Confused about accessorising?
They say that you should always marry a man with pierced ears because they know pain and they are already in the habit of buying jewellery and accessorising.
Ears pierced or not, man often have trouble understanding women. One thing that my partner cannot understand is how I can stand in front of a cupboard full of clothes and still have nothing to wear.
We’ve all done that at one point or another.
What’s the solution?
No, the answer is not to go out and buy another new outfit (not always anyway). Instead like most questions, jewellery is the answer. But there are so many questions with the jewellery as well.
Ever put on your outfit then stand there wondering where to start with your jewellery?
Not sure if it’s too much? Not enough? Too long? Too short? Too sparkly? Not sparkly enough?
Jewellery is the perfect way to bring life to an outfit and enhance your best features. What better way to do so than to complete your look with a bold, striking and attention-grabbing piece of statement Jewellery.
Statement pieces are designed for you to have fun with, but can make all the wrong statements if they are not worn correctly.
The beauty of statement Jewellery is that it only takes one piece to make your whole outfit stand out. The key is to keep it simple and either work your outfit around one big eye-catching piece, or to work well-coordinated statement accessories into your look by striking the right balance.
From cocktail rings to cuff bracelets and bib necklaces, statement pieces come in all forms, designs, colours and sizes. They can work wonders to add dazzle to a simple dress or can help to draw attention to parts of yourself that you would like to emphasize.
Either way, make sure you follow our rules to pull off a look that gets people looking at you in awe rather than dismay.
1. More is Not More
Jewellery isn’t like money or friends. You can have too much (on). Wearing a chorus of pieces rather than a solo can make you look confused or even cheap. You don’t want your precious pieces competing with each other.
One way to stop this from happening is to coordinate.
Chandelier earrings and a cuff bracelet can look beautiful when worn together, while a long necklace and a cocktail ring can match perfectly. Just make sure to select items that coordinate. Try to stick with the same kind of metal and avoid clashing patterns and charms.
Layered chain necklaces can look extremely charming if worn correctly. Keep your look tasteful by making sure that you do not layer too many strands together and keep tabs on how much sparkle you layer on.
Avoid wearing long chain necklaces, however, if you are wearing a belt, as there will be too much going on around the same area. Wide chokers and bib necklaces can stand to be your sole statement piece, so let such items take centre stage and forgo other pieces of Jewellery.
2. Layering your jewellery
Layering is hip and fun and does great things for your outfit. However because it is quite complicated within itself, it does require a more simple look underneath.
Layer fine and similar weight necklaces together, but they must vary in length. Choker, with matinee, opera and rope complement each other beautifully.
The higher they are, the simpler they should be. You will notice that many celebrities do this with ease. Metal colour should all be the same and not one necklace should stand out more than the other.
You can wear necklaces in these lengths together, that contain charms. Opt for small 5 cent piece size, small crystal or like coloured small bead or tassel.
3. The Great Fashion No No
Too many people choose a necklace without thinking about the neckline. These two have to coordinate. The best way to make sure a statement necklace stands out is to wear it with the right neckline.
Strapless, off-the shoulder, scoop necked or V-necked dresses and tops are ideal, as they will let your statement piece do the talking.
Collars, halter necks and detailing close to the face should be avoided, as they will clash with bold pieces. This is not to say that necklaces can’t be worn with these necklines. Collars buttoned up high, create a superb platform for a bib style necklace. Halters look best with a long single strand small to medium weight chain. For casual, use a charm style sweater chain necklace but for a more formal look, only one charm. A one-colour turtle-neck sweater can work beautifully with a statement necklace, provided that it is form-fitting and one colour throughout.
Here is a bit of a cheat sheet for you to refer back too.
Make sure to wear a statement necklace next to a simple and preferably one-colour top to keep the look chic and to do your necklace justice. You can never go wrong with neutral tones, so wear bright and attention-grabbing necklaces with black, white or nude to keep the look elegant.
If you have a busy print blouse, it is always best to team with a solid metal blocked colour bib style necklace. Here is a great example of how to match a print dress with jewellery.
