anklet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An anklet, ankle chain, or ankle bracelet, is an ornament worn around the ankle. Anklets historically have been worn for centuries by unmarried women in India, though in the United States both casual and more formal 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 more popular among women, and more formal anklets (silver, gold, beads) are almost exclusively confined to women's fashion.
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[edit] As an ornament
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 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 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.
[edit] Left or right?
A survey carried out recently in the UK determined that most anklets are worn on the right ankle. The statistics were: 87% right ankle and 13% left. (We observed 250 females between July 2006 and August 2006 in London). Perhaps this is due to more people being right-handed. Although in eastern cultures, anklets are worn on both ankles.
[edit] In scuba diving
Scuba divers sometimes wear lead anklets to stop a tendency for their legs to float up when diving in a drysuit.
