How To Style Accessories Part 1

Accessories play a huge role in finishing your look and even have the ability to completely change it, transitioning it from day to night with ease. They help portray your style personality and can be great tools to create balance for your body shape. Part one of styling accessories covers the two key investments and most used items in your accessories collection, footwear and handbags.

 

Footwear

Images - Top - Sincerely Jules & Atlantic Pacific / Bottom - FIGTNY

Images - Top - Sincerely Jules & Atlantic Pacific / Bottom - FIGTNY

Because comfort is key and versatility essential when it comes to footwear this is one item in your wardrobe that needs careful consideration to ensure a meaningful purchase is made. Make sure you cover off the basics in your shoedrobe, key styles that go with everything, a pair of boots for Winter and sandals for Summer, casual shoes and formal shoes. Although your footwear sits at the bottom of your outfit it still holds significance when dressing for your body shape. Here are a few key tips to remember:

  • Bright footwear creates a focal point and shortens your stature, reverse this by wearing the same colour near the top of your outfit to create balance.
  • The vamp, or rise, of a shoe can elongate or shorten your leg. A low vamp lengthens and a high vamp shortens.
  • Ankle straps shorten and widen so ensure they sit at the thinnest point of your ankle or avoid them all together.
  • Boots should finish at the slimmest part of your leg or ankle to avoid creating a horizontal line at an unflattering point.
  • The visibility of skin between your footwear and hemline is shortening. Create a single colour flow i.e.) black boots with long black pants or black tights with a black skirt, for an elongating effect.
  • Shoes that match the colour of your skin are elongating regardless of the vamp as no break point is created to draw attention to where the shoe ends and your foot/leg begins.
 

Handbags

Images - Top - Modern Legacy & Unknown / Bottom - Beige Renegade

Images - Top - Modern Legacy & Unknown / Bottom - Beige Renegade

Another key piece in your look, and even more so if you tend to use the same bag most days, your handbag is an item that is worthy of investment based on the cost per wear calculation. Consider these aspects when making this all important purchase decision: 

  • Choose a colour that works back with your wardrobes palette. Whether that's a neutral or bright will depend on your style personality. The key consideration is that the color is complimentary to almost all of your daily outfit combinations.
  • Just like with prints the size of your bag should be reflective of your proportions. A too small handbag can make you appear larger while a large handbag can swamp a petite frame.
  • Consider the strap length when choosing a handbag to ensure where the bag sits on your body when carried over your shoulder is not at your widest point, and therefore attracting unwanted attention.
  • Consider the shape of your bag and how it relates to your style personality. A more structured, boxy bag reflects a formal, put together look while unstructured, slouchy styles are more relaxed.
  • And remember to take care of those shoulders ladies...good posture compliments all body shapes! Crossbody bags, alternating which shoulder you carry your bag on and carrying in the crook of your arm all help.