STATEMENT PURSE

What is it about an item that makes it a statement piece?

I think of statement pieces as interesting, attractive and relatively eye-catching wardrobe items that reflect your personality. They are usually quite bold and unique, but not necessarily brightly colored and oversize. They are often, but not always, the thing people notice first about your outfit. Sometimes they become items that people associate with your signature style.For me personally, the first statement pieces that come to mind are accessories: my jewelry, my shoes and my handbags. All of my statement pieces make me confident and happy with my outfit.Are statement pieces a personal inner thought, or an overt statement to the rest of the world? I think a true statement piece has elements of both. My philosophy is that style is about creating a positively reinforcing feedback loop between the way we feel and the way we look. It connects our inner thoughts and feelings to the story we tell to the rest of the world. Statement pieces are like the headlines in this story.

A statement bag can transform an outfit. It can take your ensemble from zero to ten with one shoulder toss. It shows style, sophistication, and can literally act as a shield against the world. Heck, Coco Chanel invented the inside pocket in her purses for “women’s secrets” and the shoulder strap because “I was fed up holding purses in my hands and losing them so I added a strap and carried them over my shoulder.”
Not only does your bag enclose the contents of what you need to get through the day, but it also shows you are serious about how you are presenting yourself, that you know your brands, and that you are worth that bag.

If you're going to drop serious cash on a new wardrobe staple, chances are it's going to be on a special accessory, like a killer bag. It's something that you'll use over and over again, as opposed to a quick-hit fashion item you might only wear a handful of times (and inevitably ends up in the black hole that is the bottom of your closet). Okay, before you roll your eyes at the idea of spending a significant chunk of change on any item, just remember the cost-per-wear trick. 

Until next time fashionistas xoxo "ORSHAFASH"