How important are accessories to you? - YouLookFab Forum

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How important are accessories to you?

Katerina

Veteran

Dear Fabbers,
I am curious about your use of accessories and what role accessories play in your style and your wardrobe.

I consider myself an accessories person. In my wardrobe, accessories play a central part. I have by far more accessories than clothes and shoes. I build my outfits and my wardrobe on combinations of accessories - scarves, bags, gloves, costume jewelry and various pairs of sunglasses. Hunting for new fun and interesting accessories gives me joy. I am also willing to spend far more on fabulous scarves or sunnies than on items of clothing. I try to create complements in many, many colours. I use pattern in scarves, but almost never in clothes.

I know that this is all very individual. How do you feel about accessories? Do you have any accessories/clothes/shoes ratio for your wardrobe or your budget? Do you prefer shopping for clothes and/or shoes or accessories? How do you use colours and patterns in your wardrobe? And what is your favourite kind of accessories? Mine are scarves - I am basically a collector. I also love brooches.

General

44 replies

Latest reply was from Sal

Anonymous

How do you feel about accessories? LOVE THEM. I love everything about accessories. They certainly elevate every single outfit.

Do you have any accessories/clothes/shoes ratio for your wardrobe or your budget? I do not. It never occurred to me to develop one. I buy as the budget allows, but truthfully, I don't own a lot of accessories.

Do you prefer shopping for clothes and/or shoes or accessories? Clothes and bags all the way (equally). Never shoes. Shoes are a pain in the butt.

How do you use colours and patterns in your wardrobe? I use my accessories to add interest and color. I love a red or fuchsia bag. I adore earrings of all types.

And what is your favourite kind of accessories? Despite my love of bags, my favorite accessory is an earring. I cannot leave the house until I put in my earrings. The majority of my earrings are pearls. They are my signature item.

Mine are scarves - I am basically a collector. I also love brooches. I love you in scarves and brooches!!!!!!!!!!!! You are a master. I bow to the Master.

Gretchen

Veteran

I love them! Scarves, bags and jewelry add the sparkle and polish that I need in my wardrobe.

I don't have a defined strategy for shopping for these items. I tend to buy fewer/higher quality and keep for a long time, so they have to speak to me at some level. I also love picking these types of things up when traveling so I have a fun memory to go along with them.

Some recents adds below.

Faliero Sarti Agata Scarf - Farfetch

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St. Piece Imelda Double-Sided Silk Floral Scarf

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rachylou

Veteran

I love seeing how people use accessories and look forward to hearing more about how Fabbers do it!

The fact is, I’m not an accessories person. They have been verboten to me because of work and it’s become habit to have none. I don’t know what to do with them now. I don’t suppose I have substituted wild colour and pattern mixing to make up for the difference.

Katerina

Veteran

Thank you, Sterling! I understand your love of earrings, gorgeous pearl earrings truly brighten up the face. They are the best! Talking about a fuchsia bag, I have just received a fuchsia bag I have ordered, it is very nice. I am just debating with myself whether I really need it, I am loosing the debate

Gretchen, wow! Gorgeous new pieces! The double sided silk scarf blows me away.

Rachylou, how interesting! Your beautiful hair is a stunning “accessory”, anyways.

Anonymous

You are the scarf and brooch Queen Happy to see you back!

I love accessories too, much easier to shop for than clothes! Except shoes-ditto Sterling!

No strategy or budget ratio. Its "happy little magpie goes into a shop" all the way. Bracelets and earrings are my favorites, but enjoy sunnies and scarves and necklaces too. Well the look of scarves-I haven't been liking the way they feel on my neck lately.

Lots of color-medium to dark and mixed all together. Some pattern, but not mixed very much. Realized this week though that the accessories I gravitate to mostly are the nude to me sorts-copper, brown, gold, amber and rarely use the blue-green-black-red ones.

Katerina

Veteran

Suntiger, thank you! I don’t have any special strategy or ratio either. Interesting about the preference for certain shades more than others. For years I gravitated towards my yellow gold jewelry and didn’t wear the white gold and silvery shades so much. Lately, I started to enjoy silver as much as the gold. Something shifted.

Mainelady

Veteran

You hoo! Calling all accessories! This is a fun post. I look forward to learning about Fabbers and their thoughts on accessories.

