If you have an important professional engagement coming up, whether it’s an interview for your ideal job, a chance to pitch your dream client, or any other opportunity where giving the best impression of yourself you can is vital, then deciding what to wear can feel like a major undertaking. Whether you are considering an appointment where you need to be in full business dress or something less formal (as many companies now go for a more relaxed dress code, and in these cases, it can be best to match that dress code when visiting them), the details in what you are wearing are what can elevate you from looking plain to looking polished and well presented. This means you really want to be on top of your accessories game if you want to present yourself at your best.

If you don’t usually accessorise much when picking your outfits, this can be the easiest and best way to take your look from purely functional and presentable to really stylish, and accessories can pull together your clothing into a coherent look that gives that ‘finished’ feel. There are lots of ways to add accessories to your professional looks, and here, we’re going to take a look at some of the easiest ones to include. This should help you put together a look that really shines for that big meeting!

A Belt

Belts may seem like something that is only really an essential for men, and it is true that due to the shape of our bodies and the cut of most women’s clothes, women don’t really need belts to hold up our trousers or skirts. But, that doesn’t stop them from being a great way to add a finishing touch and a hint of luxury if you are wearing separates, or even add detail to a smart dress. A subtle but high quality belt is best here, so don’t choose something too flashy in its design – belts that stand out have their place, but for a work look you want something that just adds some subtle sophistication. For inspiration, check out the gorgeous range of Gucci belts at SSENSE.

Gucci is always a label you can rely on for the chic Italian style that will elevate your look, and at SSENSE you can find their full current collection, as well as plenty of other beautiful designer accessories from all of the big names in fashion, including Balenciaga, Prada, Versace, and up and coming designers like Jacquemus.

A Watch

Watches may not be something people strictly need anymore, but they are still seen as a tasteful touch that looks great with suits. Of course, the type of watch is important here, and you need something that gives an elegant and successful look, rather than something more sporty or playful. Definitely don’t consider your Fitbit to be the right kind of thing to accessorize a smart professional outfit with – in fact, if you want to wear your fitness tracker for the day of the meeting, remember to take it off for the appointment itself if it isn’t hidden by your sleeves, as trackers can look out of place and distracting with an otherwise slick work look!

Choose a watch that has either a leather or metal strap, and which gives the impression more of being tasteful jewellery than a piece of tech.

Glasses

If you wear glasses, or are considering whether to wear contacts or glasses for your meeting, then glasses can be a nice way to add a further smart accessorized touch to your look. However, it is important that you choose frames with the right style and colour, so they look like they belong with your outfit, rather than that your face is wearing a different look to your body! This means that if you normally wear very bold, colourful frames, then you really need to be sure they work with the outfit you’re wearing. You also want to make sure your glasses are in a smart, sophisticated style rather than something more sporty or trendy.

Thin wire frames in square, oval or cat eye shapes – depending what suits your face shape – can be a good choice for most people, though thicker frames can work too if you are used to pulling them off and have gone for a more understated outfit and make-up. Avoid things like diamante details unless they are extremely delicate and you’re used to styling your clothes with them in mind, as they can be distracting and are really more of an evening look.

As you can see, simple accessories can be easy to add on top of your chosen outfit to give some professional polish to your look, which will make you feel your confident best for your interview or meeting!