Micaela Erlanger knows a thing or two about accessorizing — in fact, she wrote an entire book about it.

As celebrity fashion stylist, she’s worked with A-listers including Lupita Nyong’o, Jared Leto, Meryl Streep, Common, Jennifer Hudson, Hillary Swank, Michelle Dockery, Constance Wu and Diane Kruger.

Her book, How to Accessorize: A Perfect Finish to Every Outfit, is an ode to her love of accessories combined with the expertise that comes from creating looks for the most-watched red carpets in the world, from the Met Gala to the Oscars. This guide covers everything from how to base an outfit around an accessory to incorporating small touches as punctuation to a look.

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Micaela Erlanger’s book, How to Accessorize: A Perfect Finish to Every Outfit 

We spoke to Erlanger about her new book, why accessories are her go-to and what it’s like to dress some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

On why she decided to write a book “I feel like fashion is empowering and when used correctly, you can really have anything you want. You can dress the part. You can really own your moment. That’s what I do professionally in the advice that I give my clients and I felt like everyone should have access to that information.”

On why accessories are the perfect way to experiment with style “Risk-taking is actually the easiest to experiment with through your accessories. You can have a little bit more playfulness and diversity in choice through your accessories and it’s a bit more accessible, too. You’re not talking about buying couture or outrageous garments. You’re talking about smaller leather goods or costume jewellery.”

On the three accessories that everyone should have in their wardrobe “Everybody needs to wear shoes and most women carry a handbag. They’re foundational pieces and they’re also relatively easy to experiment with. The easiest way to make something old feel new again is by swapping out your bag and adding a colourful shoe. The third piece is the statement jewellery.”

On work behind dressing celebrities “I collaborate with all of them very closely and it’s why I have wonderful relationships with the talent that I work with because it’s authentic and symbiotic. We’re speaking the same visual language. There’s always a conversation about what it is that my client is looking to achieve or if they have a certain feeling or mood or if they want a specific colour or silhouette. Everybody is different and it’s my job to interpret this and provide a fresh perspective.”

On her signature look “I stick to my uniform and then I rotate in and out of my accessories day-to-day. My signatures are ballet flats or slides, and my jewellery. And then I have a wild handbag — it has fringe, it’s funky and it just gives any outfit that I carry a little bit of attitude.”