“Accessories are the exclamation point of a woman” Michael Kors

In the world of fashion and styling it is not all about the clothes, actually for me its more about how you accessorise a look that actually makes it stylish. It allows you to enhance, elevate and individualise your look. It also allows you the freedom to transition a outfit from day to night, perhaps swapping those boots for heels, stud earrings to statement pieces and adding a fabulous belt to show off or create your curves.

Personality

Equally it allows you to express who you are, bringing perhaps a main stream look and turning it into your own, this could be through a pop of colour or adding a well tied scarf, the possibilities are endless.

Flexibility

It allows you to repeat the same outfit time and again but dressing it differently gives you the flexibility of a whole new style. Just be sure to pick out different accessories that accentuate the ensemble.

Add colour

Use your accessories to embrace colour, small accents here and there. For example adding coloured earrings can transform a basic white tee into instant glamour.

What about Make up as an Accessory

I use lipstick as one of my accessories, I love using bright vibrant lipsticks within my personal styling, for me they uplift my mood and tie a whole look together.

Check out my Accessories Edit – Shoe & Bag Combinations to help you get started.

Ultimately fashion accessories allow you to individualise a outfit and can also really help hone your style. 

“The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.” Coco Chanel

Embracing colour doesn’t mean going full neon or wearing that bright orange you think washes you out, but colour also allows us to be a little more adventurous and really enhance and brighten up your look. So how do you introduce colour into your wardrobe?

Jewellery

Now, I sound a little like a broken record, somehow accessories creep into all my blogs, but there is good reason for that! They can totally finish and enhance an outfit, and are one of the best ways to express your style. One of my friends described the fact that all my outfits look complete as them being “polished”, and that is completely down to how I take that dress from a high street store, mix it up with some bold earrings and bracelet and suddenly it looks different, more individual and often more luxury. So be bold with your accessory choices, if you are wearing black, team with some red, pink or blue earrings, or why not embrace the neon trend through your colour choice of necklace. Take a nice clean look and add a pop of colour – go on give it a try!

Gently does it

Perhaps start with something like a pink shirt to go with those jeans instead of always reaching for the neutrals, and wear it a few times so you get used to seeing yourself (and others get used to seeing you too!) in it, when you feel amazing, the next step might be a coloured trouser.

You definitely don’t need to scrap your neutrals

If that is your thing, then embrace it, but there is nothing to stop you teaming it up with something like a blush pink pair of sandals, or a deep mustard heel. The colour can happily sit alongside the colour palette you are already comfortable with.

Colour through print

A printed top or even a scarf with a neutral background, can be the perfect way to ease yourself into colour, create a bold statement but in a way that is comfortable for you.

I believe anyone can and should embrace colour, note how you feel at the end of the day when you’ve added a little splash, from personal experience my brightly coloured clothes seem to attract a compliment which always feels amazing. Start small with jewellery or shoes, find the colours that work for you and make you feel great, and work your way up to that gorgeous bright dress you just never dared to wear – I promise you won’t regret it!

Not sure where to start, here are my top choices for the beginning of your colour journey, Introducing Colour – The Edit

“Fashion changes, but style endures.” Coco Chanel

All you have to do is find yours.

Style for me is all about expressing who you are, showing yourself through your clothes, make up and accessories. What you wear should be as individual as you are, it can be great to follow trends but there is definitely nothing wrong in making it your own. Fashion can and should be an extension of you, where you present who you are through your creative style, just be whatever excites you and who you are.

Finding my style and creative edge has really grown my confidence, and I found my style by learning to dress for me, what I feel great in, I don’t feel held back by what others don’t agree with or appreciate, I wear the pieces that mean something to me, what suits my personality and my shape and ultimately what makes me feel good.

Here are my top tips on building your confidence through finding your own personal style.

Enjoy it

We all have them, but don’t allow your body hang ups to prevent you from enjoying what you wear. Having fun with clothing, dressing in line with who you are and not taking it too seriously really helps you to develop your own personal style.

Drawing upon Inspiration

It’s wonderful to take inspiration from those around you, either on Instagram or it could just be a person you saw when you were out for dinner who you thought looked beautiful (and as a side note never be afraid to compliment others or ask them where they bought that gorgeous dress from). Style is definitely personal, and that’s the joy, but you can buy that same dress, but you might team it with a brightly coloured handbag and matching shoes it suddenly becomes yours. It’s a wonderful feeling to then think you might then become someone else’s inspiration.

Also by feeling inspired it may take you a little out of your current comfort zone and help you discover what you really love but have always been afraid to choose.

Be comfortable

Don’t keep the clothes that make you feel bad, there should be no place in your wardrobe for them, we’ve all made the mistake of wearing that outfit you don’t feel right in and regret it for the day, I’ve found it can really effect my confidence. Wearing something you feel good in can completely change your outlook for the day. Only keep space in your wardrobe for only the things that you love, that may mean less, and that is totally ok. I have a beautiful Valentino belt that I wear more times than anything else in my wardrobe, and in days gone by I would have felt I was wearing it too much, but I wear it individually each time and I never fail to feel myself and good in it.

Dress your best everyday

This I know for the people I have styled can be one of the single biggest factors in a complete change of self confidence and belief. When growing up I was taught to save outfits for best, for that family occasion, this meant beautiful pieces sitting in the wardrobe often only worn one or two times yet those were the days you felt your best. Don’t wait until for these moments, not just occasions but goals too, often we are waiting until we become our desired weight or until we can buy luxury. My motto, just dress the best for who you are today and within a budget that works for you.

Show off your best features

What better way to feel confident through style than enhancing those parts of you that you already feel most confident about. Don’t focus on the bits you would prefer to hide and celebrate the features you love. That may not be the same thing everyday, are you having a great hair day? Can you create a look around that, perhaps something simple or neutral in tone so that you focus is on your hair. Have you had your nails done? Put on your best bracelets and rings, draw attention to it, feel good with it.

I love seeing peoples confidence develop as they learn more about what works best for them and how to use clothes to show of  their amazing personality. So overall I am saying….

Embrace you