How To Wear It: 5 Tips On How To Match A Watch With Your Outfit

Last updated on : June 03 2022

A watch keeps you on track. But it's also a powerful addition to your outfit. And although it is also a tiny element in your outfit puzzle, it can easily crumble your whole look.

A watch has the power to make you look stylish or ridiculous. Imagine pairing a bossy form-fitting pantsuit, a gorgeous tote bag, a pair of classy stilettos, and a rubber band watch. 

The watch instantly dresses down your outfit. You'll project unseriousness if you go to a business meeting with such a look. Your colleagues will see you as an amateur trying to fit into the business world. And just like that, the tiny accessory sent a negative message. 

Achieving a seamless look is not as challenging as it seems. It all comes down to the strap, shape, and type of watch. 

Here are seven tips to match your collection of watches to your outfits.  

1. Formal Fit Formal Watch 

The purpose, occasion, and outfit should always match. We mostly dress formally to impress. We especially switch up the look when attending an interview, a formal business meeting, a formal business luncheon, or an evening occasion. 

Therefore, ensure your watch lets you fit the purpose of the event. You don't want to see tongues wagging courtesy of your timepiece. 

The trick to hacking any formal occasion is going less with your watch. You'd want to stay away from humongous rubber band watches, sporty watches, or extra shiny pieces.

2. Pantsuit, Skirt suit, Or Tux

A dress watch can never go wrong if paired with a form-fitting tux, pantsuit, or skirt suit. It's a perfect choice for a formal business meeting. 

A minimalist dress watch makes your outfit sharp and sophisticated. A dress watch also polishes a fitted blazer paired with a crisp oxford shirt tucked into your pants or skirt.

The dress watch screams put together, formal, and classic. 

Don't forget the straps and casing. Leather straps are timeless. Stick to blacks, browns, and navies for office or business meetings. Also, match the strap to your belt and shoes. 

Stainless steel, goldish, or platinum casings look modest and perfect for an uptight formal business meeting or a formal environment. 

If possible, get a few branded dress watches. They will give your office outfits the edginess they deserve. You can get some of the most classic swiss made dress watches from online stores or high-end stores near you. 

They may drain your pocket, but a swiss made watch will always sharpen your look. Each time you show up for a business meeting, you'll impress people, adorning a Swiss-made dress watch on your wrist. 

3. A Formal Evening Event 

Formal evening occasions are where modest meets shiny. 

If you're planning to put on a gown, ditch the dress watch and put on something glossy and classy. Stainless steel, a diamond-studded, or a stylish gold watch perfectly matches an evening gown. Simple speaks volumes. But this depends on your evening dress. 

A small banded watch will look great on a long-sleeved gown. Let your accessories draw attention if you've put on a simple sleeveless or short-sleeved dress.  

4. Digital Or Analog?

Analog watches are mechanical and more traditional. On the flip side, digital watches use electric circuits and chips to display time and are more outgoing.  

Analog  

Due to their simplicity, analog watches are great for formal occasions. The timepiece has a modest appearance, is discrete, and comes in different styles. 

Try a racing analog watch. These watches are sporty, flashier, elegant, and more sophisticated than digital watches. They're a fantastic accessory for an upscale casual event. You can also pair an analog watch with a business casual or relaxed fit. 

Women can also wear sporty analog watches - take a peep at Formex Swiss-made watches. The sporty category has watches designed to sit elegantly on a person's wrist and make a suitable accessory for a business casual, casual day, or evening look. 

Blue, green, white, or pastel leather-strapped sporty watch would be classic if paired with a ruffled, wrapped, mini, or maxi summer dress.

Digital 

Digital watches look sporty and often have additional features not suited for an office, a business meeting, or a formal event. 

Heads may turn if you walk into a highly formal interview room wearing a digital watch on your wrist. The beeps and LED lights don't belong in an interview room. 

We've nothing against digital watches. Sadly, most people associate digital watches with being childish. Most of us owned digital timepieces when we were kids. On top of that, the rubber band seen on most digital watches takes away the finesse exuded by analog timers. 

