How to Tweak Your Chic with the Right Accessories
November 7, 2008 by Deborah Boland and JoJami Tyler - The Glam Gals
We find that many women fall into a style rut and start looking really frumpy but they can’t figure out what they’re doing wrong. It’s not always that you need a complete makeover. Sometimes, it’s the little things, like your accessories, that you just need to update. A simple change of accessories can instantly take you from Frumpy to Fabulous.
Here’s How to Tweak Your Chic with the Right Accessories:
Before All Brown
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This is the classic button down shirt dress. Our model is wearing it exactly how they sell it with the matching belt. The accessories are pretty plain, basic. We call this the lazy way to accessorize. You just match everything up, not much thought has gone in to it. It is very drab and predictable. |
After All Brown
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This outfit has attitude. It’s got a safari theme going on and the accessories are up to date and modern. They are also larger and more in proportion to this gal’s size and shape. The punch of color in the accessories gives it life. |
Before Necklace
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We all some version of a plain gold necklace like this in our jewelry boxes left over from the 80’s. They’re sentimental usually, and real gold after all, so that’s why we like to wear them. But a necklace like this looks too fine, elegant and basically lost on her neck, and on such an earthy dress. |
After Necklace
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The Safari feel of this dress calls for chunky, earthy jewelry. This necklace is much more adventurous. It has lots of color, interesting, irregular beadwork, and the gold is weathered and more rustic. The nice thing about the colored beads is that they add some brightness to her face and open the door to introduce color into this outfit in other places. |
Before Belt
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This is the belt that comes with the dress, same material as the dress, thin and floppy. Women assume that’s what they should be wearing with it, when it really just a suggestion. Don’t feel locked into this. Changing the belt will kick your dress up a few notches. |
After Belt
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This belt not only looks ten times better from a style point of view, but it gives our model and amazing figure. Look at the waistline! The belt has stretch in back and braiding in the front –almost rope like –like vines in the jungle. The color makes the dress pop as compared to a belt of the same color and the texture gives this flat shiny dress a big style boost. The touch of patent on braiding makes it very current as compared to just a braided belt with no shine. Of course, the wideness of this belt is very much now too. Lesson here-change the belt. |
Before Handbag
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This is classic quilted Chanel style, very 80’s and too elegant and ladylike for this dress. Also it’s very small for her –more of an evening purse. The black color does not enhance the brown. It just drags it down. |
After Handbag
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This bag is much more substantial and works well with the big heavier belt and more adventurous feel of this dress. This bag is current because of size, and because it has lots of hardware and is finished with sophisticated patent leather. The earthy moss color is a fantastic complement to the brown. It’s nice to have a pop of color in your purse. You don’t have to match belt to purse. That’s a very old rule. |
Before Shoes
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These brown wedges are sensible and too generic. You want something sexier to match with the bag and belt. These shoes would go better with a patterned dress than a plain dress. This plain dress needs livening up. |
After Shoes
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These are a wow shoe. They have personality. With a plain dress you need a focal point and if you have good legs play them up with a pair of head turning shoes. These are colorful, textured (suede and snakeskin-very jungle like) and very sexy. |
So in summary, take a plain dress and decide on a theme. Punch it up with current accessories that are colorful and have texture to give your outfit more personality.
Tweak Your Chic by making these simple adjustments and you’re sure to look fabulous at any age!
We found that belt at the Ellie Boutique, in Wilmington, DE. You can call to order one:
(302) 656-8800 EST
As far as low heeled sexy shoes, that would make a great blog post! We will do our research and get back to you on that!
2 questions: where can I buy that belt? also, are there more comfortable and yes, sensible shoes that are sexy? I need a lower heel.