How to Style Masculine Accessories + Five Shoes Under $100

The day has finally arrived. I can finally wear my chunky knits and be appropriately dressed for the weather. Woo-freaking-hoo. You might have actually recognized this sweater (one of my favorites) from one of my favorite winter posts from last year, How to Make a Dress Warm for Date Night. Instead of the feminine approach, I decided to go out and try to make it a tad bit more masculine. So I picked out an army jacket, a fierce pair of shoes, and a loud necklace.

Add traditional masculine textiles such as army jackets, dog tag necklaces, and oxfords on top of neutral clothes for the biggest impact.

Now, I admit… no matter what I do I’m never going to look masculine. Although I prefer dressing more feminine, I’m a sucker for incorporating different styles into my outfits. I normally style this cable knit sweater in a feminine way due to the fabric’s woven texture. However, the sweater can fit in well with masculine items when paired correctly. This army vest covers up most of the cable knit’s texture so only a little amount of the woven texture is peaking out. This necklace also resembles a dog tag traditionally worn in the army, thus adding another masculine element. The inclusion of multiple masculine elements creates a cohesive look.

To create a more masculine style stick to darker, neutral colors in your outfit.

Color to fashion is like water to the Long Island Sound… it is beyond necessary. When I’m styling an outfit, I focus on one item and then build the rest of the outfit around that color. These shoes are pretty hard to pair with many colors so I typically throw in a few neutral, dark colors such as army green, black, navy, camel, and white. If I’m feeling brave, I’ll throw on something red.

If you’re scared of wearing a masculine element make sure it incorporates something you feel comfortable with.. aka leopard print. 

Thankfully, not a lick of snow has fallen so I’m still proudly wearing these adorable, Steve Madden shoes (currently on sale for $49.98). Since I purchased them, I’ve literally been wearing them nonstop. It’s something about the fun, bold print mixed with a masculine styled shoe that gives me all the feels. Plus, they look fantastic with a pair of black jeans so it has been super easy to get dressed in the morning. If you’re fearful of styling leopard, play it safe by pairing the pattern with colors you’d normally see in nature. Last year I talked about 5 Reasons Why You Need Leopard Print in Your Closet. Check out that post some leopard print motivation.

For my jewelry, I’ve been wearing a Half United necklace I picked up a month ago. I rave about this company in this post. The idea behind Half United is that customers are doing their half by uniting together to make a lasting change in children’s lives. Each product has seven meals built into the cost. These meals go to children in the USA, Haiti, Fiji, and Cambodia. After every three months, Half United divides the funds into four charity partners. This necklace is made out of a recycled bullet casing to show a physical symbol for the fight against hunger.

If you think you or your friend is bold enough to try a statement shoe here are five bold shoe ideas for the holiday season. Bonus: They’re all under $100.

Shoe 1,                       Shoe 2,                   Shoe 3,              Shoe 4,                     Shoe 5

What do you think about incorporating masculine accessories in your style? What would you add and how would you wear it? What do you think about bold, masculine shoes? Let me know in the comments down below.

As always,

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