Pearl and Butler

With Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan offering style advice for all women across the UK on how to put together the perfect outfit together for your shape and colouring, who can you turn to to get advice on the perfect accessories to your outfit? Well, hopefully we can give you a few simple tips on what kind of accessories to choose that are perfect for you!

Which colour stone should I pick?

Whilst many people pick the shade of gemstone according to their outfit or personal favourite, certain shades of jewels and semi-precious stones look better on different skin tones. 

Those with cool tones with dark or silver hair, dark eyes and olive/cool toned skin who look better in silver rather than gold are in the majority in the UK and look great with most gemstones but especially with the crisp, cool colours of amethyst, moonstone, blue topaz, black onyx, lapis lazuli and garnet.

Those with lighter cool tones (paler hair shades and paler eyes), the usual English Rose complexion, look best in pastel shades such as pink, lilac, grey and blue. Perfect gemstones for English Rose colouring are moonstone, rose quartz, amethyst, blue topaz and opal.

Those with warmer peach or gold skin tones who have darker hair with tones of gold or red in it and medium to dark eye colours who look better in gold than silver suit warmer shades such as coppers, greens, purples and browns. Perfect gemstones for these shades are tiger eye, peridot, coral, citrine, amber and smokey quartz. 

Those with lighter warmer colouring (light to medium coloured hair and pale or light coloured eyes) suit neutral tones such as beiges and creams with accents of corals and soft blues. Jewels such as smokey quartz, turquoise, labradorite and amethyst look fantastic with women with this colouring.

Earrings, earrings everywhere! 

At Pearl and Butler we know that jewellery is very individual yet some items of jewellery do look better on certain face shapes and colouring, as we’ve already seen. For example the big chandelier earrings that are on trend at the moment can look unbalanced on a small face with pixie haircut like Natalie Portman. Equally, delicate earrings can be lost against big, bouncy hair, so women with the Beyonce look need to balance their hair with dramatic earrings. For a dramatic evening look, updos can look fantastic with a drop or dangly earring!

Also it’s not just face shape or hair that can affect your choice of earring. If you love drop earrings make sure you have the neck to carry it off as a long drop earring can emphasise a short neck.

Remember, there is a reason that certain styles are always in fashion, and stud earrings, small sleepers and pearls are fantastically practical, suit most shapes and go with most outfits! 

Now…how to wear it!

Now you know what shades to choose and had help with sizings of earrings, the big question is what to wear with what and how much is TOO much!

With simple, understated outfits you can choose contrasting jewellery - eg a simple turquoise necklace can look stunning on a white dress - although make sure you choose the right style for the time of day (eg don’t go for ultra-sparkly diamante in the daytime). You can also use this rule with putting contrasting tones together - eg amber or citrine against deep burnt coppers. 

When wearing a pattern or print be careful! Go for simple jewellery and pick out one shade to use in your jewellery.

Big and bold jewellery is in at the moment but if you’re wearing a statement piece such as a necklace, keep earrings - if you want to wear them - simple and minimal. Jewellery should work together and never fight for attention and - above all - not overpower your look! This is relevant for rings too - if you wish to wear a fantastic statement diamante ring make sure it makes the impact it should by leaving the rest of your hands unadorned.

An often made mistake is wearing jewellery sets together at the same time, whilst having a matching necklace, bracelet, earrings and ring can be wonderful - don’t wear all of the items together as this will result in overkill.

Above all remember your gut instinct, if you think you’re wearing the wrong jewellery - you probably are!