Stylish flowers, fabrics and headbands adorned the runways this spring. We saw buns wrapped in patent leather, headbands worn across beehives and hats galore. With fashion going in a more polished and glamorous direction, it's only right to accessorize your head with a bit of color or bling this season.

But before you start clipping in the feathers and tying on the scarves, make sure you know the right -- and wrong -- ways to accessorize. An inch here or there can make a difference between oh-so chic and oh no!

"Accessories should help you shape your hair into a refined style," advises hair accessory designer Colette Malouf. "If the accessory does not work with the cut and texture of the hair, then it looks like functional ornamentation versus a fashion statement."

Women also need to know their face shape and experiment with different lengths and textures when considering an accessory, advised Malouf. For instance, people with a heart-shaped face look amazing in headbands. With a square or broad shape, it is best to have layers surround the face and put hair up with an accessory on the side. Oval or long faces should wear something on the side and add volume to the texture of their hair.

Flowers: "They look best worn lower than the eye in the front of the face or lower than the ear in the back of the head on a bun," said Malouf. "At Marc Jacobs, the hair was close to the head on top and then splayed out in a beautiful frizz embracing large bunches of flowers low on the side of the face. Flowers worn too high on the head look old-fashioned and lose their artistic appeal." Worse yet are ones worn on the middle of the forehead!

Fabric: Braiding strands of silk or ribbon is really cute on long hair, according to Malouf. You can then loop the hair and pin it back. A straight braid with fabric running through it is too predictable and boring, so get more creative.

Scarves: Scarves can be worn as a headband for a cool bohemian look. But don't even think about tying one around your head with a big bow in middle of the forehead!

Barrettes: Simple rectangular barrettes can look clunky and be uncomfortable. "They make a statement en masse on the runway, but are contrived in real life unless they are small and jeweled," said Malouf. If you are going to wear a barrette, make sure it sculpts the hair in a flattering shape around the face and then is secured. Don't just use it to pull the hair straight back from the part.

Antique Clips: A vintage-looking clip should be worn when your hair has loose waves to keep it feminine. "Hair accessories that emphasize a certain femininity are a big trend right now," said Gilda Pastena, celebrity hairstylist at Pierre Michel Salon in New York. These clips also look great with a chignon. Just don't wear them too tight or in the front of your head.

Headbands: With headbands, the key is to make sure your hair retains enough volume. "Don't pull all of your hair back in a headband unless you have a bob or really short hair," said Malouf who advised that on longer hair, headbands look fresh worn with the tips tilted back so they sit on the head more like a pair of sunglasses and can have a crown effect if jeweled or beaded. Make sure to leave about half an inch of hair surrounding the face, or if you wear the band far back on the head, back-brush the hair on the crown to puff it up and then pull it into a ponytail.

Feathers: Believe it or not, feathers can be a chic accessory -- in moderation. They are best worn on either side of your head when your hair is down or up. Just don't wear them in the back of a ponytail as this can just look messy and birdlike!

The biggest thing to keep in mind when accessorizing your 'do? Keep it simple. "Don't overcomplicate things," adds Pastena. "An accessory complements and completes the style, it shouldn't be the centerpiece of your look."

Speaking of what's in for spring, have you seen the hottest new hairstyles?