Someone asked me for help on putting a great look together and seeing that I teach people the most formulaic way to do it so that they can, on their own, do it themselves, I thought I would share my easy approach that can take the guesswork out of it and make it a very natural process.  I call it the Base, Accent Pop Formula.  Putting a great look together with these three steps is easy.  Let’s begin.

The Base

The base is the foundation of your outfit.  It’s not necessarily sexy but it is what everything else is built upon.  Imagine it as the foundation of a home, if you will.  It’s not the pretty décor, the exciting architectural feature yet, without it, the house will fall apart.  The base of an outfit is your starting point upon which everything is built and without it, you don’t have an outfit.

Base pieces are often referred to as your hard pieces.  Things like your pants, a suit, that basic dress or skirt.  The more basic your base is the sturdier your outfit will be because it will get you the most mileage and wear and, more importantly, your base being basic will allow it to be a base in several of your outfits.

So grab a piece that you consider a base piece.  It doesn’t matter what it is.  For sake of example, I will use this basic pair of grey pants.

 

The Accent

Comparing an outfit to a well constructed home, the accent of an outfit is like a great architectural detail that is attractive but not necessarily pretty décor.  Imagine it like a great staircase, a pretty breakfast nook or a decorative archway.  In the case of clothing, your accent piece can be a basic sweater in a fabulous color, a novelty top a cool blazer or a fun cardigan.

Now, get a piece or pieces that you would consider an accent in your wardrobe.  Again it doesn’t matter what it is but make sure your accent complements your base.  If your base piece is basic you should have a pretty easy time finding an accent that works with it.

The Pop

The pop is crucial, even though it is a frilly player in this outfit.  Back to our home analogy, the pop would be in your outfit what a beautiful throw pillow, a stylish faucet, an accent wall or a stunning couch would be.  While it’s definitely not important to have pops in your home, you can probably see how the pop elements enhance the overall look.   Pop pieces in your wardrobe do the same thing and the pop of an outfit is normally where things go all sorts of wrong.   Most people forget about them!

A pop in your outfit can be a fun novelty necklace, a cool pair of shoes, an exciting handbag and/or a cha-cha bracelet.  You need these pops to give your outfit some personality just like your home needs your own personal touch of pops to make it your own.  Without the pops in your home, it’s boring and uninspired just like a lack of pops in an outfit make what you’re wearing look boring and uninspired.

Now grab a pop piece for your outfit and work it back to your accent and base.  Don’t have any pops?  Well this doesn’t surprise me, most women don’t.  And, this, my friends, is why most people are painfully bored in their clothing.  My advice to you, look at your lack of accessories, your pile of boring shoes, that lame handbag that just hangs off your shoulder and make a plan to add some life.   Think about adding these elements as decorating your home.  What can you add affordably to your outfit that would really capture who you are?

Here is the outfit put together using some pop pieces.  Can you see how much better the look is with some pops of personality?

Pops are personality infusers and how we become less of an Acceptably Dressed Nobody and more of a Well Dressed Somebody.

Oh, and if you like any of the pieces I chose, here are some of the links to the pieces:

Banana Republic Printed Gathered Ruffle Vee

Kate Spade New York – Fly Girl Short Necklace (Yellow Multi) – Jewelry

Piperlime Hive & Honey Cutout Cuff

Fitzwell Lycra Bootie

Urban Expressions Kerry Bag