Accessory Guide: Choosing & Styling Tips
In this guide you will find:
- Jewelry details according to your Bone Structure
- Jewelry Guide (types of necklaces. earrings, bracelets and rings)
- Accessory Guide According to your Face Shape
- Other Accessory Guides (Shoes, Handbags, Hats, Scarves, Frames and Belts)
Identifying Your Bone Structure
First, you will identify your bone structure by making some simple measurements or visual observations. The bone structure is the frame of the person and can be divided into three basic types: fine, medium, and strong
Measure your height: Stand against a wall with heels, back, shoulders, and head touching the wall, chin parallel to the floor. Mark a line on the wall at the top of your head and measure between the line and the floor.
Measure your wrists: Measure the circumferences of the wrist at the narrowest part above the bone.
| Bone Structure | Height | <5’4” | 5’4” – 5’6” | >5’6” |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wrist Size | Fine | <5.5” | <6” | <6.25” |
| Wrist Size | Medium | 5.5”-5.75” | 6”-6.25” | 6.25”-6.5” |
| Wrist Size | Strong | >5.75” | >6.25” | >6.5” |
You can visually analyze your bone structure as well:
Fine Bone Structure: Fine hair, thin eyebrows, small face, narrow/short nose, narrow wrists and ankles
Medium Bone Stricture: Between fine and strong
Strong Bone Structure: Thick hair, thick eyebrows, large face, large nose, wide wrists and ankles
Details about jewelry according to your Bone Structure
Fine Bone Structure: Fine, thin, lightweight, sheer, flat, delicate jewelry
Medium Bone Stricture: Medium thickness and length, classic jewelry
Strong Bone Structure: Strong, thick, heavyweight, chunky jewelry
While thin, flat jewelry or delicate shoes make the strong bone structure appear even stronger; chunky jewelry and shoes make the fine bone structure appear even finer.
Accessories should match the line of your face and body. If you have curvy lines choose curvy styles, if have more straight lines then choose straight shapes.
Types of Jewelry
Face Shapes
The facial shape can indicate the best styles for hair, eyewear, necklines, and jewelry. When you choose your jewelry, repeating elements of the facial shape in style details create harmony. On the other hand, for some face shapes, when you are choosing your earrings and frames, you may choose the opposite of your face shape to create a balance with your features.
To determine your face shape, pull the hair back from the hairline and check the outline of the face for curved vs. straight
lines. Almost nobody is a perfect heart, circle, square, or any other narrowly defined category. Most faces are a combination of a few different shapes. What you want is the shape that looks the most like yours, even if your chin is a little more pointed than the typical oval, or your forehead a little wider than the usual inverted triangle.
Look at your jawline in the mirror. Is your jawline more curved or is it leaning towards the more angular or square, it will help you with your face assessment.
Choosing Accessories According to Your Face Shape
Rectangle/Oblong
A rectangle or oblong-shaped face is long and slender and may have high cheekbones, a long nose, and a tall forehead.
Neckline: High, wide, angled collars, rectangle shapes such as square, bateau, V and sabrina necklines
Shoes: Rectangle toe shoes
Handbags: Rectangle shape handbags such as baguette, box, tote, kelly and frame bags
Pattern: Straight, small patterns such as stripe and check patterns
Earrings: Long and slender, clustered earrings, short dangle earrings, hoops and studs. If you like long dangle earrings, look for styles that have a round shape incorporated into them.
Necklace: Shorter necklaces such as chokers and princess necklaces
Other
Round
A round face has curved lines with the width and length in the same proportions and no angles. That has fuller cheeks, which can often give a more youthful appearance. The chin is rounder and the forehead widens at the top.
Neckline: Curved, wide and deep necklines such as v, off shoulder, cowl and scoop necklines, avoid high tight necklines
Shoes: Round toe shoes
Handbags: Round shape handbags such as hobo, bowling, bucket, canteen and barrel bags
Pattern: Curved patterns and floral patterns
Earrings: Stud earrings (pearls), drop earrings, long dangling earrings or pointing chandeliers, avoid hoops and large circular earrings.
Necklace: Long necklaces, avoid short necklaces or chokers as they will accentuate the roundness of your face.
Other
Square
A square face shape has a strong horizontal jawline, a broad forehead and balanced cheekbones and the width and length of the face have roughly the same proportions.
