Ask The Stylist – Accessorizing a Purple Party Dress

Hi there! I’m wearing this purple dress from Coast to a wedding soon and was looking for advice on accessories: bag, shawl/jacket and jewellery. I was thinking of gold jewellery and a turquoise bag maybe? I’m wearing nude heels! Thank you! ~ Elaine

Hi Elaine,

I love your dress! Very classy for a wedding and it’s a dress that can be worn to even work related functions and other social events. Accessories are wonderful to play up your dress, to make it more festive for a wedding.

Complementary Colors

Complementary colors are shades within the same color family and a color from the opposite spectrum. In this case, purple shades and yellow/gold are the complementary colors to highlight your gorgeous dress.

If you want to go with safe colors, go with complementary colors.

Accented Analogic Colors

Accented colors use a wide range almost opposing colors to create a different mood. Accents work in mysterious ways to subtlety add texture to your outfit. I love to use stones or gems in this case because of the richness it brings to the entire ensemble. I chose different stones in different shades according to the accented analogic color chips above. I would just chose minimal accessories. The jewelry above is just to give an idea if one jewel is not to your liking another type would work.

Tetradic Colors

You had a great idea using a turquoise bag and gold jewelry. Those are considered tetradic colors to your purple dress. Also part of the family is fuchsia. I had shown above different options you can select to coordinate your outfit. Choose what you like and what similar items you already have in your wardrobe.

Regarding a jacket, I am not sure what jackets you have in your closet but I would prefer a scarf or a shawl since the wedding is so nearby. I live in an extremely high humidity area so a jacket would be stuffy to me around this time of year (end of summer months). A blazer would be okay in easy neutral black. But if you are already having breezy weather, a cropped jacket or a tea length jacket in neutral colors would work also.

Have fun at the wedding!