Are you a person who regards jewellery as an essential part of your dress or do you add it as an afterthought or ignore it completely? If you're the latter then you are missing some tricks in adding to your style and your general appearance; if you are the former are you sure your jewellery is appropriate for you. Working through this checklist will help you maximize this important group of accessories.
Necklace
Is the colour of the necklace really working with the colour of your clothing? It might be carefully coordinating with the colour of the main item or cleverly picking up and enhancing a minor colour, for example, from a pattern. Is the length of the necklace appropriate for your face-shape, neck length and the size and proportions of the top half of your body? A necklace which ends on an ample bust will draw more attention here than you might intend, when a shorter necklace can give a much more flattering appearance. Is the scale of the necklace appropriate to your scale, particularly your facial features? Very large beads might be very fashionable; however you might have a petite frame and fine facial feature. If so the necklace may well draw attention, but for all the wrong reasons if it is not in balance with you. Is the necklace fitting with your style personality?
Large natural coloured wooden beads might be just right for a 'natural' personality type but not suit a 'romantic' dresser. Does your individual body shape, suggest that you draw the eye away from more challenging areas, for example from below the waist? If so then spend time and effort on getting your necklace right as it can have particular benefits to the overall first impression that you give. Are you wearing the necklace because it was a special present or an heirloom. If so do think carefully whether this is wise as it may not be fitting in with your overall look. In discussing a particular necklace with friends I've been told on more than one occasion that the reason for wearing it was that it was expensive. Both of us have known that this was not the right necklace for the overall look. Necklaces do not need to be expensive, they are worth looking out for at craft fairs& departmental stores as well as when doing the supermarket shopping. With practise (and advice from your image consultant) you'll soon be able to mix and match jewellery as easily as you do your clothes.
Bangles or bracelets
Just as you need to consider colour & scale of a necklace along with your own style personality you also need to consider these when thinking about a bangle or bracelet. Take a look at your wrists and make a decision about your bone structure in this region. Would you describe it as fine, medium or grand? Now choose a bangle that is appropriate to this. For example, large beads around a fine wrist can be overwhelming and attract the eye for all the wrong reasons. There are some other important points to consider when thinking about bangles. When your hands hang down the bangle is likely to be at hip level. If this bangle is broad and chunky it can add volume here. Wearing the right bangle(s) is an easy way to keep on trend but make sure that you choose ones that your body shape is comfortable with. If you decide not to wear bangles then there are alternative accessories that are worth considering. During a style consultation the advice for some body types is to draw the eye upwards- brooches and corsages come into their own here. Again, think of your style personality and look out for an appropriate type. Textile artists and craft fairs can often be a good source for a unique piece at a reasonable price.
Finally, earrings are a very good way of bringing attention to your face. The idea being to draw the eye to the face and not to detract all the attention to the actual ear rings. As with necklaces, bangles and brooches/corsages think colour, scale and style personality. In addition, due to their closeness to the face, do consider the detail of your face and neck. When you study your face do you see mainly straight lines- both vertical and horizontal or is the general impression one of curving features, or do you have a mixture of both? There is no right answer here, just that the ear rings chosen should take your answer into account. Very geometric ear rings may not provide the balance needed for very rounded features. I often get asked whether I recommend dangly or stud ear rings for most effect. Your overall scale and neck length along with the length of your face all have a role to play in this.
Dangly earrings on a petite person with a rectangular face often feel and look inappropriate. Wearing ear rings that provide balance can feel wonderful and lift the confidence of the wearer. As an image consultant my advice is that time and effort spent on jewellery is well worth the effort and you are likely to get compliments when you get it right. Understanding how to make the most of jewellery is just one aspect of the advice given in a style and image consultation. Besides gaining valuable insights into how to accessorise, you will learn how to dress your body with confidence whatever the occasion.
No comments:
Post a Comment