Spring Statement Piece, Styled 3 Ways

This post is sponsored by Nordstrom and ShopStyle.

Happy Friday, everybody!

If you’re like me, you are a little sad today.  Spring Break is almost over, we’ve been living our best lives, and I’m not ready to get back into the routine of things quite yet.  We are realllllllllly good at relaxing and slowing down over here.

Still, even though I’m feeling a little sad today, the happy clothes in this post are helping me to perk right back up!  I’m all about bright, colorful, and happy clothes and accessories for Spring.

Today’s post is extra fun, because I’m working with Nordstrom and ShopStyle to execute a challenge that they issued me.

Challenge Issued:  Find a Spring statement piece, and style it several different ways.

Easy enough.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, Y’ALL.

To begin my challenge, I set out to find a great statement piece.  In my mind, a statement piece is an item that is bold and a bit more daring than a piece you would typically reach for.  And it’s one that could potentially be difficult to style in multiple ways, which is where the challenge comes in.

Nobody wants to purchase a piece that can only be worn one way, so when deciding on if I should purchase an item, I always try to think of AT LEAST 3 ways I’ll wear it.  With most pieces, that’s easy!  But statement pieces are bit more challenging.   And I never back down from a challenge.  #unlessitinvolvesrunning #andthenimout

Well, I feel like I knocked it out of the park on this one, ladies.

I searched Nordstrom’s site to find a statement piece.  I thought about this leopard button up (that I actually ended up styling on Monday’s post) and this green navy and white pleated skirt, but I landed on this really fun color block cross body bag.

I MEAN.  HOW DARLING IS THIS BAG.

Y’all know I love a cross body, and this one has a sporty vibe that’s different than my other cross body bags.  It also comes in a solid black as well as an ivory/yellow combo, but I of course had to go with the vibrant pink and red combination.  I love pink and red together and thought the color blocking was so much fun.  The interior of the bag contains 2 open pockets 1 large zippered pocket.  One side of the bag also has an exterior pocket that snaps closed.  It’s a great size for when you need a hands free option (12 x 8), and the strap is adjustable based on your height (from 14″ – 26″).

(Sidenote:  This bag is by Treasure and Bond, and when you buy Treasure & Bond, Nordstrom will donate 2.5% of net sales to organizations that work to empower youth.  How cool is that!)

So when thinking about how to style the above bag, several “easy” outfits came to mind immediately:

•  A black maxi with converse.
•  White jeans with a blush tee and denim jacket.
•  A white tee with black jeans and leopard flats.
•  A light grey v neck sweater with denim jeans and black sneakers.

But for the style challenge, I didn’t want to necessarily go the easy route.  I wanted to throw the “easy” styling ideas out there, but I also wanted to prove how you could think a bit out of the box for even more options.

OUTFIT #1

With this first outfit, I wanted to prove that just because the bag is bold, it didn’t mean I had to go basic with the outfit.  At first thought, I think most would probably assume that solid and neutral colors (white, grey, black) would be best with the vibrant pink and red bag, but that’s not necessarily the case!

For Outfit #1, I chose a brightly colored striped sweater and whimsical pair of earrings for a really happy outfit that I loved.

striped sweater (plus size version HERE)/ black sunglasses / earrings / cross body bag / ankle jeans / white denim jacket / must have wedges

The sweater is a super soft and lightweight knit that feels great.  This particular sweater comes in 12 solids and 8 striped colorways (including a green, pink, and navy stripe that I’m dying overand a pink and navy).  I HIGHLY recommend it and will for sure be grabbing it in one of the solids (I’m leaning toward the red hisbiscus).  It’s perfect on it’s own, but it’s also great for layering under a light jacket.  This sweater is made for transitional weather and can easily be dressed up or down.  Personally, I can’t wait to wear it with my white jeans.

I love the wide band on the bottom.  It’s lightweight enough to easily do a half tuck, but I also like it worn out like I’ve done here. I’m wearing a small, so it’s true to size.

striped sweater (plus size version HERE)/ cross body bag

The jeans.