Whether you've put on a sony or apple smartwatch or a simple shiny and noisy digital watch, a chunky digital wristwatch will always be out of place when matched with your office outfits. It tones down your clean-cut blazer, oxford shirt, or pantsuit.  

However, your digital watch will look stylish if paired with casual clothes, workout attire, or sporty attire. The complicated timepiece goes well paired with denim pants, tucked tee or shirt, and a sporty jacket. 

Dress up the digital watch by opting for silver, gold, or leather bands instead of rubber or nylon straps.

5. Metal On Metal 

Always match your metals. Watches come with different metal casings. Look through your collection. You'll spot steel, titanium, tantalum, aluminum, brass, bronze, or precious metals like gold, platinum, and silver.

Some watches also come with stainless steel, titanium, platinum, gold, or silver bands. They may be polished, brushed, matte, or brushed-polished. 

Matching the metal on the casing or band with other jewelry will create uniformity. The buckle on your belt, metallic straps on your handbag, necklace, earrings, metallic band on your watch, and rings should complement each other. 

Don't overlayer. Let the accessories work together. You want to look fashionable each time you step out. Don't go heavy on your accessories if your watch is studded and chunky. A simple bracelet or ring will do.  

6. The Watch Band Speaks Volume 

Match your straps or bands with dressing, environment, or occasion formality. Dress watches are formal, but the straps may make a dress watch appropriate or inappropriate for the occasion. 

Leather Straps

Whenever you're uncertain, put on a leather strap watch. Leather bands are considered more formal than other watch straps. On top of that, they are the most versatile watch band. They come in different styles and sizes. Some come with patterns etched on them. 

It's possible to get genuine floral leather strapped watches. The floral patterns will perfectly match your floral summer dresses or other summer outfits.  

Nato Straps 

Natos are perfect for your sporty outfits. Although masculine, women can adorn a nato strap watch - they'll give you an androgynous feel. 

Nato straps come in different styles and colors. You can pair a subtle-colored nato strap watch with your formal outfit or dress it down by pairing a striped or bold-colored nato strap with a tee, shorts, and sneakers. 

Rubber straps 

Rubber bands don't belong to a formal environment and will clash with your formal attire. Rubber bands have always been associated with affordable watch brands and are designed to target the younger population. 

Although, you might see some high-end brands such as Richard Mille or Swiss-made watches taking the rubber route. Rubber straps will work harmoniously with your gym wear. 

Metal straps 

Metal straps are edgy, versatile, and can work well with casual or formal attire. Always ensure your metal straps work together with other jewelry pieces.

Suede straps  

Suede straps are softer and unique. They can easily transition from a dressed-down casual to a formal fit. 

Lighter and brighter colors look great on suede strap watches, hence the best accessory for summer. You can pair the suede strapped watch with your summer dresses, flannel shirts, leather jackets, and other summer outfits.

7. Match The Colors

You don't need to match the strap color to your outfit per se. Instead, let the colors on your straps match your shoes, bag, and belt. A brown-strapped dress watch will look out of tune if paired with a black tote bag, stilettos, and belt. 

Complement the color of your straps with your outfits. The colors should communicate with one another. They shouldn't individually struggle to draw attention. Let them work in tandem instead of competing. 

Use the color wheel and pair up color combinations that work together. It will create a balanced look from head to toe.

Stick to subtle colors for formal occasions and bold colors for casual attire and events. 

A green watch looks stylish if paired with a white summer dress or shirt dress and white sneakers. The same green timer will look out of place if paired with your brown pantsuit and shoes. 

Feel free to try bold colors, prints, and styles when matching your watch with a casual fit. 

Finals Words

The secret to matching your watch and outfit is letting them complement each other. 

Although styling a watch is subjective, the type of watch, straps, and casing will affect the choice of your outfit. You'll also have to factor in the formality of your dressing and the occasion. A formal dress watch should complement your formal attire, for instance. 

Remember, people may gauge your confidence level by looking at your watch. All in all, these suggestions will help you make a precise statement with your timepiece and outfit. 

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