Do you feel that your current outfits are borderline basic? Are you keen on leveling up your style game — but don’t know where to start? Are you wondering how to accessorize like a pro?
I get it! It can be a lot of work trying to wrangle what to wear. Besides matching and styling your main fit, you’d also have to take care of your accessory. This tiny addition is like a cherry on top of every outfit, so to speak.
Getting the right accessory to match your outfit can feel overwhelming. From
necklaces to bracelets and everything in between, knowing what look best suits you can be a dizzying affair.
But don’t worry. If you want to dress for success, read on for some hip tips to get you dressed up like a true fashion icon.
Let’s jump right into it!
Know the Accessories You Can Work With
Accessories can come in a wide variety of shapes, styles, and sizes. They all play a part in enhancing your overall look. To style yourself effectively, it’s important to be aware of all the different accessories that you can wear to elevate your outfit.
Here’s a quick list of accessories that you should consider having in your wardrobe:
- Necklace
- Earrings
- Bracelets
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Scarves
- Watches
- Rings
- Belts
Some accessories are better suited for specific occasions, whereas other accessories are best donned only when the underlying outfit matches the style.
If you have a specific personal style, choose accessories that complement it, not clash with it.
For example, if your style leans toward minimalist, opt for sleek, understated pieces like delicate necklaces or simple rings.
On the other hand, if you prefer statement-making looks, bold accessories like oversized earrings or chunky bracelets can help amplify your outfit.
Learning about these different styles can help you better mix and match outfits with an end goal in mind. In turn, this can help you perfect your look no matter the occasion.
Strike Balance With The Proportions
A key aspect of choosing accessories is by minding their size in relation to your overall outfit. It’s in your best interest to be intentional with the size of the accessory you’re planning to wear.
A mismatched accessory size can cause your outfit to look offbeat, unpolished, or overbearing, and like trying too hard. Therefore you need to be highly considerate of the entire ensemble of your clothing — from your clothing to your accessories.
A general rule of thumb to help you succeed in picking the right fit is to choose your fit first, then your accessory.
For instance, if you want to wear a black, understated, and neutral-colored outfit, then you can get away with a large accessory to act as a statement piece for your getup. Casual or streetwear can be elevated with a more extensive range of accessories too, like a leather jacket, aviator shades, and a metal bracelet.
Conversely, if you want to stand out with a beautiful evening gown, then you can elevate your style with equally large accessories, like hooped earrings or a statement necklace. Small accessories like diamond rings can work in this scenario too to give your entire outfit a more sophisticated and elegant touch.
In any case, by being thoughtful with your accessory’s proportions, you can recreate an outfit that harmoniously meshes together — which can heighten your ability to stand out in the room.
Master the Art of Layering Accessories
Even if you own fewer accessories than you can count with your hands, you can potentially accessorize yourself a dozen of ways. This versatility allows you to complete your look in a variety of ways, which we’d say is all for the better.
Layering jewelry isn’t about adding bulk and clutter to your outfit. Just like when choosing proportions, you have to be intentional with it if you want to make a good impression. For instance, you can stack necklaces like bangles, cuffs, and chain bracelets to add interest to your overall getup. You can also wear rings on multiple fingers or stack rings on a single finger for increased visual interest.
There are other things you mustn’t do if you want to layer effectively. Avoid layering two accessory types in one outfit, like layered rings and layered necklaces.
This can make your outfit look like it’s trying too hard, which can detract from your outfit overall. If you do decide to layer, choose clothing that doesn’t stand out too much, as it may clash with your accessories.
Coordinate the Elements
To become one step closer to a fashion pro, it’s essential to consider the style, pattern, and colour of the accessory in relation to the overall fit.
You’d want your accessory to complement your outfit. That doesn’t mean doing a whole sweep with a one-toned outfit from top to bottom. It’s about balancing your outfit and having it all work together in a way that’s more than the sum of its parts.
For instance, if you have a statement and colorful piece of jewelry that you want to wear and showcase, then it may be in your best interest to wear a neutral and simple outfit to shine a spotlight on the accessory.
Furthermore, it’s also important to be mindful about coordinating the accessories that naturally complement each other.
For instance, your bag and your shoes can be color-coordinated to dazzle onlookers. You could also coordinate your bowtie or clip with your bracelet and shoes for a similar effect. Matching similar metals in your ring and necklace can also help you stand out.
By coordinating the elements of your outfit, you’ll make your fashion more mass-appealing and aesthetic. This can make you look more fashionable overall.
Consider The Occasion
You shouldn’t don your luxury necklace or your most expensive watch every time you step out of the house. You should reserve these pieces only for special occasions, like formal gatherings, weddings, and professional work events like a conference banquet or the annual office holiday party.
Conversely, you don’t want to wear shades in an indoor event. It’s important to be considerate of the occasion that you’re attending and dress appropriately to match the event’s overall theme.
For refined parties, wear your most elegant pieces. Think along the lines of diamond-encrusted necklaces, pearl earrings, or luxury handbags. This will help you “keep up” with the aesthetics of the other guests.
For professional occasions, wear sleek and minimalist accessories like a simple ring or a small earring. Use a small and practical handbag too. Keep your accessories small and sharp—you want to maintain a professional façade to be well-respected during these occasions. Enhance your professional image with eyewear, watch, work bag. If applicable add work-related accessories like hard hat, engineering boots, safety or sunglasses.
For casual days out, you can be more experimental with your accessories. Wear a nice pair of sunglasses like Carrera sunglasses at 1001Optometry and a sun hat if you’re planning a day out. Use a practical, stylish bag to hold your belongings.
How to Accessorize like a Pro: Invest in Quality
While it can be tempting to buy multiple accessories to create a variety of styles, you’d be much better off investing in only a few, quality accessory pieces.
In the world of accessories, quality trumps all. Not only does a higher-quality accessory look infinitely more stylish, but they also come with an air of prestige that can raise a wider variety of styles.
Furthermore, quality accessories come with enhanced durability. If you take good care of your product, you can use the accessory for your entire lifetime—and pass it down as an heirloom to the next generation too.
Conversely, if you pick a knock-off accessory like a fake watch, the inferior quality reduces the product’s lifespan significantly. It could take mere months, if not weeks, for poorly made products to experience wear and tear.
As such, consider saving extra for high-quality materials. You don’t have to dish out tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars for a good accessory. With proper research, you can get quality pieces without spending a fortune, like opting for zirconia diamond rings in place of regular diamonds in engagement rings.
Own Your Originality
Lastly, to accessorize like a pro it’s crucial that you stay true to your most authentic self when you’re dolled up. A confident demeanor can elevate your aura, which can transform you into one of the most magnetic people in the room.
As such, when you accessorize, be sure to pick fits that you feel represent the most authentic side of yourself. Pick rings, bracelets, and bags that make you feel happy to wear, above all else.
When you feel good by dressing well, you’ll naturally emanate a positive presence. This can help you create a more lasting impression wherever you go—which is further compounded by your well-thought-out outfit.
I hope these tips will help you improve your style game!
Background of featured collage by communica2012. Source: depositphotos.com.
Photos of me: G. Kramm
© 2013-2024 Nicole Mölders | All rights reserved
Hi, Nicole – Nice job of touching on the fine points of how to wear accessories! Thanks for such a comprehensive coverage of the subject – Angie, yourtrueselfblog.com