Mixing and matching your clothes is a great way to breathe new life into old favourites without spending a lot of money on new items. But it can also be confusing to figure out which accessories go with what – there are some golden rules, but they, too, get boring in a while.
Picking the right accessories can be quite a task. But if you get it right, they can help you elevate your look and make you stand out from the crowd. The first step is to define your very own style, and from there on, it becomes much more manageable.
Once you know what style suits you, all you need to do is create a few essential looks that you can always rely on and compliment them with different add-ons. If you want to learn how to do that, keep reading – we’ve rounded up eight cool tips on matching accessories with different outfits below.
Come Up With a Palette
Needless to say, you can’t just take random pieces and hope they’ll work together. The key to matching your accessories with the right outfit is to create a colour palette for yourself. For example, blue denim loves white, beige, and nude tones, while black leather looks great with silver and gold.
You can rely on more than one colour, though. If you feel courageous, work around the colour wheel and experiment with complementary colours. The possibilities are endless, and the results can be pretty stunning!
Play With Textures and Materials
Colours are important in the world of fashion, but textures and materials can make as much of a difference. If you want your outfit to look attractive, don’t shy away from playing with different textures and materials.
Let’s go beyond clothing for a minute. If you take a look at vaping equipment at vapekit.co.uk, for instance, you’ll see that many vapes there embrace monochromatic designs. The idea is to create a clean and elegant look using just one colour but different textures.
You can use the same principle when matching your accessories with different outfits. Try to create a contrast between the materials themselves whenever you want a more subtle yet stylish look.
Don’t Mix Metals
While mixing different materials and textures is generally a good idea, you should be careful when it comes to metals. You may have seen people wear a watch with a metal bracelet and a couple of rings on top, and while it may work in some cases, the overall look can be pretty overwhelming.
Instead of mixing different metals, focus on just one type. If you are wearing a silver watch, consider using some silver bracelets or rings. If you’re wearing a gold necklace, put away your silver earrings – and those in rose gold, too.
Stick to a Few Key Pieces
You probably already have your favourite clothes you feel the most comfortable in. And that’s perfectly fine; in the end, fashion should make you feel good about yourself, not the other way around. This will also help you define your overall look, upon which you can start building different outfits.
The idea is to have a few essential pieces that you can then mix and match as you see fit. A nice pair of jeans, a black leather jacket, and a white shirt are all timeless choices, but if you feel like a loose hoodie and some sweatpants are more your thing, you may be surprised at how well they can actually work. For instance, a hoodie paired with a trench coat has recently been among the most popular trends.
Complement Outfit’s Details
It is a good idea to use accessories to accentuate the details of your clothing. For example, if you’re wearing a button-down shirt, consider using suspenders to draw attention to the buttons. If you’re wearing a dress with laces, try to find some earrings with a similar design.
The idea is to find small details in your clothing and make them pop while remaining subtle at the same time. Sometimes, you only need a small accessory to take your outfit from good to great.
Don’t Overdo It
At the same time, you should try not to overdo it with your accessories. It is easy to get carried away – a pair of glasses, a bracelet, some rings, a necklace, and earrings can quickly become too much, especially if you aren’t preparing for a fancy event.
Instead, focus on just one or two pieces to help you achieve the desired look. As mentioned above, small accents can make a big difference, so you don’t have to go all out whenever you want to step out of the house.
Consider Your Body Shape
The way you dress depends on your proportions, and the same goes for the accessories you choose. Large earrings, for example, may look great on someone with an oval face shape but completely overwhelm someone with a round face and a short bob.
It’s safe to assume that the vast majority of us are not models, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make adjustments to your look to flatter your body shape. The idea is not to hide your flaws – we all have them, after all. Instead, you should focus on accentuating your best features.
Mind the Occasion
You should also consider the type of event you’re attending. A formal meeting will require you to wear different accessories than, say, a night out with friends. The idea is to look appropriate at all times, and that can be quite a challenge unless you define your very own style.
One of the most important things to keep in mind is to – once again – not overdo it. We all want to look the best all of the time, but that doesn’t imply wearing golden jewellery when going to a gym. There’s a time and place for everything, so try to be mindful of that.
Final Thoughts
Mixing and matching accessories can be a lot of fun, but it can also be confusing. If you want to avoid getting carried away with all you have at your disposal, focus on creating a set of a few basic looks that you can always fall back on.
When choosing the right accessories, take your time and try to get to know them better. If you don’t like those you already have, feel free to sell them and invest in new pieces that will actually work for you. And most importantly, have fun and experiment – you never know what you may come up with.
