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Accessorizing?

Brin

A wardrobe capsule is bound to be coherent (one of my style goals) if one shops at only one (or two related) stores -- in my case Loft and Ann Taylor because I continue to have good experiences there. I have neutrals of navy (and navy used to bring out my poison eye!) and grey, and then blush and terracotta which I am loving. However. There seem to be a lot of potential outfits which I'm not wearing as they just feel blah (this was not one of my style goals). And then I realized: I'm not accessorizing them at all. I wear earrings every day (usually small or medium-size ones) and sometimes a pendant on a chain. And nothing's wrong with that, just that everything continues to feel blah.

I think I have finally reached the point where I'm wanting Accessories, not just a bit of jewelry here and there. Since I've worked on jewelry-making in the past, I happened to have a few chunky chains which I thought might be the place to start, and a few bracelets that could be worn together. But they're still not "fashion jewelry" and I'm wondering whether I want to invest (see Finds below) to put together a "look".

So I have two questions for the forum:

1) What is the frump factor of my handmade stuff? (Sorry about the photos, by the way. I'm still having technical difficulties and was trying to do the InStyle thing -- which is harder to do than I expected...)

2) Is accessorizing with jewelry something that you do? If so, what works best for you, and what do you recommend?

Seeking to conquer the blah,
Brin

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Fine Frond Hoops

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Aglauros Fringe Necklace

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Amiata Necklace

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Dressing

15 replies

Latest reply was from rachylou

Brin

(Sorry again about the photos...) The five adjectives which I am trying to attain at this point in my style journey: Authentic, Coherent, Comfortable, Simple and Quirky. It will probably be difficult for me to wear any kind of Large Accessory in public (at work) because it feels so different from what I usually wear. I believe that change is often a good thing, but I feel a lot of conflict about whether or not to try this. Any thoughts? I wonder if other people have gone through the same kind of thing -- being in conflict about an aspect of their style...

Anonymous

I'm most impressed at your handmade jewellery, Brin! I have some older necklaces that I inherited from my grandmother and like to wear, despite the fact they are frumpy. What I usually do is combine them with other necklaces to create a more layered look. I do the same with bracelets. I have no idea if that is more current, but it feels more modern to me.

rabbit

Veteran

It's great that you are being thoughtful and assessing how you feel in outfits, as well as how they look. Having a coherent color palette and style is helpful and makes it easy to build from there.

I'm probably not the best person for advice on jewelry since I only wear plain hoop earrings, but from the jewelry you have made at the top I think the first lovely long necklace (because of it's length and the pale contrasting color) has a lot of promise to be worn with current outfits. I'm less sure about the two shorter necklaces, mainly because of their length, and that they don't have the 'bib' volume that I'm more used to seeing at that length, like the great necklaces in your finds below. I think your bracelets if stacked together on one wrist to have volume have good possibilities as well.

Other places that you can add interest to an outfit (still keeping in mind your style adjectives with each choice) are in scarves, footwear, bags, and sunglasses, even lipsticks if you do that. A pop of brighter color, a white, or a metallic in small doses can add a lot of interest to my mind to an outfit of navy and gray, and could work with blush and terracotta as well.

Maybe don't buy a lot of accessories at once but try one or two, and take some photos to ask for feedback or just for yourself to evaluate how you like the overall look of the same outfit styled in many different ways.

Anonymous

Your pieces are really pretty, and have a definite, consistent look. I happen to really love jewellery, and absolutely use it to make a look (when I can , anyways - lol) . Having the wrong piece on can really throw me off my game during the workday , just as having the right one can make me feel so much more pulled together. The colour and style of your own pieces seem to work well with the colour palette you favour - as do the pieces from Anthro you've picked. There is so much to choose from out there in terms of jewellery, and if you are feeling a little blah, maybe you could check out some bolder looks that are more statement -making. Heavier chains, bigger stones, more dramatic colour, maybe add some leather etc. I buy a lot from one or two particular designers here in Canada and find that's a good way to know that what I invest in will be worth the money and worn a lot. (they are consistent in their designs which work really well for me). How about a statement watch to wear along with your bracelets? That's a really popular look right now, as are layered and stacked rings.

Brin

Aliona - I hadn't thought of stacking necklaces in that way, but as soon as you said it I remembered seeing it done. That's a very cool idea and I think it's both modern and current. I will have to see what my necklaces look like when layered... I could also run up some plain chains to give extra substance...

rabbit - I do think the first necklace has more potential than the others (and it's funny, a few years ago I was planning to take it apart!) I think maybe now its time has come. I also absolutely understand about the "bib" and how that was missing from the necklaces I had chosen to try. I do actually have at least one short bib which is extremely simple but would give the right kind of colour contrast -- I think I should get it out and loan it to myself

You also make a good point that jewelry is not the only accessory. Some of the other categories you suggest don't work so well for me (I have fussy feet, for example, so not that many pairs of shoes). But I would really like to acquire some scarves. And learn how to wear them. That would be a brilliant way to add colour and interest. Thank you so much for the idea. And I will try the accessories a little at a time (I'm not sure I'm brave enough for anything else).

