One of the best ways to keep a classic wardrobe from feeling boring or even frumpy is to infuse it with carefully chosen statement pieces. If our closet runs heavy on classic basics, we struggle to create outfits that feel interesting and stylish. So don’t be afraid to add a few more personality-driven pieces to your closet this summer. Still, those more exuberant styles can present us with new styling challenges. So today let’s talk about how to wear statement pieces stylishly this summer.
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What is a Statement Piece?
The definition may seem broad, but a statement piece is really any item in your outfit that feels a little “louder” than the others. It may be colorful, filled with pattern and texture, a unique silhouette or studded with embellishments. Your statement piece could also be a garment, an accessory or a piece of jewelry. But the moment you put it on you know it will take a prominent place in your overall look. So it requires some artful maneuvering.
How to Wear Statement Pieces Stylishly this Summer
Let’s take the mystery out of wearing statement pieces this summer. For one thing, summer is a great opportunity to be a little more playful with our outfit choices. The season calls for a little frivolity, so relax and feel free to experiment. But I do have a few tips to make adding a statement piece to your outfit feel a little less intimidating.
Tip #1 – Add another interesting piece to the look for good measure. You may have heard that your statement piece should be your solo focal point. But I’ve found that, depending on the type of statement piece you’re wearing, it actually may need a little company. For instance, the beautiful nautical charm ballet flats I’m wearing here would have drawn too much attention to my feet without something interesting closer to my face.
So I’ve balanced the colorful and textural detailing on those fun shoes with two more interesting pieces: the ivory and navy striped cotton knit vest and the lapis stone pendant necklace. If I’d worn a simple white tee and gold chain, the shoes would have dominated the outfit. But by adding two items at the top of my outfit with subtle but eye-catching details, I’ve balanced the look in a way that is easy on the eyes.
If you saw my recent video about the Secrets to Looking Stylish on a Budget, you may recall that I talked about how our eyes naturally (and very quickly!) take in a person visually by scanning from the face to the hands to the feet. In this case, it may indeed be that the eyes naturally go from the face to the feet and then the hands. But the fact remains that I have strategically balanced the look to draw interest back up to the face, and that’s the goal.
Tip #2 – Resist the urge to pair the statement piece back to black. Especially when the statement piece is bright white, colorful or a loud print, we may be tempted to wear it with a simple black garment in an effort to tone it down a bit. But a diamond placed on a black, velvet cloth shines all the more brightly. Your black pants or top will do the same for that flamboyant scarf, top, blouse or handbag. Black will draw more attention to the statement piece and less to you.
Instead, consider wearing your statement piece with another color in the color wheel that is adjacent or complementary. Your overall look will actually be more striking, but in a way that is pleasing to the eye.
I chose to pair my Frances Valentine white Schooner top with chalk colored cotton poplin wide leg ankle pants. Granted, on the Frances Valentine website they did indeed show this edgy but feminine white V-neck top with black pants, lol! So sure, it can be done. But I think the tonal look is much more interesting and cohesive while still drawing sufficient attention to the three-dimensional origami flower applique details on the shirt.
If you don’t want to wear a color adjacent on the color wheel to your statement piece, other nice options that generally help balance a unique piece include chambray, denim, olive green and khaki.
NOTE: I didn’t really intend to wear my blue lapis necklace with this outfit, but I forgot to bring this intended one along on the photo shoot. Mistakes happen! But I do apologize for the snafu.
Tip #3 – Choose a statement piece that resonates with your personal style. I know I go back to this point frequently, but sticking with your personal style aesthetic is always key to looking and feeling your best. If you feel self-conscious about your statement piece because it doesn’t quite “feel right” for you, that discomfort will show. Authenticity resonates as self-confidence. And confidence shows up as good style.
Tell me in the comments about a favorite statement piece that you’ve enjoyed wearing recently. Or if you have purchased one but are struggling with styling it, share that, too. Maybe members of the community will help you crack the styling puzzle!
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Blessed for My Day
Maybe you’re gathering with friends and family this weekend to celebrate the 4th of July. Or maybe you have an upcoming family reunion or gathering on the calendar for this summer. Whenever we get together with the people we love the most we relish the opportunity to catch up, laugh over old stories, relive sweet memories and tease each other about embarrassing moments from the past.
But I also find that family gatherings remind us how much we all need a little grace. Inevitably someone says something out of turn, a bittersweet memory resurfaces or things just don’t quite go as planned. Let’s remember that the sweetest gift we can give to those we mingle with this summer is the grace to make mistakes, the generosity of quick pardons and love that keeps no record of wrongs.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. ~ Romans 12:3