Accessories Make the Outfit

Accessories make the outfit. This is what my friend Tina’s mother, who was a debutante in her youth, told us girls before we went out for the night.

Without even searching, the dress that I hoped to find for my black tie optional  wedding in May found me. I walked into Lord and Taylor and hanging on the end of the sale rack was the exact dress I had in mind serendipitously displayed in my size and price point.

In fact the price point was a bit under my projected budget.

I was elated.

It is a fitted French Connection coral-pink silk above knee dress with sheer long sleeves and a v-neck. Around the cuff of the sleeves and neckline are fine gold beads and sequins.

It is perfect.

But for as perfect and well-priced as the dress is, the accessorizing is incomplete. I need better foundation wear than what is currently in my lingerie drawer. I also need new shape wear and pantyhose. I also need a pair of statement earrings and killer gold shoes with a matching clutch bag.

And then there is the preening process—hair, makeup, nails and depilatory.

All the extras will cost me approximately 5-6  times the price of the well-priced dress—extras that are necessary to sublimate the style.

Because while Tina’s mother was correct in teaching us that  accessories make the outfit, she forgot to mention its corollary: A well made-outfit  makes for indigence. Accessories make you broke.