This post will teach you how to accessorize like a pro.
We’ve all been there. You have imagined the perfect outfit or seen someone wearing something and got inspired to wear something similar. And you have the perfect day to wear it!
Then, you put it on, and something’s not quite right.
You are wearing the exact same items. It’s balanced, it’s proportioned, and the color palette is on point. What could it be?
Probably, it’s all about the accessories.
We spend so much time building our closets, curating the colors, textures, and fits we love. But we might forget that accessories (shoes, bags, jewelry) can make or break an outfit and settle without curating them accordingly.
Accessories are the most useful yet underrated tools in your styling kit, and once you realize this, you can take your outfit to the next level.
It’s simple, but it’s true: a pair of earrings and shoes might be the only thing standing between a casual outfit and an elegant one.
Table of Contents
But, What *Are* Accessories?
What can we consider accessories? Shoes, socks and tights, jewelry, bags, belts, hats, watches, and even hair and makeup all count.
This list isn’t a checklist, and you don’t have to include all of these pieces for every outfit. But the ones you do choose to focus on for your look matter a lot.
There are a few accessories that are the most important, just because there’s no way to create a look without them. These are shoes, hair, and makeup.
They’re all visible and frame the entire look (top to bottom).
The rest of the accessories listed above are optional but important if you want to improve your styling game.
How to Accessorize Outfits Like a Pro: Tips, Tricks, & Hacks
Here’s a list of easy tips and tricks to curate your accessories and accessorize your outfits.
- Like goes with like. Look at your closet: What are the repeated colors? Do you prefer silver or gold? Are you a more experimental or minimalist dresser? Choose your accessories accordingly so it’s easy to pair them with the clothes you have.
- Carry-on. Since we usually carry them between our tops and bottoms, bags, purses, and backpacks can either be an accent color with a neutral background or the one item that brings everything together.
- Grounded or elevated. Shoes and socks can also ground a maximalist outfit or elevate a minimalist one.
- A little sparkle. Jewelry, however you like it or wear it, instantly makes a look more thoughtful.
- Belt it. Belts, just like purses, hit between our tops and bottoms. Belts can draw the eye or trick it with a thoughtful choice of color.
- Hair & Makeup. These two can support, contrast, or bring to life any outfit when you consider the color palette, the aesthetic you might be going for, and the type of neckline you’re wearing.
Now that we’ve gone through the basics, let’s get to the outfits!
How to Accessorize Outfits Like a Pro: A Fashion Guide
Before we begin, one note: To really exemplify the power of accessories, I will be using the same base outfit for all the examples below.
It’s a base we all have in our closets (white t-shirt + blue jeans), so it will be easy to see how much the right accessories affect the entire vibe of a look.
Red Lip Classic, Easy – Outfit #1
Let’s start with small but smart tweaks.
I already have my base: the white cotton T-shirt and blue, high-waisted jeans. So, how did I make this into a casual yet thoughtful look?
First, I added gold necklaces, rings, and statement gold earrings.
Then, I wanted a bit of color sprinkled through the look, so I switched the white sneakers for a pair of red Mary Jane flats. To bring more red in, I wore a watch with a gold face and burgundy strap and a burgundy shoulder bag.
For makeup, I created a natural makeup look and made it pop with red lipstick. Finally, I styled my hair in a sleek bun to free my face and let the earrings have their moment.
As you can see, just by adding accessories, the base has become an outfit. If I had let my hair down, it wouldn’t have worked with those earrings and it would make the look more casual than I would’ve wanted. The same if, instead of the flats, I would’ve chosen a pair of red sneakers.
Styling my hair to work with the earrings and the choice of shoes just brings the outfit to a more put-together area.
Casually Cute, Easy – Outfit #2
But what if you *do* want something more casual?
Keeping the t-shirt and jeans, I accessorized from the bottom up. First, I swapped the white sneakers for lilac sneakers with a floral pattern. To match the sneakers, I added lilac socks.
I wanted to have fun with my jewelry, so I wore a pair of lilac heart-shaped earrings with a green floral pattern. Then, I used a lilac ribbon as a choker and a longer silver necklace to layer with it. I switched my usual watch for this colorful floral one.
For my purse, I chose this floral green crossbody bag to bring in the green from the earrings into the rest of the look.
For hair, I wore it up in space buns to, again, give the earrings space to shine. Finally, I created a glittery makeup look with pink lipstick.
You can see that now I’ve created a completely different kind of outfit just by swapping the accessories. It is a more casual look but a fun, cute one too.
