Right Sizing Your Accents

There’s a balance in everything, so too for dressing. When done correctly, accents

highlight your features, camouflaging your lesser favorite ones. They include: contrast

stitching, fit, button sizing, jewelry, accessories, color, and even makeup, which

combined comprise your outfit and catch your eye.

The first rule is to use yourself as the guide, to ensure the appropriate balance in any

outfit. For example, if you’re petite, though you can wear clothes that are loose, don’t

get carried away and lose yourself with too much fabric. The taller, more statuesque,

can get away with more flowing fabrics without disappearing.

Another example is to balance out your look by combining bulkier fabrics, like a heavy

sweater, with closer fitting items, such as leggings or skinny jeans. If you like craft/artsy

sweaters, make sure the contrasting stitching isn’t too big and that the buttons and

pockets don’t dwarf everything else about your look.

If you’re using jewelry as your predominant accessory, make sure to balance the size.

If you’re wearing a big, chunky necklace, make sure that the rest of your jewelry is more

refined and isn’t competing for attention. If you’ve chosen big flashy earrings, skip the

necklace and go for a ring or bracelet to finish out your look.

Even shoe color can be your accent, which you can pair with the same-colored earring

or necklace. When you choose a bold color as an accent, dress monochromatically to

avoid your clothing from competing with your highlight color.

Tammy’s Truism: As Oscar de la Renta said: Being well-dressed hasn’t much to do

with having good clothes. It’s a question of good balance and good common sense.