The art of accessorising

As wedding season really kicks off, Ennis boutique owner Gwen Culligan speaks to The Clare Champion about marrying accessories to outfits.

Women can feel under pressure to buy a new outfit for each wedding they go to but the recession, for lots of women, has seriously curtailed the opportunities to expand their wardrobe.
According to Gwen Culligan of the County Boutique, getting a great outfit is key but then the right accessories can transform it for multiple uses.
“Women love to have an occasion to dress up for, an occasion where we can attempt to look like we have stepped out of the pages of a magazine and feel really glamorous,” says Gwen.
“Dressing up for a wedding and the effort that we put into it is also about the recognition of the step that the couple are taking and the effort that they themselves are putting into the day, putting the best foot forward, as they say,” she continues.
Picking the perfect outfit for the wearer is the key to looking great but after the floaty frock or the to-die-for trouser suit is bought, what is the next step.
“After the outfit is chosen, the next step is to select the accessories and we usually suggest looking for shoes and perhaps the handbag next, as they will ultimately decide the direction for the headpiece and the jewellery will then complete the look. It does occasionally happen that someone has fallen in love with shoes or the headpiece first and then they look for the outfit to go with those,” outlines Gwen.
A key point to bear in mind when picking the outfit and shoes is that weddings are often long events, stretching from early afternoon into the early hours of the next morning.
“The most important thing to remember when dressing for a wedding is to be comfortable. If you are wearing shoes that hurt, or something too tight, it shows on your face and you will not look your best. The most successful events are the ones where you leave the house knowing that you look and feel right and then forget what you are wearing for the rest of the day, except when the compliments are flowing. That means all that is left to do is enjoy yourself and the company you are with,” states Gwen.
Selecting accessories to complement an outfit can be a minefield but Gwen has some simple tips to avoid fashion disasters.
“When choosing a handbag for an occasion, consider if your outfit is printed or plain. If printed, ensure that you have two co-ordinating items in the same colour, preferably the shoes and bag or the headpiece and bag, to tie everything together; for example, red shoes and red bag with black, white and red printed dress. If your outfit is plain, you can go mad with the accessories or just use the bag as the highlight piece. If you want to accentuate your ‘best bits’ and love your feet, wear mad shoes that will have everyone looking at those and if you have a tiny waist, wear a bright clutch under your elbow that will draw attention to your waist,” suggests Gwen.
Choosing a headpiece can be a little trickier than picking a handbag, according to the Ennis woman.
“There are lots of things to take into account when selecting a headpiece. If the outfit is structured, then a fairly structured headpiece will be required and if wearing something softer, then feathers would be good. The important things to take into consideration when picking the headpiece are the hairstyle, shape of face and head, proportion and height. Wearing the same colour headpiece as your outfit, which has height rather than width, will make you look taller. To give width to your face, wear something that is wider than your cheekbones.
“We really like the 40s- and 50s-inspired headpieces, which look like saucers on a hair band covered with netting and come down over one eye. These really suit women with long hair or an upstyle and also give width to your face. We have head pieces specifically made to match our outfits by Suzie Mahony and new this season we have some lovely beaded hair bands from Aisling Maher, which are really fashionable,” says Gwen.
Jewellery lends the finishing touches to an outfit and while the pearl earrings might have special meaning, they mightn’t necessarily complement the diamante bolero.
“The neckline of the dress or outfit and then the woman’s style dictates the type of jewellery that is required. For a mother of the bride or groom, we usually suggest something relatively simple in a pendant or strand style in diamond or diamante, pearls, silver, gold or crystal beads. There are gorgeous crystal bead necklaces and matching bracelets available this year from occasion wear designer Linea Raffaelli. Irish designer, Pat Whyte designs lovely crystal and pearl pieces, which are delicate and yet distinctive at the same time, made by craftsmen in Italy. For a slightly quirky and colourful piece that will go with lots of things, Victoria Foutz who is based in County Mayo, makes her own jewellery with quartz, white agate, mother of pearl and other really tactile beads. It is really important not to have too much clutter,” Gwen warns.
According to Gwen, this season has seen the return of shorter lengths and simpler looks for the mother of the bride or groom.
“We have been selling mainly shorter-length fitted dresses this season but recent weeks have seen the maxi become popular as well. This season is all about wearing clothes that suit your style, shape and personality, with a nod to Sex and the City 2. We have been selling lots of strong colours, like pink, purple, turquoise, red and green. In terms of jewellery, we have been selling more delicate pieces, perhaps gold with pearls, or pearls with glass. Multi-coloured jewellery has been popular as well, as it teams with so much. Headpieces have been getting bigger and more hat like but still on a band, with more net, flowers and gauze than feathers,” Gwen concludes.