Jewelry and chocolate have a lot in common this season: You can’t stop with just one piece.

Stacks of bangles adorn wrists; layers of chains circle necks; and pendants, pins and earrings are built with unusual materials piled one atop the other. Worn in multiples and combined in eccentric, slightly kooky combinations, today’s jewelry makes its statement with size, color and audacity -- not price.

With many accessory collections featuring a strong vintage feel, now is the time to reassess that pile of forgotten chains, bangles or rhinestones cluttering your jewelry box. Don’t go on a treasure hunt for the perfect piece: how you style and combine pieces is more important than any single item.

Big trends seen everywhere include cascades of pearls mixed with matte metal chains; rhinestones partnered with ribbon; and rosettes that anchor asymmetrical assemblages of beads, chains, leather and fabric. Metals don’t aspire to impersonate the precious; they’re content to look like they belong in a hardware store.

A recession-inspired return to less-precious materials, coupled with a new consciousness about sustainability, has helped inspire a creative renaissance in fashion jewelry. Free to experiment with less costly materials, designers are crafting wood, glass, rubber, leather, lace, Lucite and grosgrain ribbon into jewelry that only looks expensive. Silver -- sterling or not -- is back at center stage too. Los Angeles jewelry designer Jeffrey Levin, whose designs have graced the covers of Elle, InStyle and Vogue, is even creating a new collection of what he calls “wristwear” made from recycled rubber.

The trend is good news for all of us who have despaired that our jewelry is a hodgepodge of different styles, materials and decades. Matching is out, mixing is in. Now is the time to flaunt your personal style, says Ken Downing, senior vice president and fashion director of Neiman Marcus. “You can combine bracelets and bangles that feel as if they have been collected not only from various places on a journey, but also from various times,” says Downing.

A frail seed-bead bracelet can slip beneath a chunky wooden or silk cord cuff. That intricate necklace of mirrors, medallions and bells you bought in India (or the neighborhood thrift shop) is now the height of fashion, particularly if it’s part of a heavily embellished look. Forget restraint: Big necklaces can complement earrings the size of a corsage. Or copy the baroque approach of designer John Galliano of Christian Dior and pile a bib necklace of gold medallions across a brocade tunic, fling a rhinestone-studded cord around your neck and still feel free to tack on tasseled earrings.  

Colleen Sherin, fashion director at Saks Fifth Avenue, advocates mixing layers of chains and not worrying about everything coordinating perfectly. “An off-kilter, eclectic look is really on trend,” she said. “You can mix your pearls with chains, organic beads or stones.”

Finding the right balance of glitz is important so that you don’t look like Mr. T. “If you are going to layer your necklaces, make sure what you’re wearing is a bit simpler,” says Sherin. “Make a statement either with your clothing or your jewelry.”

Here are some do-it-yourself tips on giving your pile of jewelry an up-to-the-minute look:

• Layer two or more chains, bead strands or pendants.
• Take the pendants from several necklaces and string onto a single chain or ribbon.
• Using a crochet hook, weave ribbon through a segment of wide, chunky chain and tie the loose ends in a bow behind your neck.
• Replace the chain in a pendant necklace with a complementary color of sheer organza ribbon. For variation, string the ribbon with a few crystal beads set far apart.
• Resurrect your big crystal cocktail rings and anything acrylic or clear plastic.

Juice up your summer wardrobe with shades of citrus! Tangy, vivid tones of lemon, lime, orange and tangerine are bursting across fashion this season. “These are very bright, happy and optimistic colors,” says Gregg Andrews, fashion creative director for Nordstrom stores. “It’s hard to wear these colors and not feel the same way.”

Still, these powerful primaries can be intimidating, even if you’re accustomed to embracing color. Pink and turquoise, the season’s other brights, are easy to wear. But citrus hues are more challenging because their acid undertones can clash with skin tones and neutral wardrobes.

Here are 10 expert tips for getting your juice on this summer:

1. Pair with white.
As the key neutral of the season, white is the perfect partner for vivid citrus tones. “It provides the clear, crisp contrast that you need,” says Andrews.

