How you accessorise yourself will say a lot about you. Accessories accent your look and finish the making of an outfit. Men who appreciate style and choose bold colors and textures are people who take risks with confidence. The accessories you choose should reflect your personality and lifestyle. Being well styled will give you an edge. There are all too many people walking around dressed in what is practically an urban uniform.

There are very few guys who actually stand out and dress in a way that outwardly displays their sexuality. If you blend in with the crowd, you will get lost in the crowd and will be overlooked by many women who otherwise would have wanted to meet you.

Piercings, fun accessories and quirky hairstyles might be a catchy look for the early 20’s man, however for most men, styling involves being consistent and true to yourself and your lifestyle. Although you shouldn’t stick to guidelines too rigidly, you could look in shop windows or in catalogs for menswear tips. It is very important that you dress to your age accordingly. You should research menswear brands suitable for your age group or lifestyle. Not doing so will have you looking goofy and out of place among the people you may be trying to impress.

For the late teens and early twenties River Island, Topman, and Pull and Bear have affordable fast fashion styles whereas brands such as Ted Baker, Massimo Dutti, Zara, French Connection and Reiss cater for the mid twenty to forties age group. For Urban styles look at brands such as All Saints, Firetrap, Urban Outfitters and Cult. For active wear Quicksilver, Superdry and Breed have trendy and innovative designs. It’s hard not to take notice of men who carefully style and accessorize their look.

Firstly you should invest in quality everyday accessories more so than splashing out on expensive once off pieces. Co-ordinating the colour and material of your wallet, belt and watch will give you instant sophistication and style. Department stores will have a wide selection of essential menswear accessories to choose from and brands such as Massimo Dutti and Ted Baker have innovative and timeless designs, which guarantee high quality. Avoid high street trends, which are usually made with poor quality materials.

Ted Baker has a wide selection of belts in their men’s accessory department. Smart suit trousers require wearing a thin black or brown leather belt with a neat metal buckle. Ted Baker has a clever reversible smart leather belt giving you the option of wearing it in brown or black. They also usually have a box set, which features a changeable cover buckle. Jeans and casual trousers have wider belt loops and therefore require a wider belt. Simple and classic style belts made from natural materials like cotton or leather give a rustic and masculine look. Tacky, labelled, cheap looking belts with tasteless belt buckles should always be avoided.

Wallets should always be thin, simple and made of good quality leather. Avoid carrying them in your trouser pockets. A bulky wallet stuffed into your pockets will disrupt the shape of your trousers and will create a distraction to a potential admirer. Whether its odd socks peeping out of your trousers, ill fitting clothes or an array of accessories, don’t let a fashion faux pas take the focus away from your approach. Your stylist will give you all the menswear tips you need to ensure you always look sharp and at your best.

Scarves create a layered look and you can really experiment with colour and texture. They are great way to inject colour and character into an outfit. Be sure to have a winter and a summer collection. Oversized and chunky knits are great for winter but with summer approaching look for light and natural materials such a silk, cotton or jersey. Your stylist will help you pick out the correct proportion for your outfit and teach you how to wrap it into place to create an effortless look.

Hats can be hit and miss, unless you’re wearing it for practical purposes in the depths of winter. It’s not advisable to suddenly introduce a trilbies hat into your wardrobe if you’re not much of a Pete Doherty to begin with. However a trilby style straw hat with a coloured grosgrain band can look cool and quirky but should only be brought out during the day in the summer months. Urban outfitters, River Island and Zara have a selection of these hats in their Spring/Summer range. If your style is sporty and you’re going to wear a base ball cap or lid make sure it’s clean, in good shape and be careful to avoid team or brand logos which you don’t actually support. Just to emphasise, don’t wear a hat on a night out. They are becoming overused and tacky. So many people have been wearing them in night clubs recently in the hopes of getting attention, that there are now a lot of negative connotations beginning to surround their wearers.

Recently I’ve spotted the tie tack being featured in retro street styles. Harlequin and Wildchild are just two of the many vintage shops in Dublin where you might find a quirky retro piece. Vintage style is a somewhat of a phenomenon more so than a fashion trend. By introducing some vintage pieces into your wardrobe you’re instantly creating a look that’s individual to you, and making you look more interesting to the opposite sex. The trick here though is to not go overboard. If you’re going for an all vintage look be selective about what era you’re going for, style it a contemporary way and only purchase items if they are in ‘good nik’. In other words, try not to look like you are from another decade. Rhinestones jewelery shop also has a wide selection of antique and vintage accessories and watches.

Your stylist will give you tips on how to accessorize and balance your outfit. Balancing an outfit is a crucial skill for any fashion conscious man. The over accessorizing of an outfit can break the length of the silhouette of the body creating a confusing look. Every piece you add or team with a garment must be carefully considered. Accessories should complement the architecture and texture of an outfit rather than conceal it. Following this advice will give a sharpness/sheen to your look. Over accessorizing is one of the most crucial mistakes you can make. If you end up hanging and wrapping too many trims around yourself you’ll end up looking like a Christmas tree. It will get you noticed, but for all of the wrong reasons.

It’s noticing the unexpected detailing in a garment and the creative combination of materials that you will challenge the boundaries of traditional menswear dressing.

Rebecca Flanagan – Fashion Consultant (Kama Lifestyles)

As always, comments are welcome and encouraged. Thanks!