GLAMOROUS gowns always take centre stage on the red carpet of major award shows in the entertainment industry, and rightfully so.

The first thing everyone notices about a celebrity is the frock she’s wearing, how well it fits her, how short (or long) the hemline is, how nicely it matches her hair, and so on.

While we acknowledge the importance of having fabulous dresses grace the red carpet, let’s not forget all about the little details that can sometimes make or break an outfit – the accessories.

Bags, shoes, necklaces and earrings often go unnoticed and unmentioned at most award shows, so we’ve decided to make them our focus this week.

A clutch for all seasons

I resist the urge to gush over Oscar’s best supporting actress nominee Hailee Steinfeld’s gorgeous Marchesa gown and instead, compliment her on her choice of a tiny clutch.

Hailee's clutch

This silver clutch, while age-appropriate (Hailee is 14), works for a woman of any age who’s headed for a major event (well, maybe not so much the Oscars, but perhaps your company’s annual dinner).

It’s a little on the tiny side, so pack only the essentials. Check out Accessorize and Forever 21 for similar versions of this beauty.

Sky high

I’ve always loved high heels with a stable platform – and at this year’s Grammy Awards, Glee’s Naya Rivera totally rocked out in a pair of grey Jimmy Choos!

Naya's shoes

The best thing about a great pair of heels like these is you don’t even have to have pins like Naya’s to look awesome in them.

Her shoes fall in the “thousands of RM” price range, but you can find (by far, the best versions of these) for as low as RM200 at Aldo. But that’s when they’re having a sale.

Jangling bangles

One way to spruce up a drab outfit is to pile on bangles like Miley Cyrus did at this year’s Grammys (not that her outfit needed it).

Don’t worry about looking too much like a teen with too much accessories – this look works for anyone, and the best thing is you can mix and match them according to colour, depending on the occasion.

Miley is wearing Ofira Thin Diamond Bangles but there are heaps of knockoffs available almost anywhere, but if you still need some pointers, head over to Diva or Aldo accessories.

Precious stones

Amy Adams wore a beautiful Cartier necklace with a matching bracelet to the Oscars earlier this week. The emerald and diamond necklace and bracelet managed to really stand out even against her glittery blue L’Wren Scott gown.

precious jewels

The bad news is they’re probably limited edition and cost a whopping US1.35 mil (RM4.1mil!), but the good news is you can get some really good copies in boutiques all over the country. Look out for those in colours that make your eyes pop (not literally, of course).

Ear bling

There aren’t normally many pictures from red carpet events that highlight a piece of jewelery like how this photographer highlighted Marisa Tomei’s earrings at the Oscars.

These huge flowered gemstone pieces have that classic look and are just large enough without looking too gaudy.

nice earrings

Pair a good copy of this vintage-inspired pair (from Axxezz, Diva, various blogshops) with any simple dress and remember to sweep your hair behind your ears often to show them off.