Happy Thursday loves! I’m so excited to discuss my favorite fashion category: accessories. When taking your fashion game to the next level, doing accessories right makes all the difference. And as if that weren’t enough reason, having the right accessories also opens your closet to so many outfit possibilities. Convinced? 🙂 Ok, let’s get started!
First, let’s define the term accessories. I’ve noticed this is a term that has different meanings for different people. Many times shoes and bags are included under the accessories umbrella, but since I already covered shoes here and bags here, I’m going to focus on:
- Watches
- Scarves
- Belts
- Sunglasses
- Hats
- Jewelry
Second, I think accessories are very much a reflection of your own personal style, so my goal is to suggest types and uses rather than specific pieces. For examples though I will use my own items and talk about where I liked to shop, which is, naturally, a reflection of my own style and aesthetic.
When I say “accessories” what’s the first word that comes to mind? There’s a good chance it’s “jewelry”. Jewelry is the biggest category, but I’ve found that other accessories can do as much-if not more- to bring an outfit to life but are oft forgotten. I’ll be honest and say that before I got into fashion blogging I didn’t wear a watch (umm, I have a phone that tells time), scarves (except in winter), belts (except if a dress screamed for one), or hats. Since then however I’ve played with all these categories and been blown away with the difference they can make. Let’s go category by category:
- Watch. A watch adds a certain level of sophistication to any outfit. I think every girl needs a silver or gold watch that’s basic enough to go with anything but big enough for people to see it’s there. For the last several years, menswear-inspired watches have been in and it doesn’t seem to be a trend that is leaving anytime soon.
- Scarves. In my last post here, I talked about how neckerchiefs are a huge trend right now. And for good reason! A neckerchief is like a statement necklace on steroids…it totally changes the look of a basic tank top or tee. What I also love about scarves is the possibilities they offer: you can get creative and tie one around your handbag, your wrist, turn it into a headband…or even just wear it around your neck like I did here:
Also in the scarf family are the more “practical” winter scarves, and while these may be limited to your neck/shoulders there are many different ways to tie ’em and therefor style ’em. - Belts. I find it interesting the “it” accessory of the moment is this belt. It could be a pair of shoes or a bag but no–a belt is the coveted item fashion bloggers and celebrities are flocking to. A statement belt totally changes the chemistry of an outfit– it dresses it up, creates visual interest by separating top from bottom, and can create a cohesive feel if echoing the same color somewhere else in your outfit. In the look below, I love how this black belt picks up the black in my chiffon scarf to give the outfit a more cohesive feel. And yes, I picked this little $29 belt because it reminded me of said “it” belt, only at less than a tenth of the price :).
- Sunglasses. Prior to blogging I had one pair of sunglasses. They weren’t bad looking, but I only owned them for the noble purpose of shading my eyes from sunlight. Since then I’ve found it’s much more fun to own a few styles to be able to choose a pair that really jives with what you’re wearing. For instance, when getting ready Tuesday I opted for pink accents and these $12 rose gold aviators were the perfect pair-ing (pun intended 😉 ).
- Hats. Hats are a great way to add an extra “somthing” to an outfit while serving a practical purpose. Hats used to be another purely functional category for me ante blog, but now something I absolutely love. I got several questions and comments on this $25 floppy hat from Charleston last month, and it’s one of my favorites.
I also recently purchased this hat, which is more of a fedora style. As with sunglasses, having a few different hats to pull from will give you many more options. - Jewelry. Last, but certainly not least, right gals? 🙂 Your jewelry should reflect your personal style and preferences, though I recommend having pieces in each of these sub-categories:
-A statement necklace. This is the perfect classic accessory to dress up a basic tee and jeans. I got this gorgeous one from Kendra Scott in October and have worn it like crazy since. I love that the geometric shape is so different from a typical “chunky necklace”. (Tip: Kendra Scott gives you one item at 50% off on your birthday each year, which I totally did for this.)
-Delicate necklaces. Layering delicate necklaces is really in right now, and I think it’s a gorgeous look. I recently got the moon-shaped necklace I am wearing below from BaubleBar and love that it has three different length settings on the back to make it easier to layer.
A delicate necklace or two is also a great addition to an outfit for which you’ve already selected a pair of statement earrings, or to a dress/top with a “busy” neckline.
-Stackable bracelets. Ok, most bracelets can be stacked, so really you should be good there! I think the key with arm swag is to have a lot. I love a good “stack” by itself or coupled with my watch, and (not coincidentally) this is also very on-trend.
–Statement earrings. Statement earrings are my go-to, even more so than a statement necklace. I mean, how fun are these drop earrings??
-Neutral studs. I’m obsessed with neutral earrings. To be honest, I probably wear these gorgeous drusy studs about half the time. If you can’t see my earrings in an outfit, I’m most likely wearing them!
Now that we’ve covered the categories, here are two quick accessory tips:
1. If you’re going for a statement necklace, don’t do big earrings, and vice a versa if you choose the big earrings. That’s why studs and delicate necklaces are great; they’re the perfect compliments for a statement necklace or earrings.
2. Keep all your accessories spread out on a dresser top or “accessory table”. I used to keep my accessories hanging in a closet organizer, and I’ve found since laying them all on my dresser it’s so much easier to see everything I have at once and more quickly and savvily (is that even a word?!) decide what to wear.
Whew, that was a long post! If you’re still with me, thank you for making it all this way! I knew this would be a longer one but accessories is a broad category and I wanted to give you information I hope is actionable and beneficial.
Are there any accessories I need to add to this list? Let me know in a comment below. 🙂
XO,
Terra
PS Don’t forget to enter on my Instagram @fifteenminutestoflawless (you can click the Instagram icon at the top of this page to get there) to win a pair of Steve Madden Jaylen wedges (worn in my two dress photos, above)! The giveaway ends this Friday 5/12 at 11:59pm EST. Size and color are your choice!