How do you feel about accessories? I adore accessories. I do not feel complete without them. They make me joyful. Many of my accessories are Happiness Factors.
Do you have any accessories/clothes/shoes ratio for your wardrobe or your budget? This is a good question. I had never really given this much thought. Accessories have the biggest share of my wardrobe and over time, I am sure have had a larger allowance than clothing. The great news is that I think of many of my accessories as lifetime pieces. I will be passing the majority of my accessories down to my children/ grandchildren.
Do you prefer shopping for clothes and/or shoes or accessories? Shoes and accessories!
How do you use colours and patterns in your wardrobe? I have so much fun coordinating my accessories with my outfits and each other.
And what is your favourite kind of accessories? Jewelry. I always said that if I were a wealthy woman I wouldn’t need a fancy car or a fancy house. I would need longer arms for all the bangles and more fingers than God gave me for all the rings.

taylor

Veteran

I’m right there with you Katerina!
I don’t have more accessories than clothes or shoes , but I wear multiple bracelets every day , necklaces , rings and earrings everyday !.
I am currently off costume (except brooches) and wearing the real/good stuff again
I will also add that Sunnies , shoes and handbags are just as important to my overall accessory look as jewelry .

Anonymous

Another accessory lover here. No strategies nor budget allocation , and I simply buy what I like. Probably 80% of my accessory purchases are spontaneous and impulse buys. Bags and shoes are usually a little more planned out I'm trying to be more discriminating with my purchases now, as storage is at a premium and I no longer want to have large collections of "stuff". Better is best.

Toban

Veteran

Hand waving in the air -- most important part of the outfit for me! Not complete without it!!!! My go to is a collection of awesome necklaces. But over the last year I have added scarves to the mix, often doubling up and wearing both a necklace and scarf so that I feel complete if I have to take the scarf off. This winter/spring I have worn a scarf on most days. I don't have a budget earmarked for accessories, but am fortunate to be able to purchase a necklace or scarf if I stumble on one that speaks to me. I don't specifically go looking for them. Often I find the necklaces on my travels. I love unique. Most of mine are low to mid-range in price, so if it is not a duplicate of something I have (splitting wears!) and it speaks to me, I'll almost always purchase it. Changing up my necklace or scarf makes a whole new outfit and makes my small wardrobe work awesomely.

AndiB

Veteran

I love accessories! I have tons of scarves and wear one almost every day. Today a gifted to me leopard neckerchief to snaz up a vneck black tee with jeans, taupe ankle booties and a sweater duster from loft I think in a similar taupe - tan. Simple but I feel sophisticated. I’ve also started collecting rings. Big rings. Today a Smokey topaz that just totally matches the scarf and sweater. Big ish gold hoops. I feel fab in this outfit. But I wear some collection of accessories every day including scarf, jewelry, often a necklace plus the scarf, coordinated shoes and topper. I consider most of my toppers an accessory of sorts. No strategy alas

Adriana

Veteran

I like my outfits to be a bit, how shall I call it, simple, cleanlined. So after much experimenting I keep my accessories plain. Like a black necklace on a black sweater, or not too contrasty. Scarves idem. I love them but I don't look good with them. A scarf looks best hanging the other way around, with the long ends on my back. The last years I don't wear earrings because my glasses are big. Sunglasses yes! Love them, but I need prescription. The most effect are with my bags. I like them patterned.
And I own many pair of gloves. My favorite ones are from the Japanese brand Antipast. And I buy all this very impulsive. No planning.

Kate

Veteran

I love accessories, Katerina. Because I dress is neutrals, and rarely ever a pattern of any sort, accessories are my bling, scarves and bags in particular. I used to love big chunky necklaces and wide cuff bracelets, but moved away from them for many years. Now I'm feeling the pull again, wearing some of my old pieces, and adding a few new items as well. It all feels fresh.

taylor

Veteran

Adriana,
Talk to us about your gloves. I am intrigued. Are they winter weather gloves or “outfit” gloves.? I would love to see or hear how you style them !

Edit to say : I just looked them up. They have a beautiful assortment and fabulous designs.!

