When I discovered style coaching, I learned how amazing accessories can totally change an overall outfit look. A simple black dress worn with colorful beads can be worn on a beach day out and with the change of accessories to chandelier earrings, the same black dress becomes appropriate for a dinner night out! If you would like to start working out accessories in your outfits, here are 10 tips you should know!
1. Wear Your Personality
Our style personality is an expression of who we are inside through the clothes we wear. Accessories plays a major role in expressing who you are.
For example:
- Romantic style personality: Accessories with pearls, ribbons, flowers, etc.
- Dramatic style personality: Bold and colourful accessories that makes a loud statement.
- Natural style personality: Understated, refined accessories that gives a minimalist look.
When we dress up to our style personality, it brings out the confidence in us and makes us feel good!
2. Relate It to Your Outfit
What outfit are you wearing? Does your outfit have patterns with rounded shapes or sharp defined lines? A rule of thumb is to choose accessories that matches the elements (shape) of your outfit details. Some great examples would be, rounded beads or pearls would go well with laces and geometric shapes with geometric patterns!
3. Complements Your Hairstyle
The length of our hairstyle plays a part in the choice of earrings type and the size of necklaces we should be choosing. Short hair or tied up look, would go well with short/studded earrings along with a statement necklace. Whereas for long hair, dangling earrings paired with statement necklaces would work well.
4. Complements Your Face-shape
Before choosing the earrings, you would need to know your face-shape first. Choosing the right earrings for your face-shape can help to soften a sharp look (those with defined jawlines) or sharpen a rounded face-shape. The length of the earrings can help to balance your face;
Rectangular: large Angular studs
Square / hexagonal: Angular dangle earrings
Rectangular/ diamond / heart: Wide angular chandeliers
Round/square/hexagonal: Larger hoops
Oval / round: Curved dangle earrings
Oval/ heart: Curved studs
Look for earrings that relate to the shape of your face to create harmony. Angular earrings suit angular faces and features, curved earrings suit curved faces and features.
5. Colour and pattern matching
When it comes to colour and pattern matching of accessories with outfits, it is important to create a relationship between the different accessories you are wearing. Find one common element, for example, silver or colored beads, and use that as the foundation to matching.
For example, a geometric shaped earrings in silver can be matched with a necklace that contains a silver along with other crystals or beads on it. A third accessory piece such as a bracelet, with the same silver color, with complementing color beads/crystal can be worn together.
6. Avoid Over Accessorizing
How much is too much? A general rule is to always keep to no more than 5 accessories in your overall look (that includes hair accessories, spectacles or clothing accessories). An over-accessorized look often happens when the accessory pieces are clashing in terms of personality style, or it does not complement the occasion you are dressing up for.
7. Keep to Your Level of Refinement
Levels of refinement look is closely related to the fabric type of your clothes, the accessory and clothing style. It defines if you are pulling together a casual look, or smart look to a formal look. The chosen outfit would usually have to fit the occasion you are dressing up for and the complementing accessories to go with it.
For example, a beach day outing would mean a dress down casual and a beaded / wooden necklace would match better than a metallic necklace. Similarly if you are dressing up for a formal occasion, choice of accessories with sparkles or crystals would up the level of refinement.
8. Match Different Accessories Together
It is not difficult to purchase jewellery that comes in a set (matching necklaces, earrings and wristlets). However in this modern age, creativity and interesting is the key to looking trendy and stylish. Allow your creativity to set it and start matching different colours and textures together or sparkle with metallic accessories. Afterall, you may just discover your personal style this way!
9. Shape, Scale and Sheen
Consider the shape of the necklaces to the shape of your necklines (round and V-shaped). Ideally you would want them to be contrasting in terms of length or shape. For example, round necklines are great with V-shaped middle or long length.
The scale of your necklaces should be larger if you have larger busts or facial features. This is to ensure to flatter your assets and not make the features look larger than it should!
The sheen of the accessories worn should ideally match each other. Sparkle crystals with sparkle textures and similarly the matte ones to go with matte jewellery. This would avoid conflicts on the refinement look you would like to achieve.
10. Wear to the Occasion
When it comes to dressing up for the occasion, one way is to follow the theme (if any). Next step is to determine the refinement level of the dressing for the occasion. For example, dressing up for work in a corporate environment would require a smart look but not over dressy, hence the accessories chosen should be refined and understated. Whereas if dressing up for a cocktail party, the accessories of choice could be chandelier earrings or layering necklaces that have more sheen or sparkle!
I hope these 10 tips has helped you as much it has helped me to decide the accessories to wear when dressing up for different occasions!
I love hearing from you, if you have any feedback, opinions or questions please comment below and If you enjoyed this post and know someone who could do with this information please share it with them by clicking on the share button below.
If you would like to breakthrough from your current style and step into your True Style Personality, drop me a chat (jeann@stylebyjeann.com) or simply follow me on INSTAGRAM for style inspirations.
Great post! I never thought of adding a pop of color with accessories. Thanks for the tip
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Thank you for the support. You may use your favourite colours in your accessories too!
Love this!