Versatility means having a few essential items in your wardrobe that can be worn in a variety of styles. But when it comes to determining what style you should even go for, how should you decide?
If you have a couple of watches in your collection, or even one watch with several interchangeable bands, you might sometimes encounter the dilemma of which watch to choose to go with your outfit of the day. While there are no hard and fast rules, some guidelines will definitely help you look more styled and put-together. Here are some of these tips for matching your watch to your outfit!
1. Consider the occasion
While no one’s going to judge you for what you wear casually on a daily basis, there will probably be more eyes on you and stakes to uphold when you dress for a formal occasion. So, while it’s perfectly alright to dish out the nylon NATO straps for a day out with your friends, it’s probably more appropriate to go with leather or metal bands for a corporate dinner or fancy gala event.
Also consider if you are dressing to impress, or dressing for functionality. For business events, a more minimal style with a clean dial is usually a better idea as it minimises the risk of being distracting or too attention-seeking. If you are at a fancy event, however, your jewellery watch wouldn’t seem too out of place even with all its bling.
2. Match metals by colour tone
If your watches of choice are full metal, the easiest and safest way to match them is by the colour tone of your outfit. A silver-coloured watch will be ideal if you are wearing cool-toned coloured clothes like navy or grey. In contrast, gold-coloured watches are best paired with clothes in warm tones, like brown, tan, and maroon.
By identifying the tone of your entire outfit, you can choose a watch that best matches the ensemble for a coherent and pleasing look. For outfits that include other metal accents, say, your belt buckle, cufflinks, or other jewellery, it is also a good idea to stick to one metal colour throughout.
3. Match leather with leather
The guideline for similar tones goes for leather as well. If you are planning on wearing a leather-band watch, the best guide is to match it with the colour of your leather shoes and belt.
Leather is often considered the best choice for formal events, even more so than metal bands, but they work just as well for less formal events, like as everyday office wear. The only exception to this is if the leather is on the more rugged side, with a worn-in look – these are not so suitable for formal occasions.
4. Bend the rules – sometimes
Rules are meant to be broken, right? While this might not be the case at a strictly formal event (unless you want others to be glancing at you all night long), bending the rules is perfectly okay at more casual events. These days, most people are pretty open with more adventurous styles, even if they don’t do so themselves.
Another exception to the rule is if you have a heirloom watch you want to flaunt. Vintage and legacy watches are a piece of history and most people understand that the story matters more than the look. When you have the chance to, wear that heirloom watch loud and proud!
Conclusion
The watch may be a small accessory compared to the rest of your outfit, but it can still make a huge difference! Taking care to match it well can make your outfit more polished, and show that you’ve put in effort to dress well.
Lacking enough watches to match your various wardrobe styles? It is always a great idea to own several watches so you can match them appropriately when needed. Take a look at our watch offerings here at Leong Poh Kee, including fashion, dress, and jewellery watches from Swiss watch companies, for the right one to add to your collection!