FASHION Little extras touted as big thing for spring

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- So what if March came in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.
Make sure you come in looking fab-u-lous.
This spring it's all about accessorizing.
"Accessories are the easiest way to bring a dull outfit out," said Portia Turner, a 16-year-old junior at Notre Dame de Sion High School in Kansas City.
You can enhance an outfit just by adding earrings and a bracelet, she said.
Several things that easily transform your gear from bland to bam!: a hat, tie, hooplike earrings, a headband, a bracelet, a wrap and some creativity.
Add a bracelet to that bare arm, or maybe an arm cuff. That dab of color a bangle brings might just make your look sparkle. You can forget about fly-away hair and go '80s with a colorful headband. It's the little things that make simple outfits eye-catching. And it's inexpensive.
It's about having things that are cute, but useful, said Nicole Mendoza, co-manager at Delia's in Oak Park Mall in Kansas City.
Make it practical
So if you buy a tie, make sure it's in a color and fabric that you wouldn't mind also using as a belt. And remember, ties don't have to be punk. The tie can be purely girly if you dress it up the right way. It's all about imagination.
You like those cool denim mini-purses but are wondering what would fit in there? Buy one you can use to store your pens, pencils and a small journal in case you need to take some important notes. (And if you go to a party, it can hold your ID, lip gloss and cell phone.)
Sometimes all it takes is a hat. Be it a bucket or a paperboy, add it to an everyday tank top and you get a look that's sleek and fun.
It's a wrap
And the must-have of the season, according to Misty Pratt, a manager at Gadzooks in Oak Park Mall, is the wrap.
Some wraps are beaded, others are silky -- but all of them can make a simple skirt or pair of jeans sassy and sweet. Not to mention they double as swimsuit cover-ups.
Finding the big, stylish difference in small accessories will spice up your closet without hurting your pocket.