This year has seen ‘the statement piece’ really come into its own. We’ve had statement denim; ornate embroidery; oversized sleeves, ruffles, sweaters, and flares; and accessories that aren’t the most practical, but are certainly saying a lot. It’s great to see, to be honest. I’m a massive advocate of fun and wearable fashion, and having one foot firmly rooted in the trends of East Asia, it’s nice to see some of the more overt styles coming into what I’d consider western mainstream fashion.

Statement pieces can be quite an intimidating purchase to make – not necessarily because they’re a designer statement, but because they’re usually brightly coloured, patterned, oddly shaped, and might not work with a lot of what is already in your wardrobe. Cue the ‘I reaaally like this, but …’s, ey.

They needn’t be, though. A statement item can really jazz up a casual outfit without too much planning beforehand – perfect for short notice event invitations – or be a talking point that doesn’t really command much styling elsewhere. Personally, I lean more towards statement accessories – bags and shoes are a bit of a vice – but there are so many fun statement items around right now that I’ve got a bit of a wishlist forming. So here’s an edit of my current favourites.

asos exaggerate flame boots – £55 // asos eagle frosted heel sock boots – £38 // Daisy street lightning heeled ankle boots – £34.99 // asos pancakes embroidered platforms – £48 // public desire jessa chunky boots pink w/ white heel  – £39.99 // lost inc geneva grey high cut clear ankle heel boots – £48 // new look embroidered ankle boots (wide fit) – £34.99

Floral patterns have hit the high street with a vengeance – there are so many boots of varying heel height sporting a botanic print, in a variety of fabrics too. They range from delicate accents towards the heel, to full on coverage, so if you’re not ready to go full floral force, you can find a bit of a happy medium if you want to try the trend.

In a similar vein, metallics are currently a Hot Item, which makes for a fab addition to a subtle party look. I’m totally in love with both the lightning heeled ankle boots from Daisy Street (£34.99) and the Asos exaggerate flame boots (£55), as they’re eye-catching but also really versatile. They’d work fab with a variety of denim pieces, or add a bit of a grungy kick to a girlier outfit.

Alternatively, if you want to make a statement but prefer block colours, there are a range of fabulously bright boots and shoes to suit your needs. My favourites at the moment are the pastels; Public Desire has a brilliant colour range in their Jessa boot, outrageous platform and all, as well as the pointy pastel Geneva grey pair by Lost Inc. I’m also loving the fact that many of the statement trends are being incorporated into one shoe: perspex or clear heels are such a fab and easy piece to pop into your wardrobe if you want to have something a little bit different, but don’t want to go whole hog.

shop the shoes:

chuu wool tassel triangle bag – $37 // playnomore chuu vanilla – £185 // lydc exclusive sparkle controller cross body bag – £28 // skinnydip holographic cross body with stud detail – £28 // asos embossed heart cross body bag – £18 // topshop badge detailed clutch – £26 // topshop floral embroidered cross body bag – £34

On the bag front, the game has really been upped by the likes of Skinnydip in the highstreet realm. It’s nice to see more fun accessories at an accessible price point – designer bags are fab for uniqueness if the more classic options aren’t your cup of tea, and mid-tier brands like Playnomore have me daydreaming – because they can really add something to a wardrobe that leans towards more neutral colours.

They’re also a fab option to take to parties and events if you prefer more low-key outfits, in the same way shoes are, since they create a talking point without having to put too much effort in. The triangle bag with wool tassels from Chuu ($37), a favourite Korean brand of mine, is pretty neutral in colour, but the pyramid shape makes it fun and quirky, while still being practical. They market it as #cute and #unique, which it definitely is, coming in a range of shades that are easy to work around an outfit, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it before. They have the same shape in a few other styles: short fur with an o-ring handle, a more plush fur with the leatherette wrist strap called snow-drop, and the first iteration of the design.

Sticking with unique, LYDC London has a fab range of fun pieces out at the moment, like this sparkle controller cross body bag. They’ve also dipped into the ‘eyes’ trend with a few items in their current collection too, which definitely make a fun addition to a party look.

Alternatively, you could go the way of adding some statement bits to the main part of your wardrobe. The massive revival of shirts and blouses this year – off the shoulder oversized white button downs have been such a lust of mine, and the ruffles!! speak to me in more ways that being cheaper than brand lolita blouses – has meant that some really interesting fashion statements can be made in the way of separates. I’m loving the ruffles under pinafores, slips, and sleeveless jumpsuits. The nod to the extremes in the way of embellishments and sleeves adds a bit of a couture vibe to the everyday. And of course, Lazy Oaf continues to bear the flag of the statement western brands.

river island jacquard tapered trouser – £38 // lazy oaf shirt dress with scribble dots – £68 // styleNANDA half and half deconstructed skirt in stripe – £45 // asos tulle maxi skirt – £60 // asos metallic pleated skirt with hanky hem – £35 // lost ink extreme ruffle sleeve shirt – £36 // missguided floral mesh embroidered bell sleeve crop top – £35

Ok, so, first. NEWSFLASH. ASOS now stocks a select range from styleNANDA!!!! It’s an edit of some of their more… I don’t really want to say accessible, pieces, but the stock up on ASOS is definitely more palatable for a western audience. If you weren’t aware already I’m kind of obsessed with styleNANDA – it’s a Korean brand that’s known, even in Korea, for being a bit zany and OTT; a few of my Korean friends really don’t get the appeal or even like their fashion, and I admit some of their lines make me question things, but generally I’m a fan.

Secondly: there’s been a massive trend recently (and by recently I mean subtly for the last two years, more overtly now) of ‘split’ pieces – a part of the item will be completely contrasting to the other part, in pattern, design and even length. Givenchy started it, so you can lay the blame there if you’re rolling your eyes. I quite like some items that follow this pattern, like this styleNANDA half and half deconstructed stripe skirt (£45) it’s definitely a statement, but really quite wearable at the same time with the striped materials not clashing too much, but still contrasting.

Tulle isn’t exactly the most transport friendly, but if you’re wanting to make a grand, princessy entrance, it’s a go to. I have one or two tulle skirts and tulle-skirted dresses that always make me feel so regal I need to find a more substantial christmas cracker tiara to wear with them. I love the burgundy shade of the tulle maxi from ASOS, all deep and rich and perfect for so many outfits.

Swinging back to the florals, I think these jacquard trousers by River Island are pretty darn snazzy – they’d be a fab alternative to dresses and skirts for special do’s, or if you’re generally looking for something a little more tailored. They’re a shorter ankle, so would work really nicely with shoes from a strappy sandal heel to a black boot.

shop the edit:

I do love the vibrancy of the high street right now – there is honestly so much around, and new places to shop from all the time that it’s 1) fab and also 2) a bit of a nightmare if you have a massively deep-rooted love of clothes.

But I genuinely feel that the direction fashion is moving in at the moment is such a brilliant place for finding personal style and having fun with looks and creativity.

Let me know what you think of these pieces! And let me know which brands are your favourite for that statement fix (mine is definitely styleNANDA still… but there are some Korean brands that are inching up the rankings…I can do a post on that if you’d like?).

♥

instagram | twitter | youtube

Follow