2. Add pops of color with accessories.
“If you’re not ready for a head-to-toe look, try an accessory -- an orange belt, a yellow pair of shoes or a lime cross-body bag,” says David Zyla, an Emmy Award–winning costume designer and author of Color Your Style: How to Wear Your True Colors.

3. Think casual.
Softly faded denim is a perfect citrus partner because it reads like a neutral and brings a fitting, casual attitude to the pairing, says Zyla. Similarly, the power of bright colors comes down a notch when they’re cast as sporty separates, such as hooded jackets, miniskirts and T-shirts.

4. Understand the gold standard.
Though anyone can incorporate pops of citrus hues into their wardrobe, not everyone will look their best with these shades close to their skin. Zyla offers this quick compatibility test: If you find gold jewelry to be more flattering than silver, you’re more likely to be someone who will look fantastic in citrus colors.

5. Try classics.
Contain the season’s eye-catching tones within simple silhouettes and classic, uncomplicated shapes. “If we’re already comfortable with a silhouette, we’re more accepting of a new color,” says Zyla, who calls this year’s vivid tones “popsicle brights.” You won’t have to search hard to pull this off. Designers -- high and low -- are using ultra-bright colors to update traditional styles such as shift dresses, blazers, espadrilles and ballet flats.

6. Tread carefully.
Adding matching bright shoes to an already vivid outfit can be overkill. For example, a tangerine shift dress looks best paired with nude or soft brown sandals, says Andrews.

7. Partner with patterns.
Daring colors work well in sharp, geometric prints where their edges are distinct. This season’s popular abstract, color-blocked tops and dresses are a perfect way to go bright. Or, mix a delicate black-and-white print with canary yellow and lime. A strappy black sandal or thin black belt will complement this palette beautifully.

8. Pick a purse that has pizzazz.
A clutch handbag’s clean, compact shape is the perfect medium for a splash of orange, lemon or lime. Pair it with a white, black or neutral outfit and you won’t feel like you’re being crushed by citrus. “It’s a great way to incorporate color into an outfit if you are color-phobic,” says Andrews.

9. Make informed makeup choices.
With citrus tones, wildly colored nail polish is a yes; bold lipstick, a no. “Go with a warm neutral on the lips and avoid reds,” says Andrews. A sheer orange or tangerine gloss is another way to achieve just the right taste of tang. Kimara Ahnert -- a New York City makeup artist whose salon attracts clients like Brooke Shields, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Gwyneth Paltrow -- suggests introducing other fresh-from-the-orchard shades into your makeup palette. “Colors on the spectrum of golden peach to melon and apricot can look really lovely in a sheer wash of blush or eye shadow,” she says. “Steer clear of anything berry or mauve. If you have deep or golden skin tones, you can go for stronger colors. If you’re on the fair side, stick with a sunny peach or an apricot-based bronze.”

10. Be bright at night: A little black dress looks fresh with solid or mixed-color shoes in the season’s fruit-inspired tones. Add another shot of zest with an equally bright stack of bangle bracelets.

Photo: Getty Images

When the time comes to go from work to wining and dining, all you’ll need are a few key pieces to take your look from corporate to completely chic.

A Standout Top
“Be it a sparkly cardigan or a well-fitting velvet blazer, an extra layer is often all it takes to give your office outfit that 'ready to party' look,” says bicoastal fashion stylist Aretha Busby. You’ll be amazed how much attention you get with a little shine and touchable texture. Just make sure what you’re wearing underneath is simple, like a black or ivory camisole rather than a busy print that will compete for attention.

Statement Jewelry
One oversized piece of costume jewelry will have everyone eyeing your ensemble. “Large studs or jaw-dropping dangling earrings, like chandeliers or drops, are perfect switch-it-up pieces to have on hand when you have to dash to a party,” Busby says. “They quickly dress up any look -- even jeans.”

A chunky cocktail ring; a long, layered necklace; or an armful of bangles are also good options. (Choose one to avoid accessory overkill.) Best of all, you can find stunning pieces -- especially more trendy looks -- for less than $10 at shops like H&M, Claire's and Kohl’s.