I introduced y’all to them a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still absolutely loving them.  They are super stretchy (but they don’t sag!), very comfy, and sooooooooooooooooo flattering.  They hug me in all the right places and just make me feel great.  I love the medium wash, the slight whiskering, and the ankle length.  For size reference, I’m wearing a 4, so I think they’re true to size.

I love a raw hem (as you’ll see in a minute), but those of you looking for a non-distressed pair of jeans with a finished hem should check these out.

Here’s another shot of my statement piece.  LOVE.

Come! On! Spring!

The whole outfit also looks great with a white denim jacket thrown on top!  I have several colors of this jacket, but I added the white denim to my closet this week as part of my brand ambassadorship with Kut from the Kloth!  Just like all of my other KUT jackets, it’s stretchy, soft, and comfortable.  I sized up to a medium, which I pretty much always do in jackets.

Get The Look for Yourself Here:

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OUTFIT #2

For outfit #2, I went with a combo that is probably considered “more safe”.  I just took a cue from the bag and chose to stick with the two highlighted colors, so I went with a red top and some pink earrings.

red top / pink heart earrings / sunglasses / high waisted denim jeans / cross body bag / must have wedges

The top is a swingy fit, and I really love it.  It’s part linen, but it doesn’t seem to wrinkle like typical linen, which is probably due to the rayon blend.  It has pretty little gathers at the neckline and some nice open lattice detail down both sides (but not open enough that it would require a cami). I went with my regular size small, and it’s still oversized.

Because of the swingy fit, I would recommend only wearing it with skinny pants (even though the model on the site is wearing it with wide legged pants).  The swingy fit on top really does require a more fitted look on the bottom.

It’s a very pretty red, and it comes in white as well.

Now, let’s talk about the accessories.

These amazing sunnies are ONLY $16!  SIXTEEN DOLLARS!  They are over sized, a sleek black, and totally chic.  Go ahead and throw them in your cart.

The heart earrings are darling.  They’re actually a statement piece too, and they also come in red  and a mixed metal combo!  My lipstick is “fashion icon“, and it’s the lipstick I wear 90% of the time.  It appears much darker on the website than it actually is, but it is the right shade.

 

I talked about these particular higher waisted jeans on last Friday’s post (click HERE to see a close up of how high the waist is on me).  They’re perfectly stretchy, incredibly comfortable, and very slimming.  And I think the higher waist makes them feel totally chic.  The waist is high, but don’t be afraid of them, because it’s not too high.  I think of them as more of a higher mid rise, actually.

They have a great raw hem  (see below), and hit me perfectly right above my ankle. I will wear them with Converse, with sneakers, with sandals, and with wedges.  In the colder months they’ll be awesome with booties and tall boots. I’m a big ol’ fan.  They would look great dressed up with heels for a night out as well!

high waisted denim jeans / cross body bag / must have wedges

Get The Look For Yourself Here:

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OUTFIT #3

So, when putting this outfit together, I subscribed to the GO BIG OR GO HOME mentality.

I mean, the bag is pretty bold on it’s own.  So I doubled down with a really bright sweater.  And then I tripled down with lilac jeans.  #goBOLDorgohome

I did not follow the recommendation to size down in the sweater, and the small is definitely over sized.  Still, I like the fit.  If you don’t want such a relaxed fit, I would recommend sizing down.

striped rib sweater (plus size sweater HERE) / layered necklace / lilac jeans / cross body bag / must have wedges

I mean, it’s definitely a bold combo.  But I dig it.

These jeans are a really pretty shade of lilac, and I think they look great paired with the red and pink bag.  If you like the bag with the jeans, but you aren’t brave enough to wear the sweater with it all too, just thrown on a basic white tee and a denim jacket.  You could wear the same cognac sandals, or you could even pair my camo wedge sneaks with the more subdued outfit.

The jeans are pajama soft.

Really.

They are incredibly soft.

They are a beautiful color, a great fit, and I wish they made them in other colors as well.  I’m wearing my regular size 4.

lilac jeans / must have wedges

Get The Look For Yourself Here:

I hope today’s post has inspired you to add a statement piece to your wardrobe and to have fun with it while styling it!  You don’t always have to stay safe!

Here are some other statement pieces to choose from.  Just click on what you are interested in.

A huge THANK YOU to Nordstrom and ShopStyle for sponsoring this post.

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