Accessorizing is a great way to change up your outfits, adding that little touch that takes it from passable to fabulous. The trick is knowing what accessories work with what outfits.
Moreover, accessories can elevate your outfit from day to night, casual to dressy.
In this article, we’ll go over some of the different types of accessories and when you should wear them so that you can always look your best!
While many fashion “rules” are made to be broken, there are a few key things to consider to stop yourself from going overboard with accessories. Keep reading to discover how accessorizing the right way will have people doing double-takes in your general direction!
Here Are Some Types of Accessories to go Over.
The Classic Pair
The classic pair consists of a necklace and matching earrings, a bracelet (or two), and an appropriate ring type. For example, if you choose to wear studs in your ears, save the dangling earrings for another day. If you want to wear hoops? Make sure that you’re not wearing larger-than-life hoop earrings with tiny studs in your ears.
Don’t forget about the necklaces; if you’re wearing statement studs, then break up that look with a strand of pearls. When accessorizing the classic pair, it’s all about balance so try not to overwhelm by wearing too many different types of jewelry together at once!
The Statement Piece
A statement piece is just what it sounds like. This is a bold and eye-catching piece that will add sass to any outfit. Of course, it’s best when the rest of your outfit is simple to avoid losing focus or looking too busy with accessories. However, one or two statement pieces in an otherwise basic outfit can make a difference in how you’re viewed!
Consider statement earrings, necklaces, and bracelets as well as rings; if your ring catches someone’s eye, then they won’t even see your other accessories because their gaze will be locked on that one ring!
The Color Match
This accessory look is great for those who like to stick to very specific (and matching) colors throughout their wardrobe. For example, if you like wearing all pink, you’ll want to make sure that your accessories also match the rosy tones of your dress (and yes, this means no green earrings with a pink skirt and white top).
A color-matched accessory look isn’t necessarily for everyone, but if you can pull it off, then you’re going to be rocking some seriously amazing ensembles! The Color Contrast: For those who want to stick with matching colors but don’t necessarily want to wear the same shades at once. This look relies on contrasting colors for maximum impacts, such as an outfit consisting of muted green pants and a bright orange belt/sandals. Or how about a hot pink dress paired with turquoise eye shadow, nail polish, and shoes?
The thing about color-contrasting accessories is that they don’t necessarily need to go with the rest of your outfit, providing a fun and funky contrast instead.
Miscellaneous
There are so many other ways to accessorize your outfits, and we didn’t want to leave you hanging! However, picking up any one of these miscellaneous accessory ideas can take your ensemble from “ho-hum” to memorable in no time flat.
Wear statement legwear such as leggings or tights with different textures such as floral prints or glittery heels/sneakers, for example. Or how about wearing novelty socks with an otherwise subdued look? Go bold by choosing footwear, belts, scarves, hats, gloves, and even sunglasses of the same color.
A few miscellaneous accessory ideas are to wear accessories with quirky phrases or sayings, nail art (hello, super cute), unusual hair clips/accessories, and most importantly,
Don’t forget about your hair! Changing up your hairstyle every once in a while is one of the easiest ways to make a big change for very little effort. For example… try wearing long wavy locks on day one. Then use curling irons or straighteners to give yourself tight curls or loose waves for day two. And finally, on day three, pull all of your hair back into a ponytail for something different! Of course, that’s just one example, but you get the idea.
Supersized Hoops
These are the large-sized hoops that you thought only existed in the ’80s! These lovelies come in various colors, materials, and designs, so everyone has something.
With the right outfit, these can be incredibly gorgeous but don’t go overboard by wearing too many other big accessories at once (plus, keep in mind that they’ll be harder to hide under bangs).
How To Wear It: Pick up some supersized hoop earrings paired with tiny studs for parties and clubbing. If you’re looking for something more casual, then opt for looped earrings instead (slightly smaller in size). And if you don’t want to wear hoops at all, make sure to try out some big chandelier earrings.
This look is definitely for daring fashionistas, but with the right outfit, it can be gorgeous! ## Statement Necklaces
Statement necklaces are necklaces that create talking opportunities when worn. They come in a wide variety of different shapes, styles, materials, sizes, and colors, so finding one that’s perfect for your taste is possible! Though color matching necklaces might not work with some outfits (for example… pairing an orange necklace with an all-purple ensemble just isn’t going to happen), they still have their place in your accessory collection.
Camouflage
Who would have thought that camouflage could be cute? Believe it or not, this pattern is doing pretty darn well these days. This isn’t your traditional army-style camo, though; it’s taking on a far more feminine (but still tough) look.
How to Wear It: Camo prints aren’t for everyone, so wearing this pattern is best paired with solid or striped tops to draw the eye away from the busy pattern. This way, you can draw attention to your face and not your outfit (which is always a good thing). Highlight your favorite features, and you’ll be sure to catch some eyes!
Whether we want to admit it or not, everyone enjoys a little healthy competition. But with fashion… let’s face it: Not all of us are cut out for the catwalk (not without a little help, at least). Luckily, there are plenty of stylish ways to get in on the fashion race!
Platforms
Platform shoes are just any shoe with added height (for example. wedges, boots, heels), but the platform style is typically seen more on sneakers than anything else.
These can be pretty tricky to wear at first since they’re quite high, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be a pro in no time!
How to Wear It: The most important thing that beginners need to know is that platforms aren’t meant for long-distance walking. So if you’re planning to go for… let’s say… a marathon shopping trip, then skip the platforms and opt for something a little lower instead. This way, your feet won’t suffer as much after all those hours spent chasing sales. Now onto the fun stuff… Platform sneakers look fantastic when worn with a casual outfit (think jeans and a T-shirt) but can also be pulled off if you’re going for something more dressy like skinny pants and a button-down top.
If you want to add some color to your look, make sure that the sneakers’ upper matches the rest of your outfit in terms of color; if you want to wear them with prints, though, this is even better since it’ll create a fun, contrasting effect!
Hair Bows
Hair bows are always a good option when you add a bit of color to your outfit. But don’t just throw on any old bow; make sure it goes with the rest of your outfit or risk looking mismatched.
How To Wear It: Bows can be worn almost anywhere, so experiment and have fun! If you want to draw attention up, try wearing one in the middle of your head while leaving the top part of your hair open. Those who prefer drawing attention down should wear their bows towards the end of their hair (like at the nape). Girls with short hair could also try wearing them right above one ear for a flirty twist. You could even go for a bow tie instead since these look great on guys too! Do what feels right, and you’ll be sure to look fab!
Colors
Neon colors are kind of like statement necklaces… they tend to make a bold statement which can either be great or horrible depending on how willing you are to take risks. It might sound crazy, but wearing neon colors can be quite intimidating, especially if they’re popping out of your outfit.
How to Wear it: You have two options here… you could either wear neon colors on the inside or outside of your outfit. Wearing it on the inside is definitely more subtle, but since the color is only visible when you’re in certain positions, this can also be kind of limiting; however, if you want to make a big impression, then wearing neon colors on the outside works too! Just make sure that whatever outfits you pair with them are monochromatic (so preferably all one color), so they don’t disappear against each other’s backgrounds.
In conclusion, accessorizing is not only fun, but it can totally make or break your look. So make sure to experiment (with colors, shapes, and sizing), so you’ll know exactly where to draw the line when it comes to accessorizing in general. And once you start getting the hang of it, don’t be surprised if you become addicted!!
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