Summer Outfits: Printed Blouses and Necklaces

When I posted my summer outfit blogpost last week someone commented that she mostly wore print blouses or tops and found them harder to accessorize.   I went to Pinterest this weekend and pulled up print tops.  I have two or three in my wardrobe and I'll show how I've chosen to accessorize those in the next wardrobe post,  but I wanted to give you all a better idea of how you might wear jewelry with a print blouse in a way that makes it look as though you'd taken it up a notch without adding a load of layers to accomplish the same thing.

Print blouses are really lovely to wear.  I don't know just why I seem to have leaned so very hard on solid colors because really, a print blouse is almost an accessory in itself.   I've relied upon kimonos which can be light and lovely at times but as Sarah pointed out, layers get very hot for those of us who live in warmer climates, even if it's light and fluttery.  

All the photos came from Pinterest but some of them are actually from online shops but I'll explain what drew my eye in each one and why the item works with the blouse.  I also want to direct you to Bridgette Rae's post on the subject.

In choosing jewelry for print blouses you really have several choices.

Tonal:

Notice how in these examples the colors of the necklaces chosen are really tone on tone, the same color as the most dominant color in the blouse.   The tiger eye necklace is exactly the tone of the foxes.  I am totally discounting the white back ground in this blouse because your eye really only reads the foxes.   However, the white background in the first picture is the tonal color of the necklace used to accessorize that blouse.

Note in the third example the layering of necklaces...While most of them are tonal there's a contrasting one with turquoise mixed in.  It isn't necessary but it does take the look up a notch.  Mind you, that many bracelets and necklaces are not only heavy but hot, but layering is a great way to bring added sophisticated polish to any look.

Highlighting color:

Note how each of these necklaces brings out a color  in the blouses and pulls it forward to your vision.  In each example it really is a matter of which color you wish to bring out.  Note in the top photos how the necklaces make a color in the print 'pop', the aqua in the first one and the deep green in the second.  In the third blouse the ring on the necklace is bringing the subtle pastel pink in the print forward and in the bottom photo the mint green plays into the mixture of greens in the floral patterns sprayed across the stripes.

Contrasting:

Again in these examples we see more layering but the real thing I want you to take note here is that the colors of the necklaces are not necessarily the colors in the top but they contrast well.  I cannot suggest highly enough the use of a color wheel in pairing contrasting and like colors.  I need to print out a new one to use but it's a very handy little tool in matching wardrobe items as well as decorating.

In the first photo there's actually a mix going on here of tonal and contrasting colors.  The black and white paired with the calf brown and turquoise is what makes this combination so effective.  Notice too that the necklaces have an almost handmade Native American quality that goes really well with the organic print used on the shirt.

Just to prove how the eye can be fooled, if you look closely in that second photo, there's actually a red stripe running along the border of the neckline and sleeves but I've only just noticed it...All my eye could see was the red necklaces on that bold black and white print.  In the fourth photo we have another contrast color used on a black and white print. Pink, yellow, and aqua are very effective pops of color against that print.

The third photo is actually of a scarf with a chain fringe but when I saw it I thought that a layering of scarf and necklace had been used.  This caught my eye because the scarf is a contrast in color to the top.  It fills in the neckline of the blouse nicely.  I have no neck and couldn't wear this effectively but if you are blessed with a long neck by all means, consider this as an option.

In the fourth photo the turquoise beads on the necklaces are contrasting in color with the pinks and corals of the blouse and stand out without being too bold and heavy looking.  

Signature pieces:

Barbara Billingsley may be the butt of jokes by those who want to put down a housewife but she chose to wear a simple pearl necklace with all of her outfits.  Her reason for choosing the pearls was because of a hollow at the base of her throat that filmed as a dark shadow.  She put on the necklace to cover the hollow, preventing the shadow,  and the pearl necklace  became her constant accessory until her death.

Pearls are always classic and always will be.  As are lockets, a Victorian women's watch on a long chain.  Wearing a piece of jewelry consistently makes it a signature piece.  Anything can become a signature piece.  Here's a good reason to pull out those sentimental pieces and wear them.

I think the main thing with signature pieces is that the piece fit well in the neckline of the blouse as you'll see in the third and fourth photos or that it be a slightly bolder, longer,  but subtle piece as in the second photo.

Something I'm seeing more and more of late is the use of thin delicate necklaces of varying lengths layered for wear.   I think it looks very chic.  There's actually an item you can buy to keep the necklaces from twisting and knotting about the neck.  I've linked it here

I hope you all find this helpful and find it easier to accessorize your print blouses with necklaces.