The right accessories can tie a whole outfit together making you feel confident and ready to rock your day. Putting the right accessories together with an outfit can be a great way to make a statement and show off your personal style. It’s also an excellent way to play with trends without breaking the bank. If the accessories department feels like foreign territory, you’re in luck. Today, I’m sharing practical tips on how to accessorize your outfit.
When it comes to my taste in accessories, my jewelry box mainly consists of delicate gold pieces, like a gold necklace, diamond studs, a few bangle bracelets, and a cocktail ring. If I’m looking to add a pop of color to my outfit I usually lean towards shoes with animal prints or wide statement belts.
How To Accessorize Your Outfit
Shop The Outfits Look 1 | Look 2 | Look 3
Here is a great example of how much of an impact the right accessories can have on your overall look. I took a base look from my fall capsule wardrobe and created 3 different looks using a range of accessories.
1. Less is MORE.
It can be easy to pile on a bunch of pretty little pieces, but if you want to look put-together, I recommend sticking to 1 – 2 bold pieces max. We want to keep things simple and balanced. If you layer too many statement pieces you risk looking cluttered. For example, if you love to stack on bangles and big rings, pair them with a dainty necklace. Alternatively, the more basic and “plain” your outfit is, the bolder you can go with the accessories. Keeping it simple is essential for a more sophisticated look.
2. LAYER IT
Shop Layering Pieces
Long, layered chain necklaces are very on trend, especially layered with a choker! Layered necklaces elongate your body and add a little personality to any outfit. Style Tip: Mix 2 or 3 necklaces together, keeping heavier charms and pendants on the longer necklaces, with smaller charms and simple chains on the shorter necklaces.
3. EXPRESS YOUR PERSONALITY
A bold statement accessory can be a great way to play with bolder pieces without being too overwhelming. My go-to bold accessories are a statement necklace or pair of earrings. Adding a pair of bold earrings to a little black dress or a neutral colored outfit instantly elevates the look and creates an eye-catching outfit. Have fun, be creative and express your personality.
4. Keep it Within Proportions
My personal style is very neutral driven. Since my outfit was simple, I made a statement with these chandelier earrings. I love that these earrings are not a basic hoop earring but still maintain a circular shape to slim your face. You can do the same with bright patterns or a rich bold color! If you want to keep it super classic just add a gold necklace and your diamond studs.
Furthermore, scaling your accessories to your body size will help you hit the right balance. Smaller frames can stick with small to medium accessories that reflect your petite body. Medium frames can play around with different sizes of jewelry, but I recommend avoiding extra-large pieces if you’re shorter and want to lengthen. For larger frames, stick with medium to large accessories to reflect your body type.
5. Don’t be Afraid to Re-define an Accessory
Shop Ribbons
Don’t overthink the art of accessorizing. I’ve always wanted to be a fashion stylist so I regularly try to discover new ways to accessorize! In the example shown above, I took a ribbon from one of my favorite luxe bag purchases and used it twi completely different ways. The statement designer piece took this black and white outfit from basic to elevated with one accessory.
Remember accessories can make or break an outfit. You want to choose pieces that will complement and enhance your look. They should be the final and finishing touches to your outfit. I’ll leave the shoes out this time, but make sure you check out my post for the latest shoe trends.
A few questions you should ask yourself before accessorizing:
- First, does my outfit already contain a statement piece?
- Second, what are the color tones of my look?
- Lastly, am I wearing prints or patterns?
Accessories That Can Update Your Most Basic Outfits
Accessories will tie a whole outfit together. They can make a simple t-shirt and classic denim tie a whole outfit together.
A CHAIN STATEMENT
These chunky chains are such statement pieces and will give your outfit a little edge. Just be sure to balance it with a simple outfit like this black bodysuit.
Shop the Statement Chains
Hair Accessories
I was thrilled to see hair accessories like headbands, barrettes, and ties became trendy again. These accessories are not only aesthetically pleasing but super functional. I like to keep my hair out of my face, especially when it comes to facing this Oklahoma wind.
My favorite accessory of choice is a headband because they’re so easy to throw on or fix quickly while running around. I always suggest looking to reviews on headbands to ensure you are purchasing a quality piece. Avoid anything that will hurt behind your ears or need constant adjusting throughout the day. My go to for fashion forward hair accessories is Shopbop. I love to pair a chic headband with my favorite pouch from amazon under $35.
Shop Hair Accessories
Dainty Jewelry
My day to day accessories are easy to style with anything and layer upon. The best thing about dainty jewelry is their versatility. They can be mixed with bolder pieces or layered together to create a whole new look. In the look below, I kept everything simple but if I wanted to elevate this outfit I could easily add two chunky bangles or layer on a few more dainty bracelets.
Shop Dainty Jewelry
Subtle Statement Earrings
Nothing says chic and sophisticated like pearls. Pearls are constantly coming in and out of style which is why I always keep them as a staple in my jewelry box. I love how pearls can be added to any trendy base of an earring or necklace yet still look classy. In the second picture below I’m wearing these huggies because they’re on trendy and classic at the same time.
In the photo above I wore two huggies on one side and a single pearl on the other side.
Shop Statement Earrings
A Fedora
Fedoras are another great way to accessorize a simple and classic look. They’re also a great way to ensure you look put together, even when rocking your second day hair. You should always keep a quality white tank and high-quality denim on hand, as they are easy to style many different ways. You can give a basic outfit a whole new look just by adding a few simple accessories.
Shop Fedoras
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As always, thank you so much for stopping by today, I truly appreciate all of you! xx, Amanda
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