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Embellish Your Wardrobe Without Looking Overdone

By Cynthia Nellis, About.com

Designers are saying that more is more, but it's easier said than done. Here's how to add a bit of glitz without overdosing on the trend.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varies

Here's How:

  1. Start by incorporating small embellished items, such as a handbag, into your wardrobe.
  2. Make sure the embellishment is scaled to your figure: paillettes or huge sequins may overwhelm petite figures.
  3. Large, intricate jewelry looks best with streamlined, simple clothing.
  4. In general, embellishment such as sequins, embroidery, trims and studs look classier on basic colors like black or white.
  5. Make sure embellishment is used on or near a body part you want to call attention to: it draws the eye to it.
  6. For maximum impact, wear just one embellished item at a time.

Tips:

  1. Like most things in fashion, this is a fad. If you hate it, skip it.
  2. Embellished items look dressier than plain ones, so save them for special occasions.
  3. Embellishment makes items more difficult to care for -- beaded fringe fall off, embroidery gets pulls, etc. -- so account for high maintenance.

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