Feet are among the most the most beautiful parts of a woman's body. This fact is often overshadowed by modern media, which highlights women's faces and torsos, and little else. Yet throughout history, the delicate shape of women's feet have been paid great respect and attention, as proven by classical literary works by D.H. Lawrence and Lord Byron, to name only a few. In "Double Indemnity," the hero Walter is so entranced by the ankle bracelet worn by a woman named Phyllis, that he mentions it several times in the course of the movie.

In ancient China, it was such a big deal that women had small, delicate "moon-shaped" feet (that is, with deep insteps) that an entire custom dedicated to foot-binding was developed. This was extremely painful for the women, but the standards for lovely feet back then helped greatly in setting standards of overall attractiveness; women with small feet were considered noble and aristocratic.

Nowadays we have done away with painful practices, knowing that women's feet are beautiful naturally. The sensuous instep and curve of the ankles call for accentuating jewelry. This is part of why ankle bracelets are increasingly in demand.

Ankle bracelets -- "anklets," for short -- are lightweight and fancy decorations for the feet. Many come with tiny charms, which usually include variants of a favorite symbol, like cats, hearts, stars, and bells -- the variety is endless. Bracelets worn on the feet are in fact very similar in make to bracelets worn on the wrists, which is why for many, bracelets and anklets are interchangeable.

For the most part, ankle bracelets are casual accessories: they are best worn on an ordinary day out having fun. Multicolored anklets woven from fibers or threads look great with casual sandals or flip-flops. However, ankle bracelets made of fine-spun gold and silver make a beautiful tandem with fashion shoes, and look great for formal events.