How to Accessorize Like a Stylist

For many of us, how to ‘accessorize like a stylist’ doesn’t cross our minds when getting dressed in the morning—we simply throw on a pair of pants, a top, and add a pair of shoes on the way out the door. Learning to accessorize like a stylist can help you elevate even the most basic of outfits. A t-shirt and jeans transform from two default pieces thrown on to the kind of curated casual look that you never knew how to achieve. The blouse, trousers, and blazer you put together for work no longer look like you’re a girl playing dress-up, but now make you feel like the powerful put-together woman you are. Accessories make your outfit feel intentional. Yet so many of us are never taught how to coordinate them with our clothing. Maybe we were shown as children how to pair like-colors together in clothing and refined this skill as we got older, but if you’re like me, no one ever taught you what accessories go with what, how many pieces of jewelry are appropriate at one time, or what your jewelry collection should look like. Let’s fix that and discuss it now!

Focus on One Area

For those that are feeling totally lost, the best advice is to focus on one area of the body to accessorize per outfit. What do you want to accent? Think about your favorite features. If you love your hair or want to draw attention upward, work with headbands, hairpins, scrunchies, and hats. If you like simpler tops or want to show off your pretty collarbones, try focusing on necklaces. Love your new manicure? Play it up by adding a few rings. Using this approach of focusing on one area at a time will prevent the sloppy look that results from throwing on every piece you own. People’s eyes will focus on the area you choose to accent instead of jumping from a statement earring to a chunky necklace to a busy patterned scarf. Make your outfit flow by directing people’s attention. It is impossible here not to mention the famous quote:

“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.”

Coco Chanel

This emphasizes that to accessorize like a stylist, one must do it deliberately and with restraint. However, that does NOT mean you must limit yourself to only one accessory! This is a mere starting point from which you can slowly build. Perhaps you decided that necklaces are your area of focus and pair a few delicate gold chains for a layered look. Adding a statement earring will distract from these and could make the area feel cluttered. So, if you want to add another accessory to complement the necklace focal point, try a couple of delicate rings. These won’t compete for attention or clutter the area, and they match the aesthetic you have established.

Consider your outfit

Considering your outfit—neckline, colors, silhouette, and overall tone—is equally important in choosing appropriate accessories. Let your intuition lead. There are no perfect rules to accessorize like a stylist. Get started by asking yourself what you want your outfit to communicate. If you like the billowy organic shape of your dress, emphasize this with the contrasting clean lines of geometric earrings. Alternatively, add more organic shapes (think teardrop earrings, an asymmetric bag, and hammered-effect hardware) to emphasize the look in a different way. Wanting to make a feminine top work with your less feminine style? Pair it with a menswear-inspired watch to tone it down.

It is also helpful to consider necklace shape and neckline pairings. Again, you can choose pairings that mirror each other, like a v-neck button-down and a pendant necklace that hangs perfectly in the opening, or pairings that offset each other, like a square neck blouse and a choker necklace that follows the curve of your neck. Make sure necklaces are the right length, too, so they don’t slip into and back out of your top all day. They should either lay against your bare chest or lay comfortably over your top. For dresses and tops with more complex necklines, cut-outs, or a voluminous cowl neck, your best bet is to skip the necklace and choose a pair of earrings instead.

Also, beware of the outdated idea that all your hardware must match in an outfit. Just because your purse has a gold clasp does not mean your jewelry and jacket zipper must all be gold. Life is for having fun, anyway—mix and match if you want! It can help to integrate silver and gold jewelry in close proximity to make this look intentional. For example, a stack of mixed silver and gold rings will do the trick perfectly.

Building Your Collection

Now that you have some ideas about jewelry and accessory pairings, you may be eager to click “add to cart” and start playing with these ideas. Before you do, look at your most worn outfits—what types of accessories would translate well across all these looks? Do you own these accessories already? If not, make a shopping list for yourself. Thoughtful purchasing is the first step to accessorize like a stylist. It’s all too easy to find 10 pairs of perfect hoop earrings if you just buy anything that catches your eye. You will end up spending more money and having less versatile choices this way. Instead, fill the holes in your accessory selection and be honest with yourself about what you will wear often. If you wear scarves every day below 60 degrees, it might make sense to have a few to choose from. Be more sparing in buying trend pieces. Instead, invest in timeless pieces that can be layered and worn in many ways for years to come. It’s wise to buy these classics with quality in mind, whereas costume jewelry tends to be a more appropriate choice for fun trendy pieces. This way, you can participate in the season’s newest and most exciting trends without breaking the bank, and still have great pieces for all the days in between. Beyond jewelry, consider adding a couple of scarves, hats, hair accessories, belts, and purses to your collection.

If this is starting to sound to you like an expensive endeavor, you’re right. It may not be realistic to check all the items off your shopping list right away. My favorite way to start is by choosing your favorite type of jewelry to wear. I love wearing earrings, so I would choose a simple set of gold studs that I could wear every single day until I am ready to expand my selection once again. This would add a little shine to any look and feel the least intimidating for while I get used to wearing jewelry on a regular basis. Don’t make a chunky, colorful statement necklace your first purchase!

Wrap-Up

Accessorizing can be intimidating if you haven’t put much thought into it before. Stick to these guidelines to get more comfortable pairing jewelry and other accessories with your favorite looks. The right accents can bring any outfit to life! It’s a great way to rediscover your love for old clothing. Still feeling a little fuzzy about choosing the right accessories for you? Learn to accessorize like a stylist from a stylist. Sign up for a consultation here for a more complete styling insight and product guidance experience. We would love to help. And, be sure to check back weekly for more fashion inspiration on our blog page!