How to Accessorize Your Summer Basics

Don’t you just love accessories? They can take an okay outfit and make it marvelous. And summer accessories are extra fun! Let’s look at how to accessorize your summer basics.

Statement Earrings

Statement earrings are a fun way to take a basic women’s dress from simple to stunning. Especially if you like black dresses that are designed to be dressed either up or down, the right pair of earrings can make your outfit.

Statement earrings are usually more visible than your smallest stud or hoop earrings. This doesn’t mean that they must be huge, just visible from several feet away. Medium to large hoops or medium to large drop earrings can make great statement pieces. By going with a classic look like yellow gold, silver, diamonds, or pearls, you can wear them for years. Summer is also a great time to enjoy more casual looks, too, like unique color combinations or handmade earrings you find on vacation or at a cute little shop or festival. When choosing statement earrings, also keep their weight in mind. Whether you have pierced ears or choose clip-on earrings, you will want earrings that are so comfortable that you don’t even notice them when you are wearing them.

Statement Necklaces

V-neck or button-up shirts or dresses are great to pair with a statement necklace. One of the advantages of statement necklaces is that they bring the eye to your face for a flattering look. Especially if you choose a women’s white blouse as the backdrop for your statement necklace, the sky is the limit on colors and textures that you can enjoy playing with in your jewelry. Pair your blouse with either a black skirt or women’s jeans for a great look that can take you from day to evening.

One word of caution with statement necklaces, though—keep your earrings simple if you decide to go all out with your necklace. Otherwise, you can end up looking overly accessorized, especially if you are going for a casual vibe. Consider wearing earrings that will pick up the color and texture of the necklace on a smaller scale. For example, if you have silver in your necklace, perhaps a simple but visible silver stud earring would offset your necklace.

Fun Bracelets

Bracelets are especially fun in summer. Why? Our wrists and arms are less likely to be covered up with cozy sweaters that impede bracelets—especially stacked bracelets or bangles. Whether you go for collectible-quality like gold or precious gems or just that fun color that you spot on sale while you’re out shopping, think about what you will wear with bracelets as you shop for them. Sleeveless shirts and dresses are great with bracelets, but so are short sleeves and ¾-sleeve shirts.

If you stack bracelets (which is so fun to do), go for similar colors and materials to keep a coordinated look. Sterling silver is especially fun to wear in the summer as it is a cool metal that looks great with blues and pinks. Make sure you know how to properly care for any jewelry that you own. Silver will need to be polished periodically to keep its lovely shine. Mild soap is safe on just about any non-porous surface, but stones like turquoise or surfaces like enamel can be damaged by some cleaning solutions. Always read the instructions before use.

Belts

The right belt can take a tunic top, a women's linen shirt, or a shirt dress to a whole new level. Belts are also fun because they can add subtle shaping to your silhouette or be the focal point of your outfit, depending upon the material, color, and how you wear them.

For a fun summer look, go with a white dress and then match a fabric belt to a cute pair of flats or sandals in a pop color like red or bright pink. Belts are another item that you can sometimes find on fun shopping excursions like flea markets or consignment shops. There are also artisans who sell fun made-to-order belts online.

Bags

We may only need one or two handbags, and black may go with everything, but summer bags can be fun! This is an area where you can indulge in color in a way that you might not be comfortable doing on a bigger scale. A neutral-colored outfit with a candy apple or lime green bag can be adorable in summer.

If your grandmother or mother taught you that shoes should always match your bag, they no doubt meant well, but fashion is more flexible now. Don’t choose two colors that clash with each other, but especially if you have neutral-colored shoes or sandals, feel free to choose a pastel purse or funky bright handbag to go with them.