Posts Tagged ‘clutch bag’
Summer balls, proms and formal evening events are a great opportunity to get dressed up in a beautiful dress. Once you have made that all important decision about which dress to wear, you will need to put some careful thought into which accessories will go best with it. Accessories are a really important part of an outfit, some would say even as important as the dress itself. The accessories can be a focal point or a major statement or they can be more subtle complimenting the outfit and finishing it off just perfectly.
When it comes to jewellery to wear with evening wear, it is sparkle that really counts. Jewels, whether they are real or costume will look amazing and make the outfit look something really special. The amount of sparkle required for your evening dress will partly depend on your own personal style. If you like to really stand out from the crowd and get noticed the bigger, brighter and more sparkly the jewels should be. If you are a ‘less is more’ sort of person, you will probably want to opt for a simple pendant or a pair of stud earrings even with the simplest of dresses. You should take into account the style of your dress. It is possible to over do it and wear too much sparkle. A very simple dress can carry off one amazing piece of statement jewellery. A very fussy or detailed dress will probably look best if you keep the jewellery to a minimum.
When it comes to handbags to carry with evening wear, a small clutch bag or evening bag with a delicate chain strap usually works well. Again, the usual rule applies, only have one statement accessory, but you can make it your clutch bag by choosing one in an unusual shape or with intricate beading or in a bright colour. One thing to consider when choosing your clutch bag is whether it will have enough room for everything that you need. You will probably find that you need to minimise what you take to fit into an evening bag.
Shoes are an important part of any outfit and for the evening high heels are almost always worn. If you really can’t walk in heels, don’t make yourself uncomfortable or risk falling over, try getting some medium height or kitten heels or even some embellished ballet pumps. A pair of black shoes is by far the best investment when it comes to shoes for evening wear, black will go with almost anything so they will definitely get worn more than once. If you have a simple or minimalistic evening dress, you can choose a pair of statement shoes with detail on the heels or some type of embellishment.
Finally, some sort of cover up is usually needed with evening wear either for wearing to and from the venue or during the evening if it is cold. Pashminas, boleros and shrugs are suitably formal and will look good with most evening dresses. If you are having a meal a bolero is often the most practical option as it will not fall off of your shoulders.
Sometimes we can all get stuck in a bit of a style rut where we tend to gravitate towards wearing the clothes that we feel comfortable in. Sometimes this can be an old favourite even though it is starting to look a little worn other times we tend to stick to the same styles and colours of clothing buying almost identical pieces over and over again. What we choose to wear each day plays an important part in our lives in terms of how we feel, our confidence and energy levels.
Wearing the same neutral coloured clothes can become a style rut (although neutrals are really in trend this year)Â and sometimes a little bit of a change can do us the world of good. Wearing bright clothes will make you feel happy, confident and energised but all too often people ar afraid of wearing bright colours. Spring and summer is a great time to wear bright clothes. The sun is out, everyone is happier and less likely to resort to those comfort zone clothes.
If you would like to dress in more colourful outfits, there is no need to wear head to toe bright colours. There are plenty of ways that you can introduce a pop of colour to an outfit without going overboard. Think about which colours you really like and which will go with existing outfits in your wardrobe and give them a try. There will be a range of colours that really suit your complexion and colouring and occasionally adding some of these to your outfit will really make you glow. You can even try combining colours that you don’t expect to go together, you might surprise yourself and find some great combinations, think about clashing colours like red and orange. How you combine colours is almost as important as what colours you choose to wear in the first place. For example red against a black outfit will look very different to red against a white background.
Here are some great ways that you can add a pop of colour to your outfits for spring:
AÂ coloured scarf - a scarf is such an easy way to add colour to a neutral outfit. You can go for a plain one coloured scarf or more complex patterned scarf. Scarves work well for both smart and casual outfits. Try combining with t-shirts and jeans or trouser suits.
A coloured clutch bag - a brightly coloured clutch bag is a really good way to add a bit of interest to a plain black or navy dress. You could also try pastel colours with a beige or neutral dress.
A patterned blouse - floral, geometric, spots or stripes are all great patters for adding a bit of colour to a plain coloured suit.
Shoes – a coloured pair of shoes with a plain outfit is a great way to add some colour with out taking away the simplicity of the outfit. Try some coloured patent ballet pumps for a chic and stylish look.
Unless you are looking to create this seasons minimalist look, you will probably want to wear some accessories with almost every outfit that you wear. Accessories can be the finishing touch or the icing on the cake for an outfit. They can also be a key feature and the focal point of your outfit. Whilst only a small part of your overall look, accessories can turn a very ordinary outfit into something really amazing. The great thing about accessories is that they suit almost anyone. They can be used to add a bit of interest, fun or colour to an outfit. They can follow the overall theme of the outfit or even contrast it for your own unique stylish look. Here are some of the accessories that you can wear for spring summer 2010.
Jewellery- this is one of the easiest accessories to add to an outfit. You can choose from big bold statement pieces or much more simple stud earrings and pendant necklaces. Don’t overdo it with jewellery. If going for bold statement jewellery, it will usually look best with simple pieces of clothing and you should choose just one piece. Jewellery will highlight a certain part of your body so choose carefully. If you want to draw attention to your face, use earrings, your wrists and waist line, bangles or a bracelet and your décolletage, a necklace. You should also choose just the right length of necklace to compliment the neckline of your chosen piece of clothing.
Handbag – almost every woman carries a handbag almost all of the time so it is a key part of your wardrobe. Unless you are lucky enough to have a wardrobe full of gorgeous handbag, you will probably not change your handbag every day. If you choose carefully and opt for a versatile style, one daytime handbag should go with most outfits. For evening a black clutch or beaded evening bag is a great option and will never look out of place.
Scarves - these are a great way to brighten up a plain or one coloured outfit. Scarves are really on trend for spring and summer 2010 and you will see all sorts of options in the shops. Probably the easiest to wear is the patterned cotton scarf which can be gently wrapped around your neck for a relaxed casual look. If you want to add a scarf to a smarter or work outfit a silk scarf is probably a better option. This can be tied in a variety of different ways for a really chic look. As with any piece of clothing or accessory, scarves, can be used to compliment your body shape, a long scarf hanging down with slim and lengthen the body.
Belts -these are such a great way to add definition and shape to a baggy outfit. If you are an hourglass shape, the belt is your best friend, allowing you to define your waist and highlight your feminine curves. Belts can also be worn with a more fitted outfit to draw attention to the waist. You can either choose a belt in the same colour for a subtle look or a different colour to your outfit for a really eye catching effect.