4. Let it Shine
If you have an outstanding piece of jewellery don’t make it compete with other things. Big accessories are best worn with simple clothes. Steer clear of busy patterns and embellishments such as sequins when wearing bold Jewellery. Remember, you want your statement piece to stand out, so match items wisely. That being said, if you do have a heavily sequinned dress, opt for a statement ring with a fine gold or silver bangle. Wear back with a bright bold stud or rhinestone, in a colour from your dress that is your favourite.
A little black dress is the perfect match for one or two attention-grabbing pieces, while jeans and a pure white top will make an ideal backdrop for something big, bright and colourful. Empayah has a stunning range of statement necklaces, crying out to be teamed with your outfit. Try to stick to neutral and block colour items when wearing bright and detailed accessories. Less busy pieces can work very well with patterned items of clothing, however, don’t pull the focus away from your bold Jewellery. Coordinate smaller accessories with your statement pieces by keeping them to a minimum and sticking to the same colour or metal.
5. Earrings are the Makers and Breakers
Earrings 
can literally make an outfit but you need to choose wisely. For a round or chiselled jawline it is always best to avoid oversized round earrings like discs more than 5 cm’s in diameter. Long tassel, single drop and chandelier earrings measure up to 2.5 cm’s across are perfect for you shaped face.
If you feel your face looks too elongated, then opt for a broader and shorter chandelier earring or stud. Choosing the wrong pair can be distracting, so take details such as length, colour, shape and outfit coordination into consideration when choosing adornment for your ears. Don’t be afraid to experiment with larger earrings, you will find that the compliments flow when you wear anything with confidence.
When wearing longer statement earrings, it is better to keep your hair sleek and not too big. Remember, it’s all about balance, so while you can pump up the volume with simple earrings, larger ones will balance better with loose waves or poker-straight hair.
Alternatively, pull your hair up into a chic chignon. Also make sure that your make-up balances well with your earrings. If you are wearing a brightly coloured pair, they may look best with clean and simple makeup.
6. Don’t Forget the Hands
When wearing a bold ring, it is worth remembering that it will draw attention to your hands, and consequently, your nails, so make sure they are perfectly groomed. Go for a simple and nice manicure.
Avoid wearing a bold and colourful ring with multi-coloured manicures, nail art and glittery nail polish. While this may look cute on an adolescent, it does not exactly convey a statement of elegance if you are out of high school.
These eye-catching rings are the smallest of all the statement pieces, so have as much fun with them as you like. The bigger and brighter, the better. Just remember that balance is key, so it is better to wear one at a time. Try to take a colour from either the statement earrings or necklace and wear a ring with that colour in it. If you can’t find one then team with a solid chunky metal colour which matches back to your statement piece. Usually I wear one OTT ring on one hand and one fairly plain on the other hand.
7. Keep the Arms Classy
Cuff bracelets are an excellent choice if you want to wear a statement piece. To show yours off, keep your arms bare or wear a cuff over a slim-fitting one colour long sleeve top. Stick to one cuff to create a focal point.
Bangles are another great option. Just remember that if you would like to stack a number of bangles together, stick to one arm only. Keep to a maximum of six bangles at a time as a general rule of thumb to avoid overdoing it and make sure that the bangles’ colours and patterns complement each other. Empayah sells bangles in sets of 3, 5 and 6 so a lot of the hardwork is already done for you.
When layering bangles, throwing in some gold or silver always looks great. Empayah makes it easy for you by selling sets of bangles that combine a block of colour with either gold or silver. Giving you the option to wear altogether, separately or grouped to 2 or 3.
8. Make the Outfit
Every outfit should have a theme or a style. You need to match everything from the makeup to the jewels (and I don’t mean colour). If you are going for a prim and polished look, opt for pearls.
Vintage or floral pieces will look beautiful with a romantic and feminine outfit, while colourful beads are a must if you are going for a boho look. A bold cuff will compliment a block colour mini dress, while chandelier earrings will look gorgeous with a long flowing maxi. Bright, bold bib style statement necklaces look great with almost any outfit. Wear casually with a grey marle t shirt or pop on with that little black dress. If it’s a casual outfit, team with a single bangle or bracelet with same colour small stud or hoop earrings. Evening you go a bit glitzier and team with some rhinestone earrings and bracelet or sparkly cuff.
Jewellery is fun and fabulous but in order to look your best you need to wear the jewellery rather than let it wear you. With these eight rules, you’ll have control of your precious metal.