There's very little I feel as strongly about as I do shoes. No really, hardly anything. My boyfriend, sure. Friends and family, of course. Even pizza - well, perhaps that's on parr. But shoes? They're my thing.
When your jeans don't fit, your shoes always will. You might go up or down a dress size (thanks to the pizza), but your shoe size stays the same and isn't that just magical?
Think about it. You have this dress. It's a very nice dress and it suits you, but until those killer Kirkwoods you picked up in last seasons sample sale adorn your feet, it really isn't all that special, now is it?
And how about if you add in a little cuff? Maybe a clutch and definitely a skinny little waist belt over the dress and cropped jacket combo you've finally decided on, to show off your skinny little waist of course!
Didn't I tell you it was magical?
Accessorising really is an art. Scary to some and a regularly basked-in element for perhaps a select few, nothing feels as good when it comes to fashion, as accessorising does.
And it really doesn't have to be feared. It's just misunderstood. Accessorising isn't about having one brown shoe and bag combo and another in black, as much as our glamorous elders would have us believe. Nor is it about having every combination possible. Accessorising works best when you work with what you have. Or at least yearn to have.
The biggest mistake that can be made with accessorising, is overthinking it. Not the actual act of accessorising itself. If you think about it too much, you'll end up looking like a Christmas tree - and as much as we all love Christmas trees, there really is a time and place (preferably not on the approach to summer and not on your arms).
Accessorising has the power to perfect an outfit - make it even. It dots the i's and crosses the t's. You wouldn't leave the house without a full face in the morning, so why walk out the door half dressed?
Not everyone is a huge fan of accessorising and that's okay - we're all different - but for me, it just works. I've built up my own sense of style based around the whole concept and can end up wearing the same jeans daily, feeling inspired by accessories alone.
It's the same with my inspirations. We all have them and whether they're in the media, live down the street or even stars of yesteryear, they shape and style the way we dress. For me, there's only ever really been two big hitters. Yes I have a crazy love for Audrey Hepburn and I'll never fall out of love with the character of Blair Waldorf, but it's Olivia Palermo and Blair Eadie that are my mega heroes.
Now these girls can accessorise!
But when you look at them, do you see what I see? It's not an over-accessorising thing. It's more of an accentuating the outfit or just keeping it pretty and polished thing. A girl can thrown on a breton stripe and jeans (like both girls often do) and really transform the whole look with jewels, embellished flats, a chunky belt and a uncoordinated bag. And that's what I love.
See how both girls just have fun with dressing. It's not about pressure, it's not about feeling uncomfortable and it's definitely not about too much. It's always just enough.
Olivia has always described her style as accessorised and it suits here. She doesn't have one defined style, but then I don't think many of us really do. We're all evolving and that's so inspiring. One day you'll spot her in her Marchesa best and the next she's in shorts and a shirt, but it's her accessories that hold her together and set off her signature style.
It's the same with Blair. She's built her image based on wearing what she loves - and it always comes accessorised. When you put together a simple midi skirt and came combo, you might feel a little flat, like it's missing something - and that's because it is missing something - the accessories. Oversized shades, a little something in your hair, a statement belt and the right shoes will spin it into something completely, completely different. And that's the art of accessorising - the power of it even.
And that's what accessorising can be, powerful. When your look is just not working, or feels incomplete, accessories save the day. They're easier to buy and are so much harder to part with. So when you're next feeling a little flat or uninspired, take yourself to the accessories department for a little me-time and redefine your style.