Love making a statement? 4 Style Panel tips for making more than one at the same time

A Story by liker

We’re all experts at working a standout piece into our everyday look by now. From statement jewellery to show-stopping outfits during fashion week, we made sure you were covered when it came to standing out in a well-dressed crowd. But have the thought of wearing more than one statement piece in one look ever crossed your mind? Is it really a faux paux to wear a bejewelled necklace with a floral circle skirt and a pair of multi-coloured platform heels all in one outfit? Our Style Panel doesn’t seem to think so (when done correctly, of course). It’s no easy feat to wear more than one standout piece, so this week, we asked our Style Panel members for help. Without looking too over-the-top, our panelists show us exactly how to style two (or more!) statement pieces in one look, skillfully.

Print-happy Barbara Ann Solomon of Barbara Ann’s Style Blog is a natural when it comes to working more than one statement pieces into her look, thanks to dyeing her hair a fire truck red. Since then, this blogger has mastered the art of teaming floral maxi dresses and pastel pumps, effortlessly juxtaposing her fiery red hair. Velvet and Vino’s Becky Kung and With A City Dream’s Emma Walker seemed to be on the same wardrobe wavelength when it came to figuring out what piece of clothing would balance out their eye-catching accessories. And if you ever need a brush up on how to wear statement jewellery, Kayla Short of Short Presents is your go-to girl.

Image:junior bridesmaid dresses

Fashion, for me, is fun because it’s all about making statements. Typically the rule is to only have one statement piece per outfit�"something to draw the eye to your outfit. But since I’ve dyed my hair fire truck red nearly two years ago, I’ve had to rework my wardrobe and relearn how to balance more than one statement.

The trick that I use is to ensure you only have one statement per commodity (one item of clothing, one accessory and one feature for beauty). With a patterned dress like this, I’ve added a contrasting peep-toe pump, allowing the two pieces to draw the eye back and forth. Each is a statement piece when worn separately, but with its similar tones, they can also work perfectly together.

Statement pieces can look different for each outfit and the mood you’re feeling that day. For this look it’s about combining a stand-out lace top with a fedora hat. Even though subtle and stylish, both pieces are enough on their own and also a great match when paired together. By combining with a basic pair of denim jeans and neutral booties, these two pieces create a playful twist.

My favourite way to wear more than one statement piece is to stick to neutral palettes. For this look, I let the color from my wedges do the talking while the jeans and white top added a good contrast. The fringe makes the look fun, while the boyfriend jeans keeps the look on trend.

They always say pick one focal point and stick to that, but these days it’s kind of an anything goes kind of vibe. From chunky layered necklaces to major ear bling: nothing is off limits. Personally I’ve really been into exploring those old piercing in my ears that have been abandoned since I was 14 (yeah I’m surprised they’ve not grown over yet too), but just because I’m wearing earrings doesn’t mean I’m going to forgo my necklaces too!

How I make it work is to keep all the jewels in the same family. So you’ll see here there are pearls in my ears, as well as my necklace, and the laser cut necklace is similar to these rose bud studs, so it doesn’t look like it’s too much. I then keep the outfit pretty basic with a white tank and denim cut offs.