Previously posted, in Accessories: Embellishments or Infrastructure:
Without even doing the project I know what I need: necklaces.
- silver to support my hair color (I already have pearls),
- pink to add color near my face when wearing a neutral outfit, and
- brown to enhance my eyes and complete the infrastructure effect of brown buttons and belt.
Often when getting dressed, I know I need a third color near my face. Without a necklace (or scarf, but I don’t like them) my options are limited.
Spending a grand total of $25.41, here’s what I’ve found so far (mostly at Fred Meyer):
- silver and rose (pink) beads
- non-gold-tone earrings to coordinate with my pearls
- big brown tortoise-shell looking earrings
- wood pendant necklace
Both necklaces are convertible length.
This is a good start. When I get around to it, I’ll pile everything I have on the bed, sort it out, and take pictures of color groupings. But I’m still working through the wardrobe therapy part. When I think about wearing accessories, rather than getting excited like I do about, say, argyle or paisley, I get sort of a sick feeling. Like the feeling of losing one’s individuality. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Explain why you feel that wearing accessories is like losing your individuality?
Heeheehee — embrace the accessories! I sort of know how you feel — it’s just so . . . tiring to see how some people plan, organise, arrange their accessories w/ the focus and determination of a military campaigner . . . I admire the look but it’s just so much time/effort for me, being naturally lazy. Still, I want to look nice and pulled-together so what works is focussing on just a few items — usually paying attention to necklace, hairclip, shoes, and MAYBE handbag or belt (rarely). That’s it — FREEDOM, hahaha!
The beads and pearl earrings are really pretty — how about some more pendants in various colours/sizes you can interchange on a thin silver chain? Nothing huge or flashy, but pretty shapes in flowers, hearts, simple geometics, etc.
The wooden accessories look nice but my first thought is they would overwhelm being worn together — not sure if that was your plan though.
Would you wear large hoops? Some people think they are trashy but they add a lot of interest and attention to one’s face — of course w/ either no necklace or a very demure one is needed. What fun to see your stuff — makes me want to go organise my own things now! Looking forward to seeing the rest of your stuff —
I’m with Imogen, Rebecca. Why would wearing a necklace be like being assimilated? Sure, “everyone” wears them–but everyone also wears shoes and underwear! You feel okay about those, right? 🙂
To me, accessories are the key to your personality – they make a statement about you a person in a way that ordinary, every day clothes don’t. Jeans just say casual – but if you put on your wooden necklace it says “I’m a natural sort of woman” whilst pearls say “I’m feminine and more classic and conservative”. Look for accessories that you love – then you’ll look great in them.
Hmmm. I’ve been wondering about that myself. If I just throw out some ideas, brainstorming fashion, perhaps I’ll be able to figure it out. 🙂
Defensiveness? It’s the same feeling I get when people tell me I have to wear lipstick, which compounds exponentially when the lipstick mentioned is red. (I look really, really bad in most lipsticks, especially red!)
Defeat? If I have put together an outfit and still need something, I’ve failed.
How about individual style idiom? Finding accessories which suit me is a bit like balancing on a tight rope. On the one hand are the things which are small, safe, and traditional (and, I might add, pointless) – I am beginning to hyperventilate and my stomach doesn’t feel quite right thinking about wearing them. On the other hand are things which would be overwhelming – like the two brown pieces pictured here if I wore them together (unless it was summer and I wore them both with just a simple white tank or something like that).
I would wear large hoops. But I probably won’t buy them. My earrings really need to be good jewelry and I don’t buy my own good jewelry, because my hero enjoys buying it for me for gifts.(With my severe metal allergies, both the pairs of earrings pictured here may end up being a waste of money.) I have hinted a few times, so we’ll see … and maybe someday it’ll be important enough to me to buy my own.
I’m so glad all three of you chose to comment. 🙂
Oh dear! Imogen, that’s really helpful, but now I’m even more upset. I wonder if I’ll ever wear the wooden necklace – I really don’t want to say “I’m a natural sort of woman”. I probably won’t give up wearing my pearls, since they are sentimental, but I don’t want to say “conservative” either.
Perhaps, before I start separating my jewelry into color groupings, I’ll pull out anything that I really like – that is, like in the same way I like a paisley blouse, a safari jacket, or argyle socks – and take a picture of that separately. 😉
Rebecca, it doesn’t sound as if any of your new acquisitions are speaking to you. Do you have any family jewelery or gifts you’ve received that make you smile?
I find that a lot of sentiment is attached to accessories for me–much more than to most of my clothes. The chunky belt I splurged on in college, the silk scarves I bought for my first “real” job, my grandmother’s art deco jewelery, my mom’s bakelite ring, shawls my husband has given me, red patent pumps that remind me of great nights out . . . I suspect my accessories are much more eclectic (and probably a lot more interesting) than my clothes!
Still considering what my “problem” is, this morning I started getting an emotional reaction again. This time I was thinking about the reactions I seem to get to the accessories I think are fun (although it’s a very real possibility that the mocking voices are all in my head). Seems like when I want to wear something I think is fun, “people” don’t understand it, which usually results in some comment which I perceive as painful. Hence, accessories = pain.
We’re having a severe snow day here today, so I started pulling my drawer apart. Coming soon, the “few things I like” pics! 🙂
WHen I say natural I mean – approachable, unpretentious, relaxed.
Pearls are both classic (which implies a level of conservatism and modesty) and feminine – and pink pearls are more feminine than classic.
Tell me what is a ‘fun’ accessory for you? I think the mocking voices are in your head Rebecca – and not anywhere else.
If you could wear an accessory – any accessory – and you knew that everyone would comment in a positive way (that is guaranteed and not a question), what would it be?
We must get to the bottom of this accessory dilema!
LOL – Imogen, you are so much fun! I just had my drawer all emptied out on my bed, and am in process of putting together a post with the picture. You can help me figure it out. 🙂
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If it helps, wooden does *not* necessarily = natural/earthy/granola type. (No insult intended to granola. I like granola!)
I’m not much of an accessories person, actually. I *like* a lot of things, but don’t end up wearing them because I’m rushing out the door and I forget. I’ve found that having a few great pieces (and they don’t have to be expensive, or “real” jewelry) that work with lots of things really helps when you’re running late and you don’t have time to coordinate everything.
natural can be the appreciation of nature – the beauty that is nature – this is not necessarily the earthy granola type
I don’t know if I’d call it fun, but for years now I’ve been after my daughters plain wooden beads. Perhaps a big part of the reason is the length, though – I really, really like collar-bone length necklaces with a bit of weight.
About the granola thing, I’m conflicted. I am positively an indoor person. I get excited by beautiful interior environments, architecture, buildings, etc. I have a low to medium appreciation for the beauty in nature, although I appreciate a beautiful person, naturally done, perhaps more than most. While I don’t actually eat granola, I do make my own yogurt from raw milk and some other food practices that could be considered in the “natural” category. But a few years ago, when my friend suggested that I was “earthy”, I was shocked and maybe a little offended.
Still more therapy needed! 8)
Natural can just mean not wanting to wear lots of makeup, or wanting to wear your hair free flowing or in an easy care kind of style. It can also be highly linked to comfort, and feeling comfortable in your outfit, or liking the way the fabric feels. It is also related to fabric choice – wanting natural fibres rather than synthetic ones. There are so many aspects to this.
Count me in on wanting to wear natural fibres! 🙂
See – I knew we could find that natural part of you – maybe that’s a reason your also attracted to pearls and wood – as they’re both non-man-made! (God made?)
I took back the brown earrings – too heavy!