Hi lovelies,
The truly stylish know that the secret to looking put together and chic is in the details. Any outfit, from jeans and tees to a ballgown, can be elevated to look more stylish with some clever accessorising. Accessories can add interest, personality and style to your look, if you get it right. Here’s to accessorise the right way.
Mix Your Metals
It used to be that your accessories had to be very matchy-matchy. You matched your shoes to your bag and your belt, and matched all your jewellery together. Now, matching can look a little over-styled. Instead, create a more visually interesting look by mixing together a few different metals in your jewellery. A warm toned metal can really pop against a silver piece and will look gorgeous. Choose a dominant piece of jewellery, such as a silver cuff or a rose gold watch, and then clash it with one or two contrasting pieces.
Balance Style With Practicality
Style shouldn’t sacrifice the practical side of your accessories. For your shoes, balance your heel height with comfort. A block heel is usually more comfortable and easier to walk in so you can get away with a couple more inches of height. If you prefer a thinner heel, choose something a little lower, so you don’t end up with uncomfortable shoes. Save your high, thin heels for nights when you’ll mostly be sitting down.
For pieces like sunglasses, remember to check they will actually protect your eyes as well as looking good. They should protect your eyes from UV rays, so check the label before you buy.
Image - free for commercial use
Choose Complementary Pieces Instead Of Matching
The days of matching your shoes to your bag are gone. Instead, choose something a little different. A great, fun alternative is to choose a bag in a statement color, like a rich shade of orange, and choose a shoe in a different shade of the same color. The pieces will look good together without being overly matching. It’s a more modern, cool option. You can mix colors too. There’s no reason you can’t wear a nude shoe with a navy bag, or a leopard bag with a black shoe.
Always Add Something
Get in the habit of putting one at least one accessory with every outfit. Choose a statement piece like a great pair of sunglasses, a patterned scarf or an eye-catching necklace. You’ll get more use out of your accessories, and as you get used to wearing them, you’ll be better used to accessorizing, making you more comfortable with trying different pieces.
Up Your Nail Game
If you’ve spent money on some gorgeous rings, you want to show them off on nice hands. You don’t have to get a manicure every five minutes, but keep your nails neat and clean. Whatever length you like your nails to be, file down any rough edges. Chipped nail varnish looks messy, so if you aren’t keeping up with painting them, don’t bother. If you can keep up a manicure routine, nail varnish is a really easy way to add some more color to your outfit.
Wear Long Necklaces
A long necklace adds some interest to a plain top. Whether you go for a simple chain or something chunky for a bolder statement, a long necklace that hits just below the bust line elongates the body, making you look taller and leaner.
Stack Different Pieces
Combining different pieces together looks really pretty and interesting. Whether you buy a set of bracelets that are intended to be worn together, or raid your jewellery box for a few bracelets that will look good worn next to together, pile them on for an interesting, modern look. Stackable rings are trendy right now, so experiment with those too.
Don’t Forget The Shoes
Shoes can lift an outfit just as much as the right jewelry can. Create visual contrasts, like pairing chunky boots with floaty, feminine dress, or pair a sleek heel with a pair of distressed jeans and a leather jacket. You could add color with a pop of red from a red shoe against an all black outfit. Add warmth with autumnal colors, like deep purples or navy.
Match Your Accessories To Your Day
Think about what you’re going to be doing and how your accessories will fit in to that. For example, if you’re going to be spending the day babysitting your sister’s toddler, long necklaces and dangling earrings aren’t going to be the best idea. For work, you might feel better in classic court shoes rather than a pair of studded heeled boots.
