You already have some great go-to outfits in your wardrobe, right? Top/blazer/pant combos that never fail, or dress/cardigan pairings that always make you feel amazing – but do you have combinations of accessories that you can depend on to finish off your look, and make you feel totally pulled together when you’re rushing out the door?
To be honest, go-to accessory combos are something I hadn’t thought of until a couple of years ago. I was working on a long-term client’s look book, and I kept putting the same accessory groupings with different outfits, since they worked so well together. And then I realized that there were some key scarf/bag/shoe combinations in her wardrobe that completed many of her looks – so I decided to photograph them to give her additional ideas, beyond the outfits I had already created.
And the best thing? These are accessory combos that she can depend on to pull together several distinct looks – so it’s not about the shoes and bag that always go with her purple dress – it’s about the shoes and bag that go with her purple dress or her black blazer/lace top/grey pants or her striped sweater/pencil skirt. And these are already thought out groupings, so she’s never starting from square one when deciding what to wear in the morning.
Are you ready to pull together go-to accessory combinations from your closet? Use my client’s combos as inspiration and ask me your questions in the comments!
LEOPARD SCARF + BLACK BAG + COLOR BLOCK FLATS
Leopard print accessories are classic and will never go out of style. And if you’re wary of wearing such a bold pattern, just stick with the colors in the print for your other items. I started with the scarf as my blueprint piece and then paired it with her everyday black work bag (because who doesn’t have a black bag?) and nude/black color block flats.
What outfits work with this combo?
- A red power dress (and a multitude of other solid dresses)
- Black blazer, black/white striped top, dark jeans
- Solid sweater, black pencil skirt
- Solid blouse, white jeans
DARK FLORAL SCARF + COLOR BLOCK BAG + SNAKE PRINT HEELS
I love a dark floral print because it balances the sweetness of a flower-based pattern with the sophistication of a darker color. And I also love snake print (it might be my favorite animal print!) – so I grouped these into one stellar accessory combo. You might be thinking, “a print scarf and patterned shoes and a color block bag – isn’t that too much?” No, it’s just right. All the prints are based in the same palette but in different scales, so it creates a harmonious blend with major style savvy.
What outfits work with this combo?
- A solid purple or solid charcoal dress (or any color that pulls from the print)
- White blazer, black top, dark jeans
- Black/white tweed jacket, little black dress
- Cobalt blue silk top, charcoal trousers
BLACK/WHITE PRINT SCARF + BLACK BAG + RED FLATS
When I have clients who are new to wearing patterned scarves, I always start them off with a simple black and white print. It pairs with what’s already in their closets and is super easy to work with. For this accessory combo, I added my client’s go-to black bag and red flats (with a subtle pattern/texture) for a pop of color.
What outfits work with this combo? A bunch of outfits from above, so my client has choices when getting dressed.
- Black/white tweed jacket, little black dress
- White blazer, black top, dark jeans
- Solid charcoal dress
- Black blazer, black/white striped top, dark jeans
What accessory combos are already hiding in your closet?