Are you unsure of how to successfully add jewellery and other accessories to more colourful outfits? Do you worry that you will look ridiculous or just overdone?
Fear not, I'm here to give you the Accessorizing with Colourful Outfits fast-start course with just 3 top tips to follow.
1. Relate the Colours
The first aspect to create harmony and make your choices look thoughtful and considered rather than slapdash and haphazard is to relate the colours in your accessories to the colours in your outfit.
Choose one or two of the colours from your colourful outfit to repeat in your accessories. That way you're not adding more colours to the outfit.
Here I've repeated the colour of my turquoise top with a turquoise necklace and sandals.
In this example below, I've repeated two of the colours from the top in the necklace.
2. Relate the Shapes
Related shapes is one of the Principles of Coordination and is so useful when considering what shapes and styles of accessories to choose. If you are wearing a colourful pattern, look at the shapes within the pattern. A floral shape will work well with more curvy shaped jewellery, while checks or other more sharply angled patterns will look great with simpler shaped jewellery and accessories.
This floral necklace is curvy like the floral skirt pattern so they work together easily.
Plus when you add the ultimate Covid-safe accessory of a face mask, this one is in the same fabric as my skirt (cos I made them both myself).
For necklaces, you will want to also consider the shape of your neckline and you may want to repeat that shape or just look for a shape that is related to it (here is my guide on choosing necklaces for your neckline).
3. Relate to Your Contrast
Colour Contrast
How many colours look great on you all at the same time? The answer to this relates to your colour contrast (which you can figure out here for yourself, or I can let you know as part of my 7 Steps to Style program). Do you need more colours or less?
If you need to up your colour contrast, select accessories with a different colour to create your ideal colour contrast level.
This red dress, even though it's only one colour, has an impact, so I chose silver accessories rather than adding an alternate colour.
You may want to add additional colours with your accessories, or you may want to use neutrals to calm down your more colourful outfit. Of course your personality will also influence this decision as well. Someone who has a more Classic personality dressing style, or Elegant Chic will be more likely drawn to more neutral accessories (simple gold or silver or other neutral tones), whilst someone with a more Creative or Dramatic personality dressing style core may love to add more interest using colourful accessories. Discover your core personality style with my quiz here.
In this example below, I've chosen a gold and pearl necklace - the gold repeats the yellow tones in the top and the pearl is neutral. Then the colours in my shoes repeat some of the colours in the top.
Value Contrast
You will also want to consider your value contrast (that is the difference between your lightest and darkest features) and then if you need to, choose accessories that create that colour contrast, particularly important in your portrait area, as that's what we see when we are sitting and talking to you - whether it's on a conference call or just behind a table or desk.
Here, with a neutral boot in a similar value to my legs so they are not the feature, as I've already created a high colour contrast, I've created a medium value contrast with the print and the selection of medium value colours. The necklace has small multicoloured stones that repeat the colours in the floral skirt.
More Tips Here
How to Choose Prints That Work With Your Colour Contrast
How to Choose Linking Pieces and Accessories to Co-ordinate Your Outfit More Stylishly
