Accessorizing in a chic way

When it comes to accessorizing, I am a less is more kind of person. I like to wear not that much otherwise I feel overdone. I have very few blingy pieces too. Everyone’s different in how they accessorize; what I think is important is to take note of how you feel in different types and styles of accessories.

Sometimes it’s not the item itself, but making subtle updates. A few years back, I realized that when I wore scarves I felt frumpy and old-fashioned. Then I took a look at the scarves I had – they were variations on the square, and often of silky fabric. Having them knotted around my neck did not feel modern. I observed the newer more casual scarves of looser weave fabric that you could knot two corners together to make into an infinity scarf and I occasionally wear one of those. I also wrote about this here.

Other than scarves, I accessorize with jewellery, shoes and bags. Most of what I have I’ve had for a long time. I don’t know if this is boring or classic, take your pick. Most of what I wear gets equal billing, so my clothes are as important as my shoes are as important as my hair/makeup/jewellery.

I am pretty lucky to have had good contacts in the past to be able to purchase nice handbags at an excellent price. I worked for Christian Dior in the New Zealand head office for five years from 2000, and during that time was invited to two or three staff sales where we were able to purchase bags and scarves for 75%-90% off. Yes, off! I remember that the fur-front bag (it is rabbit) was $2,950 and I bought it for $295. It is a huge discount, but even spending that was a lot for me. In the past if a handbag was over $150 it was probably above my budget.

I love and have looked after all my Dior bags (the only one I did not buy was the pink one, it was a gift when I left there) so although at the time I was having palpitations even at the discounted prices, I am glad I took the opportunities when I did because I’ll likely never have that chance again.

Then, when we owned our shoe store for twelve years, one of the footwear brands we stocked was Diesel. Because of that, my husband and I were able to purchase Diesel clothing and accessories at a discount. I have several pairs of Diesel jeans and two Diesel handbags (the big beige leather one and the black fabric one). I feel very fortunate that we had that opportunity too.

Actually the only two handbags I purchased outside of these opportunities are my tan leather Michael Kors bag bought when we had our belated honeymoon in Hawaii three years ago. I bought the tan leather wallet too. I love Michael’s style and love the way tan leather brings out navy, denim or black without being a ‘colour’. I also bought the white leather bag from Oroton and I sometimes wear this casually, and sometimes with a dressy red dress that I wear to weddings or out to a special dinner.

I used to use the Michael Kors bag going to the shop every day, but now that I lead a more casual work-from-home life and don’t need to lug so much stuff around with me, I mostly use the denim and gold Dior bag or black Diesel bag.

As you can see, I keep things for a long time, with most of my bags from the early 2000s and my ‘newest’ one from 2014.

With my jewellery, these are my most loved pieces and what I wear most of the time. I mostly wear stud earrings with a necklace, or one of my hoop earrings with no necklace. Hoop earrings with a necklace would be too much for me!

I have had my watch since 2000, when I bought it for my own 30th birthday, newly single and feeling a little rebellious. It’s not like I got tons of money from the divorce, just the tiny amount we’d saved up, but I decided to blow some of it on a nice watch. Yes, a little bit crazy at the time but it felt good to do and I’m confident that I will enjoy wearing it until I am a little old lady.

My wedding set is white gold with a solitaire diamond, and the gold rings, which I wear on my right hand – one is a family piece that my nana gave me, from an aunt way back, and one is my engagement ring from my first marriage. It was a cluster which I had remade into a ‘straight’ style so I could wear it with my nana’s ring. After it had been remodelled I renamed it my independence ring. I do feel a bit Joan Collins with all my diamonds but they’re not that fancy and what are you going to do? You get nothing for jewellery if you sell it, so I may as well enjoy them.

So, that’s me in all my accessorizing splendour. Are you a maximalist or minimalist accessory girl? What are your key pieces or what you think people would most associate with you?

And, what one piece, whether it’s a bag, pair of shoes, scarf or item of jewellery would you love to own if money was no object? For me, I think it would be a classic black leather Chanel 2.55 bag. That would be just divine. Maybe one day!

Fiona

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