Mix and Match – A Guide to Combining Accessories with Outfits

Fashion isn’t all about clothes, and for a long time we’ve been aware that accessorizing can make or break an outfit. So, how come we still make some unforgivable mistakes when matching our trinkets with our clothing? It’s simple: there are so many clothing styles, a number of different accessories intended for different body parts, and, just to spice things up a bit, there are the colors too. If you count in the trends too, you can get dizzy. Fortunately, there are ways to simplify the “rules of accessorizing”, and reduce them to a simple guideline, that will, later on, help you make your own successful combinations.

Let the Colors Guide You

Color matching is not something we inherently know or don’t know. It’s a skill to be mastered. Here are a few tips that will help you match your accessories to your outfit based on colors:

Stay within the same family (jewels with jewels, pastels with pastels, and so on).
Find complementary (opposite) colors on the color wheel.
Use a lighter or darker shade of the color of your outfit.
Use a printed (patterned) accessory that has the same shade as your clothes.
Break down neutral combination with a strong color.

Think about the Scale Too

The size of your accessories will also impact the final appearance of your outfit. Too large and busy accessories will only go well with simple, monochrome (or in some cases color-blocked) outfits. On the other hand, such pieces would make patterned clothes look tacky and ridiculous. Patterned or embellished outfits are best complemented with understated, small accessories. When choosing some accessories, you should even factor in your height. For example, petit ladies should stay clear of oversized handbags, while tall women look amazing wearing clutches.

There Are Accessories You Can’t Fail With

And if you really don’t feel like banging your head against the wall until you come up with the perfect accessories-outfit combination, you will be happy to know that there are accessory items that go well with just about everything. Here are some of them.

Sunglasses: A timeless eyewear that can be paired up with everything. Bear in mind that not all frames can work with all kinds of lenses. If you are unsure, it’s best to consult an optometrist in Sydney and check.
Gold hoop earrings: They’re large enough to make your ears pop, yet thin enough not to distract from your outfit.
A black leather tote bag: Useful for a quick grocery shopping, but also polished enough for an office setting.
Camel booties: They go well with everything from skinny jeans to flair dress.
One simple gold bracelet: A delicate touch you can always wear.
An everyday long necklace: It can add style to your ordinary white cotton t-shirt and embellish an evening dress.

Matching or Changing the Styles

There are two ways to go with accessories: you can use them to complement the style of your outfit or to completely change an otherwise non-style-specific piece.

Example of situation one: You are wearing ripped jeans, a t-shirt with a band name, leather jacket and Converse shoes. If you want to further enhance this rock ’n’ roll ereHHHstyle, you will add equally rock-accessories, such as leather bracelet, a handbag with rivets and an Axl-Rose-Style headscarf.
Example for situation two: You are in a body-embracing black cotton dress. Do you want to make it elegant? Put on some heels and add a metallic statement necklace. Do you want to make it edgy? Wear ankle boots and choker necklace? Do you want to make it appropriate for the day? Put on a colorful necklace and wear flats of the same/similar color. The possibilities are endless.

These tips should help you up to your accessorizing game. And remember, when you don’t feel like stressing about it, just grab some of the fail-proof pieces.