I was so happy to hear how much you liked my first installment of Accessorize Me, and I appreciate all the comments! So here we are with our second article. I did get quite a few inquiries about the different items in the last post regarding how much they cost and where to purchase them. Please know that each and every item has a link directly to the product, so if you’re interested in knowing more about a particular piece, just click on the highlighted link and it’ll take you right there. Easy-peezy.
One of my clients received a generous gift card for her birthday, and she decided to purchase something special that she normally wouldn’t have bought for herself — this beautiful Vince suede oversized top.
In order to make her purchase make sense, as it was certainly an investment, we had to make sure she could wear it a variety of ways. The rule is that the more you wear something, the lower the cost-per-wear will be. The first look we went for was one with a very casual, yet pulled-together beachy vibe. We started with a pair of Kut from the Kloth “Mia” skinny jeans. (side note: This is a great brand and cut for a curvy figure.)
Now comes the really fun part, selecting the right accessories to really express her casual, cool California style. The centerpiece is this fab necklace from Anthropologie. It’s definitely a statement in its scale, and the bold horn combined with the cotton cord creates a very bohemian, organic look.
Adding this mixed metal ring and rustic gold hoops complement the neutral tones in the rest of the outfit. I really enjoy mixing metals, and I find it can really add some dimension to an outfit.
But now how to step it up? She wanted to wear the same top to an upcoming outdoor cocktail party at a friend’s house, looking sleek and sophisticated. First step was to find a white pencil skirt. When wearing a fuller cut on top, balancing it out with a slimmer silhouette on the bottom works well. I also made sure the skirt was longer than the length of the top, giving the two pieces an uneven proportion, which is always more flattering than a half-half proportion.
It’s always good to add a bit of texture, though, so this ring by Rebecca Minkoff does the trick. (It would also mix very well with the ring from the first outfit.)
For the finishing touches, these neutral bootie-style sandals (which would also rock with jeans) and a killer Jimmy Choo bag in multiple neutral shades, stylishly ties it all together.
Another thing I’m looking forward to, aside from creating more combinations for her for this season, is also transitioning this top into fall. It’s really something that can be worn 9 months of the year here in the Bay Area, which will continue to make the cost-per-wear go down. I would love to hear your thoughts on these ensembles!
About ready to begin my 16th year as a full-time image consultant and wardrobe stylist, a big part of my job is accessorizing my clients from head-to-toe. Jewelry, is of course, a HUGE part of creating the whole “look.” I’m starting this new series, Accessorize Me, to demonstrate how to create different looks with the same outfit, just by switching up your accessories. Just as I do with myself and my clients, there’s a total range of price points — I love mixing high and low to create the look I’m going for. I hope you enjoy it, and I look forward to all comments!
First up is this cool crepe jersey dress by Hemut Lang that I recently purchased for a client. She is a hard-working author, mom, and wife, so this dress has got to take her out during the day or to a cocktail party with her husband.
First, let’s take it a little more casual, yet still with an urban edge. For this look, I opted for a long, statement necklace by Alexis Bittar. I just love the organic nature of the pendant with the clear lucite drop. In addition, the asymmetry of the pendant echoes the asymmetry of the dress. This necklace would work with a variety of outfits, for sure!
Complementing the look with a cool stack ring, also by Alexis Bittar, and a simple, yet lovely pair of hammered silver hoops by Argento Vivo makes the right statement. The pave crystals in the ring pair well with the pave detail in the necklace, without being to “matchy matchy.”
Now taking it more uptown, I went with a gold theme. This client is a mix of warm and cool coloring, so she’s lucky to be able to wear both metal colors. (If you’re unsure what metals are best on you, click here for my article on selecting the right tone.)
First off, I went for a much higher and dressier shoe by Manolo Blahnik. While these are a big investment, they will get a lot of play from everything from dresses to jeans, so the cost-per-wear will be pretty good. Then this clutch by Diane von Furstenburg is a great combo with the gold/black theme.
While this is only two looks for this dress, I think we’re off to a great start. I’m sure we’ll even bring it down to total casual with flat sandals, a denim jacket, some more bohemian jewelry, and perhaps a simple cross-body bag. This $290 dollar dress is going to become a major work-horse this season!
