How to use accessories to define your style The best way to coordinate the details of your outfit is also the simplest

Accessories define an outfit. It’s easy to think of a watch or belt as a small detail in the bigger picture, but consider how carrying an old gym bag could undo the work done by a sharp suit, or how old jeans could degrade even the smartest leather shoes, for example. It’s soon clear why a great outfit is made in the details.

As Mats Klingberg, the accessories expert behind Trunk Clothiers, says, “Accessories are so important because they give you so many options to choose from to make an outfit more personal.” Depending on the look you want to create, some well-considered extras will make all the difference.

If you’re a professional in a more traditional industry and want to appear on top of your game, this sort of attention to detail is essential. While work dress codes have changed a lot, some essentials will always work in any business context: “Try a really nice watch, elegant and intelligent-looking glasses and a very nice pen and notebook,” suggests Klingberg. “Accessories are anything that you can wear or carry that defines who you are, so today’s issue of the Financial Times sticking out of your briefcase can also be added.”

Among a more creative crowd, the pressure might be to stand out – but it must be in the right way. Considered details are an excellent method for demonstrating that you know what you’re doing without being too flashy. “Eyewear with a fairly bold design can be a good way to stand out and is something that can be difficult for someone who is not a ‘creative’,” offers Klingberg. So get this one right, and you’re set.

Even the most casual outfits require some coordination to achieve a polished look overall. “I’d focus on a pair of good clean sneakers and a canvas tote bag,” offers Klingberg. The trick when trying to look low-key is to make sure that everything looks effortless. “It has to look like you haven’t thought of how to put it together at all. Even if you have.”