If you’ve heard all this chat about statement pieces in fashion, and you’re wondering what on earth people are on about, never fear! This article will give you all you need to know about what a statement piece is, how to find yours, my ultimate favourite statement pieces and some links to current pieces available!
So, what is a statement piece anyway?? Defined by Melroso.com, a statement piece is usually an interesting, attractive or relatively eye-catching piece of your outfit. Statement pieces are known to be accessories, like shoes or bags. While I wholeheartedly agree, I don’t think a statement piece should be limited to one genre of clothing. While each person has their own personal statement pieces, there are also some general pieces that the majority of people would consider to be standout items.
Now that we’ve sussed out what a statement piece is, it’s time to figure out how to find them. My fashion and style journey has evolved quite a bit over the years and is still evolving. In terms of discovering your personal style, and thus statement pieces you’ll love over and over, I have a few recommendations. First of all, I PROMISE you Pinterest will be your best friend. It certainly is mine! Create an account, make a board, maybe label it along the lines of ‘dream wardrobe’. During your free moments between classes, or at the bus, pop onto the app and save any clothing images that strike you. It might take a little while to gather a number of photos but go back to the board you created. Do you notice a pattern? See similar outfits coming up? More importantly, do you like what you see? Take note of what you saved, whether it’s leather blazers or 90’s inspired jeans.
Working with your Pinterest saves, my next biggest tip is a charity shop. Yes, a second-hand shop. No, I promise they do not smell like dead people or anything else stereotypical you can think of. The merit of a charity shop is that you can play around with developing your personal style and you are donating to a good cause. It also helps that charity shops are usually much cheaper than a regular shop, which perfectly suits students and those who don’t have lots of money to spend on a new wardrobe. Now there’s a win-win! Armed with your mood board of outfits, and possibly a friend for moral support/good vibes, spend some time rooting! When it comes to charity shops, I never discount any sections. Even in the men’s section, so many of my favourite shirts have come from there!
As promised, here are some of my favourite statement pieces. As I said earlier, a statement piece doesn’t have to be confined to accessories. Also, just to keep in mind, I tend to favour a more neutral colour palette, so everything I wear tends to work together anyway, much like a capsule wardrobe.
- A statement coat: I cannot praise a cool coat enough! I often find if my outfit is looking a bit blah, or overdone, by putting on one particular coat of mine, a whole new outfit is created. I bought a vintage designer coat in a charity shop, and I’m not lying when I tell you I’ve worn it almost 50 times in the past month!
- A shirt: This could be either a men’s section shirt, or a more fitted, feminine version, whichever takes your fancy. Mine is a black, almost chiffon-esque, fitted shirt with a floral pattern. I picked it up in a sale in a French clothing shop, not realising how much this one piece would mean to me. Shirts are such versatile pieces, I’ve worn mine with skirts, over dresses, open with a light top, with jeans and even with dressier pants for interviews.
- A scarf: I’ve always been a lover of scarves, but I have a certain favourite that always makes my outfits look 10 times more put together. It’s a purple woven scarf, with short tassels at the end. It was a gift for a birthday, and is now the only thing I reach for on a cold morning. Given its small pop of colour, it spices up a monochrome outfit and keeps me warm. Win-win!
Those are only a handful of my favourite statement pieces, I assure you there are more but we would be here all day if that were the case. While I am an advocate for slow fashion, when it comes to timeless pieces that will last longer than your average item of clothing, I think it is okay to buy new. Included below are some links to some pieces from the high street that I think are perfect statement pieces to have.
Here is a more budget-friendly option for my beloved coat: https://www2.hm.com/en_ie/productpage.0972352003.html
A perfect oversized blazer: https://www2.hm.com/en_ie/productpage.1034084003.html
The most stunning scarf: https://www2.hm.com/en_ie/productpage.1024267016.htmlAnd finally, a shirt. While not similar to my own referenced above, this is a versatile shirt that can be worn a million different ways!: https://www2.hm.com/en_ie/productpage.0925212004.html