Finishing Touches, or Dressing it Up
by Ida Claire of IdaCouture.com


If clothes make the man, then accessories make the female furrie! Subtle or bold, classy or outlandish: there are no set rules for accessorizing an outfit successfully. Are you looking to add texture to your outfit? Contrast or coordinate? Accentuate your good features? Create a focal point? Let's look at some ways we can put your accessories to work for you!


The first thing we like to suggest at Ida Couture is to determine the focal point of your outfit. If one is wearing something that already has a lot of flash, like our “Dancing Queen Party Dress”, then you have already got about as much bling as you need. I like to add a pair of earrings, and call it a success. My “Devil in a Red Dress”, on the other hand, is a more simple design and can support a more daring accessory pairing. I like to pair it with gifts from my dear Walter- angel wings give an ironic twist, and my 10K diamond heart, which needs a calm background to properly show it off.
Furrie Laydees always like to be treated like a queen. You will be treated like royalty when friends see you wearing a sparkling, jeweled tiara. I have several gowns that match my tiara, and I find occasion to wear it often. Even my bashful black sheep cousin, who hides in the closet because she is too shy to come out, adorns her wooly tuft with a lovely tiara. I catch her gazing at herself in the mirror with a most pleased smile on her face when she thinks no one is looking.

My personal favorite is nature's statement of class and elegance- the pearl. Nothing could be more classy than a strand of pearls to set of an elegant gown. For a totally different effect, I love to wear my mama's Tahitian Pearl earrings with my polka dot dress- the echo of the size and shape couldn't be more perfect.

Furrie ladies have a natural flair for accessorizing their outfits. I will wrap up this article by showcasing some of my friends and the accessorizing techniques that they use.

Contrasting Textures:
Kim is sporting a very Hepburn-esque pink tank dress, and her choice of a metal chain belt is a contrasting texture that flatters her figure.

Bold Colors:
Even though she is wearing a sedate navy outfit, our darling friend Ursula is making a bold statement with her red hat and shoe ensemble.

Coordinating Details of the Outfit:
Hannele is looking very elegant in her red velvet dress and has artfully coordinated the flower in her fur with the flower motif on her beaded handbag, which also echoes the bead detail at the neckline of her dress.

Remember your Ears: Furries need to remember to accentuate our cutest assets- our ears! Burnadette always sports a bow or flower to call attention to her sweet fluffy ears.