Cardiff girl

Veteran

You do indeed have a gift when it comes to accessories.l ,m not a great acessorizer but I do like a scarf and will usually wear one on all but the hottest of days.l always wear discreet earrings as well.l think that a well chosen accessory can really elevate an outfit.

Roberta

Veteran

Scarves are sooo easy to try on, keep my neck warm in the winter, conceal a too-deep neckline, brighten up my face, protect me from an itchy wool coat, lend a flattering vertical line to my frame. Plus you can START with a scarf and build an outfit from its colors. They are truly magical. What a pity I can't wear them in Chicago's sweltering summers. Then I might wear a necklace.

I also have quite a few watches. They became my wrist jewelry when regular bracelets began to annoy me (I am almost always using a mouse). Mine are all quite masculine in style, no crystals or flowers, but they are an array of colors.

I rarely wear brooches or rings, though I own some and greatly admire them on others. Usually my scarf is covering the likely place for a brooch. And i have six pairs of glasses since i discovered Zenni.

My favorite earrings are below, because they confuse people.

Kate Spade New York kate spade new york double drop asymmetrical stud earrings | Nordstrom

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Carrie

Not a big accessories woman. I like one workhorse bag, for example so I want it to be high quality and versatile.

I wear glasses every day. I want them to work with lots of looks but also be interesting and flattering since I look at them every day in the mirror.

Maybe I'm developing more of an interest though... I usually wear the same diamond studs everywhere, but I just bought some fun colorful earrings that I'm going to start working into more looks.

Carrie

Not a big accessories woman. I like one workhorse bag, for example so I want it to be high quality and versatile.

I wear glasses every day. I want them to work with lots of looks but also be interesting and flattering since I look at them every day in the mirror.

Maybe I'm developing more of an interest though... I usually wear the same diamond studs everywhere, but I just bought some fun colorful earrings that I'm going to start working into more looks.

MsMaven

Veteran

Jewelry, although lately I realize I have enough and don't need to buy much more. I like warmer weather for many reasons, but one of the important ones is that I can wear my necklaces and bracelets collected over the years--they aren't hidden by layers of clothing.

When I was younger, I was a minimalist--the clothes in current styles were the most important part of my shopping. Older, it is hard to find clothes that fit right, shoes that don't hurt my feet, and a bag to hold the minimum of all the stuff we have to carry around now, cell phone, glasses, "just in case" items, and please, it can't be too heavy. I wear more scarves now because they help keep me warmer in winter.

I haven't quite reached the point where I plan my outfit around the jewelry I want to wear, but I'm getting there. I have kept jewelry purchases in a separate category than all other types of clothes and accessories.

The Cat

Veteran

Welcome back to the forum, Katerina! Interesting to read your thoughts on accessories. Didn't know that you spend more on them than on clothing items.

Accessories are important to me, and I love them. In particular, I always want to wear something around my neck and/or near my face (scarf or shawl / statement necklace / medium or big earrings / bold reading glasses), and to wear nice shoes. All these are my favourite accessories.

I also enjoy wearing my boas, hats, sunglasses, bracelets, bags, belts, gloves, rings, brooches and coloured hosiery (not all at the same time though ).

I haven't set any ratio for my wardrobe or budget. (My best guess is around 50%, in both areas.)

For me, shopping for accessories seems easier than shopping for clothes. It's more fun, and I don't have to queue for going into a tiny room and undress.

I build every outfit around 2 or 3 main colours--at least one neutral and at least one non-neutral. Any item can be used as a starting point. If wearing a printed item (whether neutral or non-neutral), I like to repeat at least one of the print colours in another item. When wearing non-neutral items on my bottom half, I prefer to repeat one or more of those non-neutral colours somewhere near my face. And among friends and colleagues I am known for matching my reading glasses to my outfit.

Staysfit

Veteran

My main accessories are bangle bracelets, scarves, and earrings. I have a nice collection of necklaces as well. Most of my jewelry is sentimental, given to me by my aunt, mother, husband, etc. I sometimes find something at an art fair, but I do not budget for accessories.

Echo

Veteran

I adore accessories - probably more than clothes, although I have always considered shoes to be accessories. Granted, I often organize an outfit around the shoes, but even so, shoes are often my stand-out item.

