It's no secret—I love accessories, especially jewelry. They are the perfect way to maximize your wardrobe. Honestly, compared to most women I've know, I really don't own that many clothes (I'll post a picture of my closet to prove it!!). However, people seem to think I have an endless wardrobe.
"Is that new?"
"I love your outfit today!"
"Where did you get?"
I still don't know what to say when the truth is that it's a classic item I've had for 5 years that I've just kept in great shape! My "not-so" secret? Switching things up with great jewelry! Do you feel lost when it comes to accessorizing, or just need some ideas to spruce things up? Then these 5 tips are for YOU:
1. Splurging vs. saving: You've heard it with clothes—save on trendy pieces, splurge on classic items. This is still true to a certain extent with jewelry, but my advice has a twist: spend on something you want to last, and save on items that might just be a passing trend. I still have a gorgeous heart clasp bracelet from Tiffany's that I received when I was 15. Items from Forever 21? I've honestly never had anything from there for over two years. Costume jewelry is fun, trendy, and inexpensive, and I'm OK with it not lasting forever. Think of it as a saucy little fling.
2. Have signature items: My go-to pieces are simple and can go with nearly any outfit—Kate Spade cubic zirconia studs, a stylish watch, and a gold Juicy Couture link necklace. These items are classics to me and dress up whatever I'm wearing. When I have time, I like to spice things up with other choices, and I'm nearly always on the hunt for something new. However, we all have those days when we hit snooze too many times or can't think straight without our morning caffeine. On those occasions, your signature pieces are a great choice rather than go about your day sans accessories. Horrors!
3. Choosing between gold, silver, and rose gold: My jewelry wardrobe primarily consists of gold-based pieces. Yes, gold is currently super trendy. However, if your skin tone doesn't work with gold, don't worry about trends. The best choice, to me, is to pick what looks best on you and suits your personality. If you can't stand a certain metal, skip it.
4. Shop around: I see "repeats" of items everywhere, and I'm not just referring to knock-offs of expensive items. If you see something you fall in love with at first site, go ahead and grab it. However, if you like it but can wait, check out other similar stores. Many stores won't let you return accessories, or at best you'll only get store credit. If you can wait, check out at least one other store to see if they have a better or less expensive version of what you like. There have been several times when I've seen a cute necklace but then discovered an even prettier version later.
5. WATCH what you're doing: If there's one piece you shouldn't leave the house without (in addition to American Express), it's a watch. They give outfits a bit more panache than any other piece of jewelry, put the spotlight on bracelets, and there are some seriously great knockoffs at Charming Charlie and Target.
Watch - Charming Charlie Bracelet - Target
What are some of your go-to jewelry items and tips for accessorizing?
xoxo
