Accessories anyone?

Ladies, Ladies, Ladies,

We need to go back to our closets and review our accessories before stepping foot inside another store (that goes for e-shopping too). I was online creating a wish list of various clothing items I wanted to purchase in the near future and then it hit me...why bother! First off who has the money and secondly I can create and re-create new outfits simply by changing up my accessories. So I did what every woman only dreams of doing. I cleaned out my closet and separated my accessories into seven categories (Shoes, Scarfs, Bags, Belts, Hats, Jewelry, and then coats/jackets/blazers/cardigans."Whew." Tedious but so exciting, especially when all of these mixing and matching ideas come to thought.

One plain, bland, outfit can easily become glamorous with a belt that accentuates your curves, or a purse that says "hell yeah I got it going on". I am big on jewelry, in fact I love it because it makes a great statement. I love big earrings (great chandelier pair at Dots for $8.00) sorry I had to digress b/c that was such a nice buy.

In addition to jewelry I collect hats and I love wearing them with random outfits. Shoes are another great accessory and I often buy them when I'm not looking for them, I just see a great pair on sale. For me a sale is usually anything under $30.00 and in good quality. The purchase also depends on the "vision" I have for the item, if it's a good one I will buy it to wear at a later date (translation: when the rest of the items in the vision are frontal lobe).

Bottom line: Please do not think you need to buy a new outfit every time an important event comes up or your having a bad hair day. First organize your closet this way you know what your working with. Second, if you must shop, look for accessories, buy a pair of colorful shoes/pumps, get different colored and textured belts, and jewelry. Ashley Stewart has beautiful ring's on sale...I just bought one for $6.00 (refer to the pic). Try adding a bright colored scarf to your outfit and pairing it with the new colorful shoes you bought on sale from_________(fill in the blank). Also, don't be afraid to buy a purse that is not black or brown. Forget about safe and venture out, after all...you want to look fabulous while staying within budget. I purchased a beautiful cherry red scarf from my local thrift store for $3.90, it's the perfect accessory!

Challenge: for every outfit you see on the street, in a magazine and on television determine if it's the actual garment you like or the accessories that make the outfit. Pay close attention to the color of the shoes, bags, belts, and the gaudy jewelry.

Begin to think outside of the "department store."