As eclectic as it is, this outfit works because the same cartoony florals and color palette are echoed throughout the different accessories.
Shine & Neutrals, Medium – Outfit #3
For this next one, I wanted something both classic and trendy. I kept the T-shirt and jeans, but I needed to choose an accessory to guide the rest. So, I started with a pair of gold loafers.
Then, to add the ‘classic’ part to the look, I combined the gold with brown. To do this, I cinched the waist with a brown belt and added a gold and brown purse.
For jewelry, I wore a pair of drop earrings with natural stones, a bit of brown coloring, and golden metal. I continued with gold rings and necklaces.
Finally, I kept my makeup simple and neutral and tied my hair in a half ponytail to let the earrings have the right framing to be seen.
In general, I think adding metallics is a great way to give a subtle twist to a classic look. Obviously, you can swap any accessory for a subtler or a statement one.
For example, the earrings could be swapped for smaller gold ones if I wanted a more classic look, but I love these ones because they bring a uniqueness to the look and a bit of color with the stones.
Polished Florals, Medium – Outfit #4
Now, for my heels girlies out there. One of my favorite ways to dress up jeans is to pair them with a very feminine pair of heels. Let’s tackle that.
I have my base, but I wanted color and wanted more femininity. The shoes I chose are these gorgeous tangerine floral strap heels. Based on the elements of the heels, I went with a pair of gold drop-earrings with orange flowers.
I swapped my day-to-day watch for a rose-gold chain watch. For the rest of my jewelry, I kept my gold rings and wore a gold necklace with an orange pendant. Then, to bounce the tiny bit of gold from the jewelry, I added a thin gold belt.
For makeup, I used a tiny bit of orange eyeshadow but mostly kept it simple. Since I have drop earrings again, I styled my hair in a sleek bun.
This look is perfect if you have a brunch, date, or meeting and you want to look effortlessly chic. It is grounded by the simplicity of the tee and jeans, but the rest of the items show thoughtfulness even though they are little things.
Statement Accessorizing, Difficult – Outfit #5
Finally, what about making the accessories the focus of the look? That might mean trying a statement necklace or shoes, a cool bag, or even just small, quirky elements working together.
To create my final look, I first put on my hero piece for this outfit: my pink metallic cowboy boots. Then, based on that, I did a pink-based makeup look with pink highlighter and a lot of blush. For hair, I styled it in braids and then put on a pink beret.
To complement the cuteness of the blush, I tied pink ribbons to the braids.
Since the big pieces were the boots and the hair accessories, I kept my jewelry simple. For earrings, I chose gold heart-shaped earrings and echoed the hearts by wearing a gold rose heart-locket necklace.
Finally, I decided I’d use a holographic purse to mirror the shine of the books.
As you can see, accessories can be the protagonist just as much as the actual clothes. It’s all about considering the items together and not as separate entities. Make them work together and bounce off each other.
Especially when you are wearing hats, you really need to be conscious of how you wear your hair and the shape, length, and weight of your earrings if you want to be comfortable.
Final Thoughts
In general, accessorizing can bring your style to a whole new level without adding more layers or having to buy a bunch of new clothes.
Especially during the summer, when you obviously want to wear simpler looks, or in winter, when you’re covering up most of your clothes, accessories can help bring your personality forward.
For example, I’m a very sentimental accessorizer, so most of my everyday jewelry is either inherited from relatives or gifted by people I love. Some of the purses in this post were my grandma’s and she recently gave them to me. Some of the watches were my dad’s, and he gave them to me. My rings were also inherited or gifted, which is why I don’t change them very often.
In general, accessories are so easy to source locally, too! And you can find unique pieces that complement your personality if you just search a little bit.
For instance, my gold statement earrings from the first and third looks are from a local brand called Torca that creates really unique yet elegant pieces. My holographic bag is also from a local brand that focuses on those types of handbags.
These looks exemplify what accessories can do for your look and how much weight they carry.
When you think of how to accessorize or what accessories to get, think of ones that complement your closet: what patterns, colors, and fabrics do you prefer? Accessories can be used to bridge gaps you might have in your closet without splurging on a new item of clothes.
If you have little closet space, accessories are easier to store, so if you’re limited on clothes you can freshen up any outfit combo with key accessories.
Always consider your accessories as part of the big picture and not an afterthought. Have fun with them!
What Do You Think?
Would you wear any of the outfits? What’s your favorite accessory right now? Do you have any styling questions? Let us know in the comments below!