Everyday Fashion Accessories That Make You Your Best Self

You’ve been steadily building out your wardrobe for the latest season and you’re looking good. Your closet is filled to bursting with the latest tops, plenty of denim, and dresses to die for. However, you still feel like something’s missing. What could it be?

Accessories, of course!

The right fashion accessory can take a ho-hum outfit and completely transform it into something interesting and individual. How? By drawing the eye and making a unique statement that’s reflected on the rest of the outfit. There’s a reason why fashionistas know that a good accessory is all you need to take a buttoned-up professional outfit to a smoking date night ensemble. Your clothing speaks volumes about your personality, your mood, and even your energy level. Think of the most relatable example: you see a woman running errands in yoga pants and a messy ponytail. In the next aisle, you spot a woman wearing leather boots, designer denim, and a bold striped shirt with a scarf tied around her neck. Without knowing anything about either of them on a personal level, who do you automatically assume has their stuff together?

We make these snap judgments every day. It’s not unusual – it’s psychology! What we wear and even how we shop communicates a lot to other people, whether we intend it to or not. Years back, a Dr. Jennifer Baumgartner wrote an intriguing book about the psychology of our fashion choices. You should give it a read sometime. It’s fascinating!

Back to the subject at hand: what does psychology have to do with your everyday fashion accessories? Quite a bit, it turns out. You’ve heard the term “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have,” right? It’s a distilled version of the same principle. The way we wear and accessorize our clothing can literally affect our mind. Sports fans trust in lucky socks, successful businesswomen have favorite heels that make them feel like they can conquer the world, and that trusty pair of sunglasses can take you from stressed to relaxed almost instantly.

Your accessories can play a very similar role in helping you fall back in love with tired outfits all over again. The clothing you wear every day can get a breath of new life with the right fashion accessory, which will in turn give you the spring in your step that shows other people the best version of yourself.

Here are some of 2018’s best fashion accessories and how they can help the real you shine through.

Platform Shoes

We’ve moved well beyond the days of Spice Girls and woven hemp platforms, thankfully, but the overall look is still totally enviable. It’s also back in style! Platform shoes are back in a big way, from sneakers to wedges, and you should take advantage. Why? Because standing tall helps you feel more confident. It’s true, psychologically speaking! While most studies focus on women wearing high-heeled shoes, the fact remains: every inch you gain is an inch more confidence. Other people think so, too – taller people are regarded with more respect as a general rule. Plus, platforms are really cute.

Big OR Tiny Sunglasses

Past years have seen sunglasses balloon in size until they practically dwarf our faces, and that trend is coming back with a vengeance this fall, but it’s not the only option out there. The newest look is tiny sunglasses, including those deemed “Matrix sunglasses” for their similarity to the glasses worn in the film of the same name. While a good pair of sunglasses works to keep the glare out of your eyes, they also make a bold statement and can elevate the most basic outifts.  Psychologically speaking, you’ll look like you made more of an effort than you actually did.

Bold Patterned Bags

Patterns are all the rage this year and it’s not hard to understand why – it’s an excellent way to show off your personality. Even in professional and high-class settings, a well-done pattern draws the eye and shows passerby that you’re not only interesting, you’re adventurous, too. Just look at Prada’s fall line of canvas totes to see examples of even major players getting in on this look. They’re bold, they’re stylish, and they’re a whole lot of fun.

Scarves and More Scarves

These are one of the most versatile and timeless everyday fashion accessories you can own. They’re multi-functional and come in a variety of materials, so it’s easy to have one that works in literally any situation. One scarf can double as a neckerchief , headband, shawl, belt, wrap, or beach cover-up. Knot them, tie them, drape them, or wrap them. The truly brave among us can even tie them into halter tops or skirts. What do scarves say about you? That you’re creative and fashion conscious. An otherwise drab outfit can be instantly livened up with a bright scarf, which draws the eye and makes you look that much more put together. They work in any and all situations, so make sure you have plenty on hand.

Cute Hats

This season is a great one for hats.  There are more hat trends occurring at one once than we’ve seen in a long time!  We’re seeing a lot of berets and paperboy or baker hats. The overall look is one part carefree and one part bold risk-taker, so it’s the perfect choice if your style tends to be on the relaxed-but-fashionable side. Go with this accessory when you want the people around you to know you’ve thought of every part of your outfit, from head to foot.

Belt Bags

We’ve written about belt bags before, which are more or less a modern fashion equivalent of your dad’s fanny pack. Unlike your dad’s fanny pack, however, they come in way cooler styles. Better yet, they’re convenient. Store everything you need on the go in an accessory that does double duty as both a belt and a bag. What’s not to love? If you’re nervous about trying such a unique fashion choice, consider that you’ll be leading the pack with this cutting edge trend. Let your fearlessness shine through.

Dangling Jewelry

There’s no way you can forget about jewelry when you’re talking about fashion accessories, so here’s the current jewelry trend. Earrings! They’ve been the last jewelry accessory on the list since rings were the priority over the last few years. But now the emphasis is back on those big, bold earrings.  Geometric shapes, knots, hoops and earrings long enough to brush your shoulders and mingle with your loose tresses. This style has the effect of lengthening your neck and drawing the eye, especially when you wear them in bold colors. These are a super sophisticated choice, so if you want to impress the people around you with your fashion prowess, they’re the way to go. You’ll always look intentional and flawless when your jewelry is on point.

As you can see, you have plenty of everyday options for elevating your everyday ensembles. If you’re working with a capsule wardrobe, these accessories will give you even more options for combining pieces into unique outfits that help you stand out and look super polished. Dressing well helps you gain confidence. When you look good on the outside, it helps you feel more poised on the inside. That can help you in your social life, your career, your romantic endeavors, and much more. Confidence is classy, no matter how you slice it.

These accessory choices can be applied to nearly any style of outfit, from improving the professionalism of your business wear to spicing up your night-on-the-town outfits. Style yourself to look classy, sexy, cool, carefree, or anything in between. Need an example? Start with your favorite dark denim skinny jeans and a solid colored sweater. Add your accessories from there. It’s that easy.

At PUNCH Clothing, we think accessories definitely make the outfit, and we offer plenty of options. One of our favorites style icons, Iris Apfel, says, “More is more and less is a bore.”  So load up when you’re at Punch. You can find handbags, belts, scarves, jewelry, and a whole lot more. We err toward classic and trendy styles and you’ll always find something unique when you come see us. Still wondering how to dress to impress? All you have to do is ask. Our store associates love to style people for the lives they lead AND the lives they want.