Accessories for your capsule wardrobe: adding personality

Have you ever worn a necklace or scarf, or tried on a pair of shoes in a shop, and felt that they weren't quite right for you, but you didn't know why? The scarf might be in a colour that flatters you, so why don't you love it? You saw the shoes in a magazine and thought they looked great on the model, so why don't they work for you? The answer in both cases could very well be that they didn't suit your style personality.

Perhaps you have a fairly strict dress code where you work and you feel bored in the clothes that you wear during the week. Maybe you are retired, like me, but want to look a bit more stylish in your jeans and t-shirt "uniform". If you add accessories that reflect your style personality, you will look better and feel happier in your outfits. That is why this topic deserves a post of its own.

Let's assume that you look good in pink. You may decide to buy a pair of shoes to go with your favourite pink necklace, but what style are you going to choose? Here are a few options, some of which may appeal, but I'd be surprised if you love them all, as I've deliberately chosen different styles to suit different style personalities.

My style is colourful casual chic, so I would be drawn to the pair of Vans trainers on the right rather than the high heeled pumps below them. I also like the ballet flats,  as my style recipe includes the words "with a Parisian influence", The boots appeal to the "little bit quirky" part of my style personality, but it would also depend on how comfortable they are to wear! If you are more of a dramatic, you might choose the boots or perhaps the pumps in the centre. Classic personalities would probably lean towards the ballet flats or the loafers at the top.

Pink of course looks better on those of you who have a cool colour palette so it wouldn't be my first choice for accessories, as it wouldn't match my warm neutrals. Orange however would look fine with my brown and camel basics.  The bags below would be better options for anyone with a warm colour palette, though not so good with cooler shades.

I'm sure by now that you've got the hang of this and can see how the bags won't suit everyone's style personality. The two bags on the top row are pretty casual so classic or feminine personalities are more likely to be drawn to one of the bags in the centre. I like the bag in the bottom row on the left, as it is a little bit quirky in my view, however anyone with a strong dramatic personality might find it far too ordinary.  It's all a matter of what appeals to your individual personality.

Have you identified your own style personality? Are you relaxed, feminine or more of a classic? Perhaps you are dramatic, creative, rebellious or even elegant chic. If you're not sure, take a look at my post from last year on Style Personality and in particular the last paragraph.

We've covered colour and personality, but that's not the end of the accessories story. To give you a clue: I'm just over 5 feet tall, so even if I find accessories in a colour that flatters me and a style that suits me, they might not look right on me. Why do you think that is? I'll give you the answer in my next post!