Using Jewelry to Enhance and Polish Your Outfits

 

For me, jewelry is very personal. My family owned a jewelry store when I was growing up and I worked corporately in the jewelry industry for 10 years before styling. I have a very emotional connection to jewelry. But as a stylist, jewelry is a powerful accessory with so many benefits and uses. I love getting jewelry as gifts, but I am particular about what I like and want because I know the importance of jewelry to my personal style. Jewelry is personal and can be such an important part of your wardrobe.

Jewelry means so many different things to so many different people. Some people love it, wear it, treasure it. Others don't care about it and can hardly be bothered to wear it. There are also a lot of people who don't know HOW to wear jewelry. Some people wear WAY too much. Others are afraid of looking gaudy or foolish, so they avoid it. 

Using Jewelry to Enhance and Polish Your Outfits | Jewelry Etiquette

Why is jewelry so important?

Jewelry can be what completes an outfit. It can tie various pieces together and can make a look appear more polished. It helps to make you look like you got dressed purposefully, you didn't just throw on the first thing you touched. Jewelry makes it look like you put some thought into what you were wearing.

You can use it to accentuate your positive features. When you throw on a long necklace, it draws a person's eyes up and down, making you look thinner and longer right away. It draws attention away from the hips and the center of the body. Shorter necklaces and statement earrings draw attention to the face and away from any other parts of your body. Cuffs, bangles or other bracelets detract attention from your arms and chest and brings it to your hips. Wearing dainty pieces will make you look bigger, and if you're smaller wearing large pieces of jewelry will make you look weighed down. Figure out where you want to draw attention to and decide what you want to achieve with your look before choosing your jewelry. 

Using Jewelry to Enhance and Polish Your Outfits | Jewelry Etiquette

Jewelry enhances more than just your features

Jewelry can also save an outfit that's not quite perfect. I've mentioned before that black is not a flattering color on anyone. It drains your face of its natural color. BUT, let's say your favorite dress is black and you're just not willing to give it up. An easy way to improve the dress is to throw on a colorful necklace.

Not only can jewelry impact your look, but it can also affect how you interact with others. If you're a person who likes to make a statement, jewelry is an excellent tool for that. There are enough unique pieces out there for you to find some fantastic pieces that create a statement about who YOU are and what you represent. 

If you're someone who networks for work, charity, or social purposes, your jewelry can also be a conversation starter. For women who find it hard to start a conversation in networking situations, wearing something exciting like a unique piece of jewelry may inspire someone to ask about it, starting a natural conversation.

Using Jewelry to Enhance and Polish Your Outfits | Jewelry Etiquette

Don’t be afraid of wearing jewelry!

If you're worried about looking gaudy, or you're afraid of wearing too much jewelry, consider where you're going. You can tone it down for work but if you're going to a wedding or networking/social event, wear a little bit more attention-getting pieces. I’ve created to fabulous tool to ensure your outfits aren’t too much or too plain… but are just right. Click here to check it out.

My last piece of advice is to take some risks! Jewelry doesn't have to match anymore. There used to be a lot of rules against mixing metals or stone colors, but those rules are outdated. You can mix up, just make sure that the mixture makes sense with your outfit. 

I want women to enjoy adding jewelry to their outfits and not see it has a nuisance. Reach out if you want some help sprucing up your wardrobe with jewelry or some new pieces for this season!

 
 
 
Using Jewelry to Enhance and Polish Your Outfits | Jewelry Etiquette

Welcome!

I'm Melanie! A personal stylist and confidence coach for high achieving women. 

Here on the blog, I write about style tips, personal branding, outfit creation, and how to use your wardrobe to get noticed. 
Let me know if there's any way I can help you!

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Curious about how a personal stylist can help you? Let's Chat about it. 

On our call we will discuss what's holding you back from being excited about getting dressed and showing up as the leader you were born to be.  We'll discuss your personal challenges and talk about easy solutions.

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