But regardless, after shoes, handbags and scarves (Alexander McQueen scarves, specifically) are a close second with jewelry after that. But my preference is for fine jewelry, which reduces the number of items for me so as not to break the budget.

Brooklyn

Veteran

I love accessories. Particularly jewellery. It’s one of the few areas in which I rarely make a mistake. Even though I tend to buy only costume jewellery, I take care of it and it lasts me a long time. For me accessories are the best way of varying an outfit, especially something like a dress when there’s only so much you can do to change it up. And jewellery is great for our endless summers - it doesn’t make me hot

You are the Queen of Accessories, Katerina!

And Gretchen, I looooove those French Kande pieces.

Runcarla

Veteran

Though I am an accessory minimalist, the things I do use as accessories are important to me. They are also more 'loved' than individual items of clothing in my closet. I have a new appreciation of the silk scarf, and have added a second one to my collection. I rarely go out now, without one around my neck and I'm having fun learning new ways to style them. I almost always carry a bag, and I adore my red wallet. Like Adriana, I have a thing for leather gloves. I have Raynaud's and wear gloves from fall's first chill through late spring. I am always on the lookout for colourful pairs to add to my collection. I also like hats.

I'm not big on belts or jewelery, though I have a few belts and a small collection of jewelery - mostly 'real', but some costume.

Money for accessories comes out of my clothing budget. I am commissioning a ring that is going to eat up a sizeable chunk of my 2019 clothing budget - but I believe will be worth it.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Jewelry by a long shot.
I don't budget for jewelry and I usually don't buy much anymore. Clothes are a necessity, and my jewelry doesn't wear out :).

Adriana

Veteran

Taylor. I use gloves in different ways. Mostly I wear them in the same color spectrum(?) as my bags. Or a complimentary color. This works very good in spring or autumn without scarf. I don't like matching scarf and gloves (and bags). But there must be a connection somewhere. Without a bag I like scarf and gloves in complimentary colors. I have thin gloves for warmer days. Gloves for camping and walking.
I wear a lot of black so can use lots of colors. But I also grab the ones who are the warmest and feels the best in winter, who cares how it looks. A few examples.

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Staysfit

Veteran

OMG! I forgot about my glasses frames! My frames are one of my signature accessories! I have clear, turquoise, red, and dark grey, plastic frames. I have a new pair of wire rim frames that are mint green and blush pink. I have a pair of purple plastic frames that need my new prescription lenses so they are not seeing much wear at present. I have three pair of oversized sunnies. One is a royal blue aviator, one is a mirrored lens with blush pink frames, and one is a sky blue with charcoal tortoise earpieces.

My eye prescription is apparently too complicated to allow for contact lenses. I have transition bifocals, astigmatism, and prism. The ophthalmologist has already told me that I will continue to need glasses when and if I develop cataracts that are bad enough to remove. I have become friends with eyeglass frames, and budget about 15% of my wardrobe budget to updating frames and renewing my lenses if needed. This year I purchased two new frames and renewed lenses in all but my purple frames, and my aviator and sky blue sunnies. I wear the pink most frequently.

I also always wear a small face watch with a second hand and date. I previously had a Bulova mixed metal watch that I loved because it was a gift from DH, but it fell off my wrist somewhere. Someone else is probably loving it now. I replaced it with a Citizen quartz mixed metal watch. DH helped me pick it. My affection for it has been increasing, but it isn’t as nice as the Bulova. I like that it never needs a battery or winding, and runs on solar power.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I wrote a big reply this morning and lost it
Think I said... I’m not a scarf lover, I own a small number and barely wear them. But earrings are a huge part of my style, I plan to match the colours or the “feel” of the outfit eg 70s feel earrings with 70s style outfit. Often the earrings pick up the shoe colour.
I wear a watch daily and have several to choose from.
Bags are not a big part of my style. I wear the same one for years on end and only change out for special occasions.
Necklaces and bracelets are something I enjoy sometimes but not on a daily basis. So certainly not an accessory Queen like you!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Oh, and I don’t budget because most of the earrings are just cheap, cute and fun. The occasional more expensive item I know will last decades, probably until I die now, given my age of 58. Scary to think, but in 30 more years I will be 88 and might be dead! Mum only lived until 79.

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