Neckline: Square, wide, deep necklines, such as square, bateau, strapless, V and sabrina necklines, avoid high, tight collars
Shoes: Square toe shoes
Handbags: Square shape handbags such as box, saddle, frame, messenger, cross body bags and clutches
Pattern: Square shapes such as check and plaid patterns
Earrings: Huggies, studs and smaller round-edged earrings (diamonds and other precious stones)
Necklace: Short necklaces which soften the sharper angles of your face
Other
Oval
An oval face shape is longer than it is wide with a softly curved jawline. Your cheekbones are broadly spaced in proportion with your forehead and jaw, and usually set just a little higher on your face. Lastly, your forehead is just a bit wider than your chin.
Neckline: Moderately close to neck, slightly curved necklines such as scoop, jewel, sabrina, cowl and bateau necklines, with minimal ruffles and embellishments
Shoes: Oval toe shoes
Handbags: Round shape handbags such as hobo, bowling, barrel, bucket and canteen bags
Pattern: Patterns moderately curved such as polka dots
Earrings: Stud earrings (pearls) , moderate length or geometric drop earrings, hoops
Necklace: Any length necklaces, pendants.
Other
Heart
A heart-shaped face is widest at the forehead and tapers down to a narrow chin. This face shape tends to have high cheekbones with a mixture of curved and angled features. Some heart-shaped faces are rounder, while others are more linear like an upside-down triangle.
Neckline: Curved, soft necklines such as sweetheart, off the shoulder, scoop and V necklines
Shoes: Soft triangle or rounded toe
Handbags: Curved handbags such as hobo, bowling, barrel, bucket and fold over bags
Pattern: Curved patterns and floral patterns, paisley
Earrings: Drop, dangling, chandelier, teardrop earrings that are wider at the bottom
Necklace: Short necklaces such as choker and collar necklaces
Other
Triangle
A triangle face shape has a wide top third and a narrow bottom third.
Neckline: Triangular or angular necklines such as V, asymmetric and square necklines; with notched collars, and pleats
Shoes: Triangle toe shoes
Handbags: Angular, geometric shape handbags such as doctor, frame, trapeze and tote bags
Pattern: Angular and geometric patterns such as houndstooth and herringbone
Earrings: Jacket, drop or dangling earrings that are wider at the bottom
Necklace: Short necklaces such as choker and collar necklaces
Other
Teardrop
A teardrop face has a small/narrow forehead that widens at the cheek and chin areas.
Neckline: Curved, deep necklines such as scoop, V, off the shoulder and sweetheart necklines, avoid high tight collars
Shoes: Soft triangle or rounded toe shoes
Handbags: Curved handbags such as hobo, bowling, barrel, bucket and fold over bags
Pattern: Curved patterns and floral patterns, paisley
Earrings: Stud and drop earrings with curved or teardrop shapes
Necklace: Long necklaces such as opera and matinee lengths are better options
Other
Diamond
Diamond-shaped faces are narrow at the forehead and jawline, and have broad cheekbones that may be high and dramatic. This is the rarest face shape.
Neckline: Angular, deep necklines such as square, asymmetric, strapless and V necklines , avoid high tight collars
Shoes: Triangle toe shoes
Handbags: Angular, geometric shape handbags such as doctor, frame, trapeze and tote bags
Pattern: Angular and geometric patterns such as hounds tooth, herringbone
Earrings: Elongated earrings like a drop or dangling earrings, curvy shapes
Necklace: Short necklaces such as choker and collar necklaces
Other
Choosing Frames According to Your Face Shape
Once you’ve recognized your face shape, you can find which frame shape will bring a natural balance to your face. When selecting a frame, the best rule is to choose the opposite of your facial features. For example, square or angular faces look great in round frames, where round faces and softer features benefit from the contrast of square frames.
Contrast is also key when evaluating the top and bottom half of your face. If the top half of your face is wider than the bottom, do the opposite with your frame and vice-versa.
Colors? If you have warm undertones in your features, you should lean toward warm reds, yellows, oranges, browns, yellow-greens and ivory tone frames. If you have cool-toned skin, you should learn about blue-based reds, blues, grays, pinks, purples, blue-greens and magentas. If you have neutral-toned skin, you can pull off pretty much any color!
