It is often said that accessorizing is the key to looking “put together” and stylish, but do you know how to do it? Do you need to buy new, or do you already have what you need in your closet? How can you use what you have to your best advantage? Good questions! 

More often than not, you don’t need to buy something new as much as you need to know how to accessorize what you have with confidence. Check out the great Before and After examples of accessorizing the same dress on the same beautiful model to make it more flattering and current. (This also shows when not to use a plain black dress with plain black shoes.)

FIGURE GOALS

Let’s begin by identifying the areas our model wants to dress with care. Like many women, our model wants to cover her arms in this sleeveless dress, she wants to make her legs look as slender as possible, and she wants to create the illusion of a small waist. Sounds like a big order, but it’s easily achieved once you know what your options are. All three of those objectives can be accomplished with this dress but not with the Before selection of accessories.

FLATTERING YOUR ARMS

Avoid anything that might look like a “granny shawl.” You would have to fuss with it to keep your arms covered, and it can look dated to wear it off the shoulder. Instead, this mid-hip sweater fits nicely on her arms and creates a slenderizing silhouette down the front of her body, making her look taller and her waist slimmer. The thicker sweater material and the ruffles that stand out make her body look smaller where her dress is showing by contrast. Every item of clothing is relative to the pieces you wear next to it.

FLATTERING YOUR LEGS

The smaller the straps on a shoe, the larger your legs look by comparison. Even though this Jimmy Choo strappy shoe on her second try is gorgeous, it does nothing to flatter our model’s legs. A heavier Stuart Weitzmen alligator print pump gives a more solid foundation, thereby making her legs appear slimmer. She also used a tanning product, so she can go without nylons and still have immediate color and coverage. (See www.nyceleggs.com.)

Hair and jewelry choices accent our model’s long neck by pulling the hair back from her neck and across her shoulder. The heavier turquoise necklace makes her neck look long and slim, and it ties in nicely to the weight and style of the shoes.

ORDER

Choose your accessories in this order:

• Dress

• Undergarments for that particular dress

• Sweater or Jacket

• Shoes

• Jewelry

FINAL CHECK

Step back and see the results in a full-length mirror every time you add the next layer. Don’t assume you know what an outfit looks like on you without seeing the combined result and proportions.

Most of the time, you don’t need to buy new. You need to understand your own body proportions and then rethink and update your accessory combinations to make the best selections. Good luck and have fun!

Janice Hurley-Trailor is the image expert who helps you magnify the power of your personal presence. International speaker and author, Janice is recognized as an image consultant that delivers far beyond her clients’ expectations. For more information, visit www.janicehurleytrailor