Flirty Shoes
Just ask Cinderella -- the chunkier the shoes, the less appropriate they are for a night on the town, especially when they’re navy or corporate brown. Trade in your trusty square toes for something more fun. “An irresistibly sexy shoe, like an animal-print slingback, metallic ballet flats or satin pumps can easily be stashed in a desk drawer for a quick change,” says Busby. “A kitten heel is also enough to give you a flirty presence.” No dangerous heights are needed!

A Dressy Scarf
“A rich-looking, textured scarf is a perfect last-minute add-on to your outfit,” says Busby. Wrapping a scarf around your neck is not only seasonably appropriate, it draws attention to one of the prettiest places on a woman -- the collarbone -- and it can cover a multitude of sins, including a double chin or a less-than-taut jawline.

Experiment with different ways of wearing a favorite scarf: loose and knotted, tied in a bow or wrapped around your neck with the loose ends hanging freely down your chest. “Stick to tones that are flattering on you yet still festive,” says Busby. Try cranberry or emerald during fall and winter. In spring and summer, go for a lightweight “summer” scarf in coral or turquoise prints. Classic black works year-round, especially in a glam light-velvet, crinkled silk or chiffon.

A Cute (Well-stocked) Clutch
Nothing says you made a mad dash out of the office like lugging your overstuffed workbag to cocktails. “Free your shoulder of all that weight and your mind of all the work worries by stowing a petite purse or evening clutch in your desk,” recommends Busby. Something black, metallic or embellished is always a good option, she adds.

Stocking your evening bag is just as important. The hair essentials? Hair-matching bobby pins and a travel-size hair spray, says Houston hairstylist James Phillips. “People don’t realize the power of a bobby pin,” he says. “You can hold your bangs back or move random pieces, go sideswept, or wrap a piece of hair around the holder of a low pony.” For the perfect party purse, add a stronger, nighttime fragrance like musk or tuberose, a soft kohl liner to intensify your eyes, a shimmering lip gloss and mints.

Photo: @iStockphoto.com/dpaint

Hats are this summer’s must-have accessory. They will not only add a dash of chic to any daytime outfit -- making even last year’s wardrobe look fresh -- but also protect your skin and hair from the scorching sun. And, as guests at Kate and William’s royal wedding showed, a well-chosen topper can take a cocktail dress or formal gown to new heights of glamour.

Yes, a fascinator -- those small embellished hats that sit adorably just off the side of the head -- can be overdone and look absurd. (That’s right, princess Beatrice, we’re talking about you!) But done with the right proportion of panache and restraint, a fascinator is head-turning -- without being jaw-dropping -- as Victoria Beckham proved with the navy Philip Treacy fascinator she donned when the duke and duchess of Cambridge exchanged vows in Westminster Abbey.

Whether you’re headed off to a beach holiday or a stylish wedding, or just chillin’ in the city, here’s how to choose the right head-topper for you.

A Weekend in the City
Fedora
A fedora with a menswear feel is the perfect way to add a touch of chic on that steamy day spent running errands, hanging in the park or enjoying some sightseeing in a new city. What make this season’s styles fresh are updated fabrics and fine-tuned details. The Origami fedora by Michael Stars, for example, offers a black and cream graphic pattern, while Target’s Xhilaration fedora is a summery shade of green with a paisley scarf above the brim. Traditional fedoras look fresh with a lace or striped grosgrain ribbon band; try them as a stylish counterpoint to a flirty short summer dress.

Cowboy Hat
Another daytime option is the cowboy hat, a fetching look when you’re wearing a halter top or T-shirt with straight jeans, cutoffs or more polished shorts. This year, you can find them in ivory decorated with tortoise-shell links, or in crocheted raffia with a thin leather band. For inspiration, check out the collections at large online boutiques, like Shopbop.com.

Floppy Hat
Less structured floppy hats add a sexy pop to the maxi dress, one of the season’s staples. Kate Spade offers one with an oversized brim and citrus-colored stripes, while Juicy Couture’s woven paper-straw hat features shimmery stripes in combinations like white and gold or orange and natural.

A Day at the Beach
Wide-brimmed Hat
Wide-brimmed hats will always look glamorous on the sand or around a kidney-shaped pool. J. Crew has one with an extra-wide brim and ruby or indigo stripes. Madewell’s version in black straw will take you from floating on a raft at noon to margaritas at sunset.

