Accessories vs. Clothes: Which One Really Makes the Outfit?

Clothes may set the stage, but Accessories steal the show. For me, whether I’m dressed up or dressed down, jewelry and handbags are the first things I reach for. If I do not have on earrings, arm bracelets and necklaces I feel naked like a jay bird without his feathers. 

Back in the day, dressing up as a little Black girl was always part of my mother’s ritual growing up. My momma didn’t play when it came to our hair and our clothes, and she made sure my sister's and I were put together in the best clothes, whether they were brand new or secondhand. Back then, accessorizing wasn’t even a part of our style. My momma was a big thrifter, and she loved finding long vintage dresses for us to wear with lace socks and shiny black shoes that sounded like tap shoes every step you walked.

Jewelry wasn’t really part of the picture, at all maybe a pair of tiny pearl earrings on Sunday, but mostly it was gloves and hats. I had that church girl style down packed, and that was enough.

In my reselling days, it was all about clothes dresses, jeans, shirts you name it. Those were the  pieces that always sold first. Accessories, on the other hand, were an after thought, and I understood why. If you had forty dollars in your hand, would you spend it on a necklace or a full outfit? Most people at the local markets will choose the outfit. 

Not me because being a retired hairstylist I was always into accessorizing because I wore the same 5 smocks on repeat. #lifeofahairstylist

I think  everything shifted once I started hand making denim bags and drawing on stuff as an artist. Suddenly, the conversation wasn’t just about the bag I was making. People noticed my arm candy, the stacked messy bracelets, (some I handmade) they asked about my rings, and some often talked about the way my jewelry tied into my handbags.

That’s when it clicked for me, accessories weren’t extras just for me to style my bags with. They were the spark, the umph, the detail that defined the whole look. 

Over time, I realized that clothes may come and go, but the right jewelry and handbags turn an outfit into a vibe. A stack of bangles, a funky ring, a bold denim bag, these are the pieces that speak the loudest. That is why,  I’ll always believe when in doubt, add more jewelry. #nopunintended

But here’s the thing: if jewelry isn’t your love, don’t force it. Even the cheapest pieces can get expensive, and style should never feel like pressure. Because , a simple outfit without accessories is still a vibe. For me, though, accessories are where my story lives they’re my true style outlet.

So I’ll leave you with this  if you had to choose, would you go for the full outfit with shoes, or the accessories with no outfit? Which side are you on: team clothes or team accessories?

Have a funky great day by any means!

And by all means Wear What The Funk You Want, And That’s On Every Funky Thang!

-Tangie