How Jewelry Can Elevate Your Style Status

What is it about jewelry that mystifies and intrigues the otherwise fashion savvy woman and, more importantly, how can all women learn to accessorize their clothing with the perfect jewelry?

Most women would agree that a great pair of shoes or a stylish yet classic coat can transform an average outfit into a chic ensemble. This explains why the majority of women own four times as many pairs of shoes than does the average man. Yet, a much smaller percentage of women would dare to comment on how the proper necklace can turn the ubiquitous little black dress into a piece of fine art. Even those women who induce shoe envy in their friends secretly know that at any time a woman with the perfect jewelry can come along and downgrade their status in the fashion hierarchy. If you are ready to confess your sin of coveting they neighbors jewelry, then read on because I think I can help you select and wear jewelry that conveys a creates a unique style that is both bold and subtle.

For me, each piece of jewelry is a work of art so I am thoughtful about any purchases I make; you should try to apply this rule so that you avoid impulse buys until you have refined your distinct signature style. Before you reach for your wallet, you need to do your homework. Finding pieces that compliment your canvas is not as simple as lifting an enviable woman's look by buying the same necklace and earrings she dazzled everyone with at last week's party. Your goal is to distinguish your look with jewelry that sets off your beauty and conveys a signature style. Your first lesson should cover the basics of color and composition and should address topics such as color variety, complimentary colors, space, proportion and arrangement/placement and balance.

The most basic rule in accessorizing with jewelry is to consider the basic rules of color and determine if you are a warm or cool variety. Each of us have a warm or cool skin tone and matching like colors helps illuminate natural beauty without looking harsh or washing you out for instance. If you apply this to metallic jewelry then you should determine whether cool or warm colors best suit your skin tone. I avoid gold jewelry because I know it washes me out. If you are uncertain about which metal to wear, then try on samples of each in a well lit environment and analyze the effect. Check out this link http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art33614.asp for more information on this topic and to see photos of this process applied to fabric. Applying color “rules” dramatically effects your jewelry success. Once you've determined which metal works best for your skin tone, you can apply the knowledge to create a list of gems or beads that would work for you and those to avoid. It generally wise to stick to buying pieces that match your color variety but you may find that an opposite color sets off a feature or works downplay a flaw. Experiment with color to find what works best for you.

Put down your purse because you're still not ready to make a purchase. The next step is crucial in determining whether you wear the jewelry or it wears you. Considering space, proportion, and balance are critical steps in the selection process. It's critical to remember that one size does not fit all. Choosing which bracelet best graces a woman's wrist cannot be based on the length of her neck. You need to break down your body into the spaces or parts that you will plan to dramatize with jewelry. Write down you measurements in any way that works best for you. For example, I simply know that I have a long slender neck that can wear an over sized or wispy, petite necklace equally well, and that my very skinny, long fingers are not so lucky. Unlike my neck's proportions, my fingers are dwarfed by many of the fabulous over sized rings that often catch my eye. Instead of purchasing a ring that will wear my hand, I find the proper size for my particular fingers in order to complement their bony size and less than perfectly shaped nails (but my nails are another subject!). As with the rules for finding your correct color matches, you might find that trying on a variety of sizes can help you determine what pieces to look for in creating a pleasing composition.

Achieving a proper balance is critical and that means you need to now reassemble the spacial pieces you just dissembled so that you consider the whole look. The biggest mistake women make with jewelry is wearing too much. If you have four stunning pieces on, they simply get lost and actually appear to not only weight you down but demonstrate a graceless and unrefined sense of style. You should also consider space in terms of upper and lower so that you don't end up top or bottom heavy. You are attempting to define a signature look with unique pieces and you will fail if you try to wear three or four statement pieces at once. The result will be something like the myspace pages that seem to assault my eyes with their virtual design weapons. Bold earrings and a stand out bracelet can give you a style edge, but too many bracelets and rings weighs down that area of the body and destroys the sense of composition you want to achieve with a proper balance.

After this next step, you will be ready to start matching your jewelry with clothing to achieve your personalized look. This step is purely subjective unlike the first two which rely more on objective perspectives. To put it simply, you need to define your jewelry style. In many ways it should reflect your overall style and even your personality. However, it's not as simple as saying, “I'm conservative and my clothing consists of classic pieces that never go out of style, so I should wear pearls with my little black dress.” Although you may be partially correct, you still haven't really discovered your inner jewelry self and you certainly wont stand out with such an approach. Pearls are fine, but play with a variety of pearl necklaces before you opt for the simple, plain strand you currently own. A simple black dress can handle much more without looking over the top. For instance maybe now you know you have a fabulous neck that would look stupendous in that over sized pearl and rhinestone necklace you saw in the window of a vintage shop you've never had the courage to enter. If it caught your eye, it's worth investigating further. Put it on and see how you feel. Turn off your overly developed conservative mind and simply focus on the way the necklace accentuates your neck and elevates you and your LBD from plebeian to patrician. Any solid colored dress that isn't itself heavily embellished will look great with a statement piece or two.

Statement pieces are the core of achieving style success with jewelry. Personally, I'm known for wearing large, bold, uniques necklaces so I'm always looking for new pieces that I can wear as easily with jeans as I can with a more formal dress. I only buy jewelry that falls into this category and although a large percentage of my pieces are costume jewelry, they never look like a inexpensive mass marketed ring or necklace. I scour vintage shops and thrift stores for great finds, or I peruse estate sales on the weekends. Occasionally, I splurge on original designs and I have found beautiful, unique silver pieces at department stores that work equally as well at emphasizing my refined jewelry sensibilities. Tap into your emerging sense of jewelry courage and hone the skill through discovering resources that continue to construct your signature style and make you the envy of the jewelry meek. Be creative! Be innovative and consider making your own jewelry. Although, I must warn you that it's an addictive pursuit.

Learning how to properly accessorize with jewelry is a skill no woman should be without. The right piece makes a strong statement and secures you a high position on the style ladder. The perfect jewelry enhances your beauty, shows your strength and enables you to showcase your unique sense of style. It might take some time to hone your skills but with some practice and committment your urbane style sense will be the envy of others.