Tightly Woven Hat
Darker-hued or tightly woven hats offer extra sun protection, but to be sure you’re guarding against damaging UV rays, choose one with a label that says it’s certified UPF 50. UPF stands for ultraviolet protection fabric; it’s the clothing equivalent of the SPF ratings you find on sunscreens.

A Summer Wedding
Fascinator
You don’t need to be attending a royal wedding to show off a fascinator. A hybrid of a hair accessory and cocktail hat, fascinators are made of whimsical materials like feathers, flowers, lace, ribbons, beds or sequins, which are attached to a base and then fastened to a comb, clip or headband. Whether you’re wearing something flouncy and sherbet-hued or a classic black cocktail dress, there is a fascinator that will perfectly complement your look. Find one at websites like FascinatorsNYC.com and FascinatorsByDesign.com (a British site that ships to the U.S.).

If it’s a daytime wedding, consider flowers and lace. For an evening event, go for the drama of sequins and feathers. Just remember to wear the fascinator askew, and not right in the center of your head; that’s part of its off-center charm.

Photo: Getty Images

Our closets -- full of camel, charcoal, black and navy -- can seem downright oppressive during this third month of winter. But with spring style arriving in stores already, it’s the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe with accent pieces that promise to be relevant all year long.

By shopping with future color trends in mind, your spring purchases can pair with today’s neutrals or next fall’s deep palette. Spring’s silvery gray, dusty pink, lavender and coral-rose mix with upcoming fall shades of purpled wine, coffee brown, loden green and inky navy.

Spring style collections also feature some traditional fall colors, such as brown, russet and dark blue-greens that will remain important for fall, says color consultant Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. So hold on to those gray sweaters, camel jackets and charcoal pants. They can work with spring’s cropped jackets, fresh prints and vivid leather belts and bags.

Below, color and fashion experts give the lowdown on how to beat the winter style blahs with color.

1. Banish Black -- for a Bit
“The little black dress doesn’t have to be black anymore,” says celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch, author of The Shopping Diet. “Get some spice in your life. Try that dress in brown, plum, burgundy or green. It does the same things as black does. You can still dress it up or down, and it makes you look slim.”

2. Update a Classic With a Bold Color
This spring, designers at all price levels are offering the sporty-but-classic anorak. Its drawstring hood, zippers and snaps help chase away the wind and rain, but in new colors such as yellow, coral, red and turquoise, they’re great antidotes to drab days.

3. Sweeten Your Look With Honeysuckle
Pantone picked the reddish-pink hue as the defining color of 2011, so you can expect to see the uplifting shade in everything from evening wear to key chains. New York designers Nanette Lepore, Peter Som and Badgley Mischka employed this pink for dainty day and evening dresses, but you can expect to see it in cosmetics, sportswear and accessories. It’s a wonderful complement to brown, gray and green.

4. Incorporate Color on Bad-weather Days
Rain boots, umbrellas, scarves, gloves and hats not only are more fun to wear in vivid colors, but they can help spur experimentation with your daywear. Start with bright accessories, and you’ll be able to easily make the transition from black to bold in your staple pieces too.

5. Spin the Color Wheel
There’s nothing like a fresh color-combination to perk up your basics. Bloch has been pairing unusual tones with browns, including warm reds, soft pinks, baby blues, deep purple, forest green and pristine white. While the days are still dark, you can warm up neutrals with such combinations as gray worn with camel, butterscotch or marine blue. Going forward, black and white reappear in spring prints with jolts of cobalt. Designer Lela Rose paired teal with black for spring, but the blue-green works wonders to freshen winter’s black and brown too.

6. New Shoe Hues
Whether you’re wearing a sensible gray sheath dress or a black suit, you don’t have to play it safe with black shoes. “The days of matchy-matchy are gone,” says Bloch. “More and more in Hollywood, actresses are throwing on some random-color shoes.” Designers are following their example this spring and fall, even adding animal prints to the mix. On the runway, Valentino paired strappy turquoise sandals with a jaguar-print coat, while Giambattista Valli showed patterned tights and jaguar-print ankle boots with black and deep-olive cocktail dresses.