More often than not, getting dressed in the morning is a challenge for me. I flip through my closets (yes, plural) and come up with nothing. I start thinking about what clothes I need to buy, when I’m going to go shopping, etc. But then I stop. I stop and really think about all the clothes I have and the things I’m not thinking about: my accessories.
When we open our closets and say that we don’t have anything to wear we actually mean something else. What we’re really saying that we want to do something different. Maybe wear something with a little edge to it. Or something a little more girly. Or less girly. Or more trendy. Or whatever. Just something different.
Well you don’t need an entire new closet full of clothes to look different. Trust me. I know this all too well. One thing that can make you go from drab to fab is the right accessory…or two…or three. The right neckalce can give you that edge that you’re looking for. Adding a belt might update your look just the right amount. Adding a tie might give you that air of sophistication you’re looking for.
Here are a few ideas for accesorizing your style to update your look without buying a bunch of new clothes:
Necklaces and Chains
My absolute favorite accessory is a necklace or a chain. Necklaces and chains can do so much for your look regardless of whether you’re a guy or a girl. If you put on a plain white t-shirt and jeans you’ll look boring. But if you put on a nice chain, you could look ready to go out dancing.
Fellas, I’d make sure I have two nice chains. I particularly like long chains with a charm or something at the end. Ladies, you should have at least one beaded necklace. I really like the layered beaded necklaces that have different types of beads. I’ve actually combined necklaces and worn them at the same time.
Belts
If you don’t wear belts, start now. A regular pair of jeans will instantly look much more classy or upscale with the right belt. This goes for both mean and women. You don’t have to stick with plain belts either. Try a belt with a little bit of bling or color. Ladies you can wear belts in so many different ways. Over a dress, over a sweater, at waist height or at hip height. Just try it!
Ties
Ties are not just for the boardroom or work anymore. Not just for weddings either. You can put on a tie with a short sleeved collared shirt and jeans and still look casual, but chic. Play with different colors and patterns in your ties. This is mainly for the fellas, but ladies can play around with ties too. Remember, the tie doesn’t have to exactly match the shirt. It just has to look good.
Hats
The possibilities are endless with hats. There are so many different hat styles that are great for different occasions. My two favorite are newboy hats and fedoras. They work for both men and women and are timeless. Again, if you put on a with t-shirt and jeans and put on a hat, it’s a whole new look.
Turbans and Headwraps
A new trend that popping up for the ladies is the turban. Now, African and Caribbean people have been wearing head wraps since the beginning of time, but now they are chic. The cool thing about this new look is that you can use so many things as a head wrap. You can use a sheet, a scarf, a shirt or an actual head wrap. I especially like head wraps because they can make you look great even with a bad hair day.
Now when you’re putting together your accessories make sure your outfit is appropriate for the venue and your age. No newsboy hats or at black tie events. I mean it. Another thing to watch out for is over accessorizing. If you’re on the fence about whether to add another accessory, remember that less is more.
I’m sure everyone has at least one of these accessories in their closet. So get into your closet and put them to use. You’ll instantly have a new outfit. And next time you go shopping, you might spend less. Instead of buying a bunch of clothes, you can get fewer clothes and more accessories for more combinations.
Until next time, cheers to a better you!
For questions, ideas, comments or concerns feel free to email Onyi at onyi@okeeki.com.