Style Fix Friday! How to Accessorise?

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Given that I'm presenting at a styling and jewellery evening tonight, I thought it apt to discuss how to accessorise with style :)

From all the clients I've seen over the years, there are always two main examples I see in New Zealand. They either under accessorise (don't wear any jewellery or scarves, or only earrings as an example), or they over accessorise and have too much 'Statement' jewellery on or piles of it.

So let's start with what I mean by 'Statement Jewellery'. A statement piece of jewellery has impact either in scale, proportion, colour, shiny or blingy. It is a piece that has presence.

You should pick one statement piece (this can be earrings, a necklace, bracelet/cuff, scarf, watch, hat or shoes.) Yes these are all accessories! Lets use a necklace for an example; Say you choose a necklace that is silver with fringe chain detail and it's size is medium in scale to suit your bone structure. (this is an important thing to know as the size of your accessories should match the size of your frame and bone structure, whether it is small, medium or large). I assess this during a Style Consultation if you would like to know?

This necklace is your feature piece that should not be overwhelmed by any other accessory you put on your body. Because it is silver you could continue this 'theme' down the rest of your body from top to bottom, which will connect your entire look and outfit. For example; you could wear some silver delicate dangly earrings to complement the fine chain detail on the necklace (but  most importantly DO NOT DO MATCHY MATCHY with wearing earrings with chain detail also!). This will look unoriginal and too purposeful. You want your accessories to look like you effortlessly just threw them on ;)

So either small or fine dangly earrings would work well to compliment the necklace, then fine to medium weight silver bangles or bracelet to take the eye down the body and a belt with silver buckle detail and footwear with silver hardware. This is just one example of how to let your jewellery connect 'up' an outfit.

Most women wear jewellery or keep the focus of their accessorising just on the 'portrait' area ( from the neck up). This is a mistake, as the rest of your outfit will look disconnected. You need to stand in front of a full length mirror, this is very important so you can see what colour you want to use to enhance the outfit you have on. Say you are wearing a teal coloured top, black pants and black shoes. You could use either coloured jewellery with teal and/or black, like a necklace or a printed scarf that has some black and teal in it, to connect the teal top and pants and create a coordinated look. This is so much more interesting visually to look at then wearing a plain coloured top and pants with no accessories. Scarfs are such an easy way to add interest to an outfit. For some ideas on how to tie scarves, check out this video by Lisa O'Neil (it's my fave!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?

You can change your look from plain and BORING!!! to stylish and you've got your game on, just by accessorising well. Remember to start from your head, then waist, end of your arm, and don't forget handbags and footwear are accessories too, and you can use colour in these two things to connect your top half if wearing colour there, with your bottom half.

My other piece of advice would be to invest in the 'best' handbag and footwear you can afford, as you wear these every day and leather and leather lined footwear and handbags will not only look good, but will last for years and years. PU cracks (I have experienced this myself with a bag) and as soon as it does, it looks cheap and grungy. You may think you are saving yourself money at the time, but in the long run, they will cost you money because they won't last long and you will have to keep forking out more money to replace the PU items.

If you would like to know more on how to accessorise, please contact me and we can have a chat about a Wardrobe Coordinating session for you. This is where I create outfits out of your existing wardrobe and create 'flat lays' of outfits, with all the accessories you can wear with them and take digital photographs of them for your reference. I call this my "Never have a bad Style day again!".

I hope you enjoyed this blog and please comment on my FB page and  let me know what your favourite 'go to" accessories are? I'd love to hear from you.

Yours in Style and Confidence

Hayley