How would you accesorize this dress?

I bought this dress because it fits me very well, and I do think it is a standalone dress that doesn't require a lot of accessorizing. Although I can't find the picture right now, Cleo shows it with very plain silver jewellry, no colour added. I'm happy to wear it the same, but I do feel items are more versatile if you can dress them up different ways. Then I could wear it weekly to work. Plus, it's just fun to play around
My cardigans all look to frumpy with it. I'd love to wear it with red or oxblood shoes and bag but I don't own those and they aren't in the budget either. Although the dress is black, grey and white, the overall effect is somehow more warm than cool toned. I'd especially love suggestions for dressing it down, if possible. I know as a new poster you don't know my warddrobe, but it's rather lacking, so suggestions for basic pieces that would work (black blazer? booties?) will help me identify my most glaring warddrobe holes.

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13 years ago

Veteran

For dressing down, how about a white denim jacket and gladiator sandals? Or riding boots, if it's too cold for sandals? Or ankle boots with just a wee bit of edge to them.

For cardigans, are any of yours draped? A draped cardigan, not too fussy, with a bit of heft to the material, might work well. Colour of your choice, seeing as black and white goes with anything.

A black blazer is almost a no-brainer here and would go with so many other things that it would be worth going out and getting one for sure. The general rule is that shorter ones go better with dresses, longer one with pants. That's just general, of course; there are a lot of variables that come into play.

This could very easily be dressed up too, with pumps, a shiny silver necklace and a particularly lovely black draped shawl jacket or something similar, for a night at the symphony or something like that.

Do show us what you come up with.

Sona

purple accessories- like a bangle bracelet, purple large enevelope bag. yum.

Jules

Thanks! I am definitely hoping it goes with my black riding boots, which just came out for the season today. I was trying it with buttoned cardis but I could definitely use a great coloured draped cardi and will try it with the tired ones I have hanging around to get some ideas. I tend to ignore draped cardigans because I assume they will hide my waist/make my hips look bigger but I know that's not always true.
I also have a dark purple pullover sweater that *just may* work for workdays. Not ideal to pull a sweater over this dress but worth a try, so thanks for the purple idea And oh, my natural black pearl necklace that reads purple could be fab!
I just went to a little local fashion show the mall near work puts on and fell in love with a teal velvet blazer, then found a cheapie version online (from a Canadian store even!). Boring black may have to wait I know a black blazer is practically a necessity but I need to find something that has an appealing-to-me detail to get me interested...

unfrumped

Pretty dress!
Things you may already be trying , but that I associate with dressing down:
Flats for sure. Flats and tights. Ballet flats are less dressy than pointy-toe, etc.
Camo the V-neck--so a (snug-fitting) tank underneath.
Camo the body-con aspects--your idea of a pullover sweater does that--make it look like a skirt & sweater combo. Slighty boxy, pushed up sleeves --this is like de-bombshelling, etc. This type of item might be found very inexpensively in knits, not necessarily made for 10 yrs of wear, compared to a jacket.
Any jacket changes the look compared to dress-alone. Mixed message combo's like denim/moto/ utility jacket dress it down.

Transcona Shannon

I saw this dress and it's so pretty - glad it worked for you! I'd pop on a black or even red blazer with sleeves scrunched, a chunky mixed metal cuff and booties or knee high boots in either black or tan.

Other colours that would work as toppers are turquoise, purple, dark red, pumpkin, and of course good ol' black.

Jyoti

(website)

I'd definitely do some boots, booties or wedges for fall.

You mentioned you'd like to do oxblood, but don't have that colour-- how about other deep, saturated tones? Something like plum/purple, teal, mustard, rust? I think all those would look fabulous with the snake print and would be right on trend for fall.

You can do it with shoes, a bag, or coloured tights, which (since I think you're in Canada) you can pick up at Joe Fresh/Superstore for pretty cheap.

I think red and cobalt would also be great for a brighter pop of colour! A scarf in a colour is another idea!

One last suggestion that is super remixy and takes more effort, but would be well worth it is to mix this dress up and attempt to make it look like separates. For example, you could wear a black pencil skirt over top or take a gauzy button-up blouse and wear it over top and tucked into a wide belt.

Caro in Oz

A cropped denim jacket & flats?

moira

Maybe you could try some of those cardigans buttoned the first two or three at the bottom with a skinny belt for a pop of color.

I have a an emerald green velvet blazer. One of my favorite outfits ended up being that with a brick red top underneath and charcoal grey slacks.

Kim

Nobody's mentioned the moto jacket...You can add that puppy to anything and make it more casual and a bit "tougher"...Add some flats and you're good to go. Or some heeled knee high boots (more feminine touches to contrast with the jacket.)

I'd also use some solid scarves if you wanted to add some color around your face. Inexpensive way to change things up quite a bit. There are tons of ways to tie them, just google.

Oops, just read unfrumped's reply and she mentions the moto! Good call! LOL

I took a few days off from the internet, how nice to see many more replies with great ideas. Thank you!

Anonymous

Longer brown cardigan or pashmina wrap, tall brown boots, big and bold gold jewelry....FAB!

So I am wearing the dress today with the dark purple pullover, purpley/black natural pearls, black tights and black riding boots. All the darker colours really bring out the pattern of the dress so I think it actually has more impact worn this way! I feel totally fab, thanks to the ylf gang
And... a little pattern-mixing when outside using a grey/black/white cheap thrill trendy leopard print scarf.
Amazing how much wear I've gotten out of this sweater bought on a whim I believe two years ago now (has rosettes... that was two years ago right?). It works well with so many things both high and low contrast.
I will have to look into taking and uploading pictures

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