Accessories are the quickest and least expensive way to update and personalise your look

You are as unique as your fingerprints, so your accessories should reflect this.  Just as you do with your clothes in general, it’s much better not to copy others or to follow fashion trends in accessories too blindly.

Everything that you buy should be in harmony with what you know about yourself – and this includes your accessories.

Accessories are the quickest, easiest and most inexpensive way to personalise and update your look.  A classic jacket or plain white T-shirt will look different with a variety of scarves or necklaces, so expand your wardrobe with interesting and authentic pieces.

Start with your True Self Style Words

As always, this is the best place to start when you’re buying anything new.  The True Self Style Words give you a snapshot of who you are at this current stage of your life and this will guide you as to what you need.

Be creative and inspired and look for accessories that will express your True Self Style Words. Try to find earrings, bracelets or necklaces that embody the inner attributes that you’ve identified in your True Self Style Words.

Consider what would express the attributes of Eclectic, Interesting, Womanly, Professional, Subtle, Classic, Robust or Dignified.  Try to find accessories that would embody the parts of you that are Passionate, Professional and Creative.

Less is more

Unless your True Self Style Words include Extravagant, Dramatic or Diva (in which case the following won’t apply to you!), it’s usually true that ‘less is more’.

If you have on a patterned shirt, go easy on the accessories so you don’t look overdone.  Or if you’re wearing bold earrings, leave off adding a necklace as well so that you don’t look as if you’re trying too hard. 

Draw attention to your face

It’s a good idea to have something interesting near your face that will highlight it.

If your skin is dark, you’ll look healthier, happier and more confident if you have colour near your face, so consider a bright scarf around your neck or shoulders.  And if your skin or eyes are light, then choose accessories in colours that will highlight them.

Where do you keep your accessories?

When I’m starting to work with someone’s wardrobe, I always ask to see their accessories and, almost without fail, these will be hidden in a bottom drawer or in a box on a shelf.  When your accessories are a muddled tangle of earrings, chains and scarves, when you can’t see what you have or when you can’t access them easily, it’s unlikely that you will use them. 

Time and again I find treasure troves of beautiful things in people’s wardrobes that they’ve forgotten they even had – and so these lovely and interesting items are never worn.

See what you have

If you’re going to be able to use the accessories you have to personalise your clothes, it’s better if you can see what you have.

Try adding hooks to a pin-board or a rod to a wall so you can quickly and easily find what you need.  Look for stands or any other interesting items to display your accessories.

Untangle knots, repair pieces that you love – and if you couldn’t be bothered to do this, then get rid of these things!

Layer and combine your pieces

Obviously, if your True Self Style Words include Simple and Pared Down, you won’t try this, but it can be fun and also look great to wear more than one piece of jewelry together.  It will draw upon and encourage your creativity to experiment with different looks and this will add an extra authentic touch to your outfits.

Authentic, natural and comfortable

No matter what the prevailing fashion trends are, let these attributes be your watchwords so that your accessories enhance your true self and support you to be authentic, inside and out.