Thank you both so much for your generous ideas-- you have got me thinking in a fresh way!

Brin

lisap - You are helping empower me to make the leap to buying larger statement pieces -- something different than what I can make -- something with more authority, somehow (though whether I could live up to it would be a different story...) I do have a favourite designer in silver, but her pieces are quite small compared to what I'm thinking about now. I am very much coveting the Anthro fringed necklace as it is made up of smaller pieces to create something larger, which kind of bridges the gap for me.

It really seems strange to me to think that I could be stylish as well as simply having enough clothes to wear.. I will have to try to take it slowly. And maybe not buy the Anthro necklace right away...

Thank you for inspiring me.

Anonymous

The misty colors, knit fabrics and subtle jewelry combine to make pretty and subdued outfits but if you want to add some tension, maybe add some contrast? A structured piece of clothing in a saturated color, a defined shoe, a scarf with some sheen or texture?

Brin

Isabel - I think you're so right about the contrast. I purposefully chose garment layouts that did not have any contrast in them, hoping that the necklaces would do the job, but they don't do enough, do they? I have several garments in blush/orange tones that I'm planning to mix in.

But I really like your thoughts about scarves, and rabbit was also recommending them. I will need to keep an eye out for something small enough that I can manage it, and then figure out how to tie it Well, I can do a square knot, and there are lots of resources that I can learn from.

I have a confession: I only wear one pair of shoes at work. But I think they're what you'd call defined; I think of them as sleek. They're halfway between a shoe and a boot, dark brown and I feel they go with everything I wear (with some polished contrast).

I will be keeping your words in mind as I continue to develop my sense of style and discover where the gaps are in my wardrobe...

Nannabella

For scarf tying, there are a bunch or resources online. A simple thing a lot of people do now is tie the ends of a long scarf together and then loop it like an infinity scarf, tucking the knot under. I think if you get a couple of scarves, you'll start to feel more comfortable with them as you wear them. I love how I can wear jeans and a t-shirt, and if I throw a scarf on, voila, people think I'm wearing an outfit.

Aside from scarves and jewelry, don't forget about belts. A contrasting color belt can add pop to an outfit. Also, you say you have only one pair of shoes that you wear to work. This might be an area where you could branch out and add a more unexpected color. For example, a mossy green could work with your color palette and yet provide more interest.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

You've gotten great advice already. I think I would start by wearing some of the pieces you have and seeing how you feel about them. They are really pretty and suit your style adjectives. I wanted to add that when you mentioned your work shoes are brown, I thought, aha! those bracelets are perfect! I'm imagining they will provide a subtle match with your shoes. (If they are drastically different colors, then I may be wrong, but that's my thought, anyway.)

Brin

Nannabella - Your words are inspiring. I would love to be able to throw on a scarf and suddenly become glamourous I will need to experiment with different sizes of scarf (this would be a good project for me this spring...)

Unfortunately, I try to avoid anyone actually seeing my belt (due to bulges in the vicinity) though I can imagine that a contrasting belt would be very effective.

As it happens, I had been thinking of doing some shoe shopping, and I will keep in mind the contrast idea. A long time ago (before I had this job) my favourite colour for shoes was dark red, but that might be asking too much of my navy and grey trousers. I like your thought of green! I think I should just try to remember that shoes don't only come in neutral colours.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience!

Brin

Firecracker - I think you're absolutely right, both in terms of colour and of subtle gleam. I will have to get used to wearing bracelets, though. I made them so that I could actually wear them...

One of the small issues with the bracelets is that two of them have magnetic clasps, which is great when you're trying to get them on. I have discovered, however, that sometimes they get very interested in something else metallic and try to leave your wrist. This may be an extra challenge -- to appear effortlessly put together and meanwhile be struggling to pull one's bracelet away from the lampstand...

rabbit

Veteran

lol Brin, that image

Part of the issue I have with long pendants is that they catch on the knobs in my kitchen. I wear headphones a lot when cooking and doing dishes and the number of times they have been yanked out of my ears by the cord catching on a knob...

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I love your colour palette and I think your homemade jewellery has potential as Rabbit and Aliona suggested. I layer a lot of my older pieces, actually, and another trick I've found is to wear necklaces as bracelets. I do that with one set of pearls in particular. They don't make enough of a statement as a necklace but pack a lovely punch as a bracelet layered with the original bracelet from the "set."

Love the idea of red or green footwear, too, with this palette.

rachylou

Veteran

Jewelry definitely makes for a finishing touch. I wear a lot of busy combinations, but when I'm wearing all solids I sometimes crave jewelry or a belt or something. As for handmade - I find I go in and out of wanting to wear handmade. I think the frump factor is highly coloured by mood...