Some people make having style look effortless. It seems like they always know what to wear and how to accessorize, to the point that their makeup is perfect every day and bad hair days are nonexistent.
Others are a bit more relatable. These are the friends whose go-to styles are easy to recognize, yet they’re not afraid to slip into leggings and a t-shirt when meeting you for coffee.
Maybe you’re starting to get an idea of what your own style is, but you’re not sure how to make it pop. You can have all the hipster tops or business casual bottoms you want, however, it takes the right accessories to complete an outfit and create consistency with all your looks.
Accessories aren’t hard to figure out once you know the ground rules.
Here are 8 things to keep in mind as you learn what jewelry to wear with your outfits.
1. Dress for the Occasion
Big earrings are totally in right now and fun, layered bracelets will probably never go out of style. There is a time and place for these accessories, though.
It doesn’t exactly send the right message to your boss if he or she can hear your bangles from across the office. The same goes for showing up to a job interview with big earrings that most people wear to brunch or the club.
You have to know your audience when you’re getting dressed just as much as you have to be true to yourself. Save the big, flashy jewelry for fun, casual outings and opt for classic pieces when you need to look more put-together.
2. Make Sure Your Colors Don’t Clash
You can aim to be as “proper” as you want, but you’ll miss the mark if your outfit looks like a bag of Skittles. Your colors can’t clash.
If you’re wearing a red dress, orange earrings may not be the best choice. If your bag is the pop of color for your look of the day, make sure it matches your outfit.
These are just a few color-coordinating rules to live by. Others include matching your shoes to your purse and avoiding the gold/silver clash. Keep in mind these rules aren’t always set in stone, but they are good pieces of guidance to have.
3. Know When to Pick and Choose
It’s one thing to recognize when colors don’t mix and another to keep yourself from clashing all of your accessories. This often happens when ladies try to wear statement necklaces with big, bold earrings, or a bunch of bangles and a large watch.
You have to choose one or the other in such situations. Otherwise, your accessories are going to look busy and all over the place. Focus on drawing the eye strategically to certain parts of your outfit instead of overwhelming the people who see you that day.
4. Balance Clothes and Accessories
Speaking of overwhelming others, be cautious of wearing big accessories with outfits that are already bold on their own. When you put on a printed dress or statement top, it’s better to stick to simple accessories.
On the other hand, you have to accessorize an outfit that’s too simple. Everyone loves the classic white t-shirt and jeans look, for example, but adding a cute necklace and some interesting earrings make the whole outfit even better!
Learn to recognize when accessories are a must and when they can be used lightly. This will help you dress for every occasion.
5. Invest in a Few Go-to Pieces
Another way to make sure your wardrobe is ready for anything is to keep a few go-to accessories at arm’s reach. Every woman needs a pair of pearl earrings, a nice watch, and a simple necklace. Some will argue at least one long necklace and a pair of big earrings are must-haves, too.
The reason for these choices is that they’re flexible fashion items. You can wear pearls to the office and on a first date, and watch is appropriate for pretty much anything. Not to mention, it’s easy to switch up your style when you put on a long necklace versus a standard one or wear your fun earrings for a change.
Oh, and Roma Designer Jewelry can help you find all the best go-to accessories for your style.
6. Always Have Seasonal Accessories Ready
Here’s an important change to think about: the shifting of the seasons!
Remember, winter accessories include scarves, hats, and maybe even gloves or mittens depending on how cold it gets in your local area. Summertime is your chance to rock fun baseball caps and dad hats and bold sunglasses.
Other seasonal favorites include tall, skinny boots and fun, boho chic headbands. These may not all fit with your personal style, but some of them are bound to be right up your alley.
7. Pack a Simple Swap to Go from Day to Night
Just as it’s good to prepare for different style seasons, it’s nice to have easy upgrades in your bag to go from day to night. This is especially true if you and your boo like to have impromptu date nights during the week or you have a weekly happy hour you go to with friends.
Upgrade your work look into a nighttime outfit with an earring swap or a necklace change. These are simple style tricks you can do in your car or on the subway, and the make a world of a difference when you walk into the evening’s event.
8. Have Fun with Your Fashion
At the end of the day, accessorizing is all about having fun. In fact, all of your wardrobe choices should be something you enjoy!
Your personal style is your chance to bend some rules and totally own others. You don’t always have to keep up with trends to be stylish and remember, there’s always going to be a critic of what you wear. The point is for you to feel comfortable and confident from head to toe – accessories included.
How to Accessorize for Your Wedding Day
Maybe you’re pretty good at picking accessories for day to day outings, but you’re not the best when it comes to big days and special occasions. Relax! The same rules still apply, especially the thought of having fun.
When it comes to once-in-a-lifetime events like your wedding, though, you want to make sure you get your accessories just right. Here’s a secret: how to accessorize on your wedding day starts with the dress you pick and the hairstyle you have.
From there, you can decide what needs to be played up and what looks perfect as-is. For help wedding dress shopping, click here.
