What does accessorize mean?
"Accessorize" is a verb meaning to add accessories — items such as jewelry, belts, scarves, handbags, or other decorative touches — to an outfit or setting in order to complete or enhance it. The word belongs firmly to the vocabulary of fashion and personal style, where the choice of accessories is treated as an art of finishing touches: a plain dress can be transformed once it has been thoughtfully accessorized. By extension, the term is sometimes applied beyond clothing, as when a room or product is accessorized with complementary items. Formed relatively recently by adding the suffix "-ize" to the noun "accessory," it reflects the modern tendency to turn commercial and stylistic concepts into verbs. Connotations are generally positive and creative, suggesting flair and attention to detail, though the word can carry a faint whiff of consumerism. It is standard in both British and American English and is common in magazines, retail marketing, and casual conversation alike.
verbTo add accessories or decorative items to something, especially clothing or an outfit, in order to complete or enhance it.
- To add accessories, especially decorative items such as jewelry, scarves, or bags, to an outfit or ensemble.
- (By extension) To equip or furnish something with additional items that enhance its function or appearance.
"She accessorized her plain black dress with a bold red scarf and gold earrings."
"A statement necklace is all you need to accessorize the little black dress."
"The interior designer accessorized the minimalist living room with textured cushions and ceramic vases."
Born in the world of fashion journalism, "accessorize" is one of those rare verbs created almost entirely by the fashion industry — and it took over everyday English within a single generation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accessorize
"Accessorize" was formed in the mid-20th century by adding the productive suffix "-ize" to the noun "accessory." That noun traces back through French "accessoire" to the Latin "accessorius," derived from "accedere" ("to approach"), from "ad-" ("toward") plus "cedere" ("to go"). The same Latin root gives English words such as "access," "accessible," and "accession." The verb gained wide currency in the second half of the twentieth century alongside the growth of the fashion industry and its media.
Related word forms
How accessorize is actually used
"Accessorize" is a neutral-to-fashionable term used widely in style writing, retail, and everyday conversation about dress. It is most often used transitively ("accessorize an outfit") but also appears intransitively ("she knows how to accessorize"). The word carries a light, consumer-culture connotation and is rarely used in formal or technical registers except in design contexts.
Easily confused with accessorize
"Accessory" is the noun referring to an item that adds to or complements something else, while "accessorize" is the verb meaning to add such items.