Matching accessories which was once a fashion faux pas is now a hot new trend. This fashion trend is coming back in fashion. The question there is do you really want matching bags with shoes to become a major fashion trend again? If you are someone who struggles to pair up your socks most mornings then, it will probably come as a relief to know that I am fully behind you if you mismatch your accessories too. How you dress should be personal and adhering to old-school style rules is equivalent to coloring inside the lines in fashion but should these fashion rules even be followed even if it were true? When you embrace the art of mixing and matching the right way, beautiful things happen like discovering the freedom that comes with clashing prints, textures or aesthetics or, an old dress completely feeling refreshed which can be quite liberating and interesting to look at.
Should your bag match your shoes?
This is pretty much the same question as should your accessories match? Well, the art of coordinating an outfit or matching accessories is referred to as “matchy-matchy” and it is not an extremely fashionable word if you ask me but it pretty much sums up the notion of those who conform to matching their bag with their shoes or anything else. For years, anybody who dared to be conservative as to coordinate their accessories and color schemes came off a bit as someone wearing one label from head to toe and one of the most dramatic fashion reverse in recent seasons is the coordinating accessories trend. Those who strictly adhere to the rules of fashion will say you must always match your bag to your shoes I mean, some fashion icons are great at matching that it becomes hard to argue against it but there are ways to play around with matching your shoes and bag. The rules aren’t necessarily as strict as they may seem, whether you are wondering how to finish up your outfit or looking for a way to mix up your look, keep these tips I’ll be sharing in mind when choosing your shoes and bag and remember the secret is accessorizing in the way that best reflects your style.
Tip 1 – Complement, don’t coordinate
Save yourself the stress of finding accessories that perfectly match in shade instead, choose items that complement each other like brown boots and a cream colored bag or if you are putting an occasion look together you can pick out colors from your outfit to coordinate your accessories. For instance, a floral dress with pastel undertones would work well with pale pink shoes and a baby blue bag. Have fun with the rules by pairing shoes in a solid color with a multicolored bag as long as you match one color from the purse to the shoes. You can do the same thing in reverse and wear shoes that are patterned or multi-colored and match them to a bag in a solid color that matches some piece of the pattern. Matching your accessories this way gives you a cohesive, put-together look that is hard to ignore and it is considered the backbone of fashion to looking stylish and well-dressed. Avoid the idea of matching fabrics with accessories or coordinating and matching colors and textures. Matching is great but the rules can always be broken but there are rules you shouldn’t break regardless.
The rules you shouldn’t break
It’s okay to have fun with fashion and your personal styles however, try to be minimal because there are some basic rules that cannot be broken. You can end up looking messy if you are mixing a bunch of different colors and patterns together. It can be difficult to justify a red and white polka dot bag with a pair of pink and black zebra striped heels. Even if you are not playing the matching game, you still want to create cohesive looks with items that go together in some way.
Stick to same basic style when picking your shoes and bag. You definitely will get sideway looks if you carry a sequined silver clutch bag paired with bright yellow tennis shoes same way you wouldn’t want to wear a denim messenger bag on an evening gown and a fierce strappy heel.
Tip 2 – Clash with confidence and mix up dressing up
By mixing prints and tones, your clashing shoes and bag combo will feel intentional rather than a mismatched mistake. It’s really all about confidence so don’t be afraid to partner bold patterns and colors. Apart from clashing colors and prints juxtaposing different aesthetics can have a real impact when dressing up. For example, going for a delicate chain bag does not mean your shoes have to be equally as dainty instead trying tough chunky soles boots is a great way to play on expectations and give your look a style-forward edge.
Tip 3 - Go bold with one accessory and match shoes with a difference
This is particularly relevant for a one-tone looks. Adding in a color pop accessory to a monochromatic outfit is an easy way to make a bold statement. Try keeping your outfit in one color palette and pair it with either a brightly colored bag or shoes. Your shoes and bag does not necessarily have to be the same color but they don’t have to be polar opposites either. Keep them in the same palette to give your look a multi-tonal finish. A color inspiration you can try out is a rose colored heel with a light blush bag.
Clever ways to cheat
Even if you don’t want to be super matching, you can find clever ways to pull a look together and match some pieces to your bag or shoes. If you have a pink bag but you’re wearing a black pair of shoes you can add a pink scarf to introduce more of the color into your outfit. You can also pull color from your purse or shoes and match it up with some jewelry to create a more complete look and cohesive color scheme without getting super matchy with your shoes and purse. You can also cheat a little bit to make your bag and shoes match through sheer creativity with shoe or bag jewelry.
Fashion is all about being creative, experimenting and having fun so, find new ways to match or mismatch your looks and play around a bit which is what creating your own style is about including finding the fashion rules that actually work for you, breaking the ones that don’t and creating some of your own along the way. Every woman needs to build a collection of classic basics- that way, you will get a lot more bangs for your bucks and if matching your bag and shoes helps you feel more polished, that’s totally fine.