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Your personal “signature” items

nemosmom

Veteran

Since I am on a self-imposed shopping ban this month, I am using the opportunity to chart my course for the rest of the year (read: overthink my closet). I was going through old posts about signature style, and also refreshing my knowledge on identifying wardrobe essentials v. statements and it got me wondering:

Those things that you define as your own personal “signature” pieces, how many are essentials v. statements?

General

51 replies

Latest reply was from

Anonymous

Belts for sure; both needed as essential and make a bold statement.

Black clothing, more of a statement than an essential.

Runcarla

Veteran

Striped t-shirts or sweaters and Converse sneakers are signature to my style. I think I have items that fall in both categories. Navy and white stripes are essential, but colourful multi stripe is more statement. Black and white sneakers are essentials, but red ones are statement.

At least, that’s what I think! I’ve always had trouble with essentials vs statements.

SarahD8

Veteran

This is such an interesting question.

My first response was that a lot of my signature items are accessories, like the scarf with a geometric bird print in shades of blue and black that I wear a lot this time of year. That would be a statement, I think.

And, for me a lot of items feel signature to a specific season, not just to my personal style overall.

Abalone, agate, and gold signet rings — signatures especially for deep winter. Abalone is a statement while my heirloom rings (which I almost always wear together) are essentials.

But, cognac riding boots: signature and essentials that get worn across multiple seasons.

Here’s an interesting one: my Liberty print puffer vest is a statement piece. Not sure it feels like a signature to me. But my Liberty print sundresses are absolutely signature items in my summer wardrobe.

“Signature” seems a very intuitive term to me. I will be interested to see if Angie or someone else pops in with a firm definition.

I wonder if it also depends on time in the wardrobe. Maybe pieces one has had for longer are more likely to become signatures? Then again, I’ve certainly had pieces that felt like signatures right away.

Hmmm, hmmm

nemosmom

Veteran

Jess - belts are definitely signature for you!

Runcarla - I struggle with statements v. essentials, too. And, maybe I keep wanting to equate signature with essential, but I'm not so sure that is right either. I think of those like Iris Apfel - her bold accessories are definitely signature, and even though they are statement pieces, I would think they are essential to her style.

SarahD8 - I am most likely overthinking it. Interesting that your Liberty vest is not signature, but your dresses are. I would think cardigans are signature for you, no?

Irina

Veteran

Essentials or what I call basics, take 80% of my wardrobe. The rest is statements, although I don’t like the term, I prefer “fashion pieces”.

Relaxed straight or wide pants, dresses over such pants are my signature style. All the dresses are in the “fashion” category and pants in my main colors are basics.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Interesting question. For me, the biggest signature is hair. Short and now silver. Associated with that -- silver jewellery and footwear. These I consider "collectible" in a way. All of these might be considered "statements" or at least I try to wear them as statements. In "matching" footwear and jewellery to hair I'm trying to amp up the statement value, to show it as intentional.

Also signature are certain outfit combinations. The outfits that feel signature to me -- that I've really enjoyed wearing the most, ever since the 80s! -- are the following:

Outfit 1

Jeans (cut varies with the trends -- so just "my current favourite" -- could be an essential, e.g. slim dark wash OR a statement, e.g. paper bag waist wide legs)
Blazer (could be an essential -- e.g. a navy blazer -- OR a statement, e.g. a fuchsia blazer)
Turtleneck or crewneck or boatneck (in winter) or sleeveless top (in summer) Each top style is signature -- but the tops themselves could be statement or essential, depending on details of construction, colour, etc.
Booties or boots (again, my current favourite -- style will depend on trend -- usually but not invariably a statement).

Outfit 2

Two piece dress (style can vary -- but the 2 piece element is key -- and it could be a statement or an essential.)

Navy is part of my signature style -- and most of my navy items are essentials. Stripes might also be considered part of my signature style; I mostly wear them in neutrals so probably these are not statements.

That probably muddies things rather than clarifies them.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

Like Runcarla I’m always a bit lost between essentials and signitures but if I go on what I wear most it’s jeans,boots,scarves and a casual topper .ln the winter knitted jackets and denim in the summer.

slim cat

Veteran

Turquoise accessoires - earrings, pendants, bracelets, black bag with turquoise/off white print, scarfs, hair ( occasionally ).
Jeans - straight in winter/fall, flare/wide - spring/summer - worn with graphic tops/shirts/dusters. Layering - even in hot weather ( can't do just tee and crops, or just a dress ).

kkards

Veteran

Nodding at much of what Suz wrote. Navy is my signature color and I own both basic and statement piece in it.
I am a uniform dresser and tend to use my footwear as my signature pieces- and because most people seem to default to black it seems that just getting navy shoes makes them a statement
In the past couple of years I’ve upped my denim game and have a nice collection of statement denim.
But Overall my closet is more non statement pieces but in my statement color.
For me part of this calculation is that I work in an office and so see the same people daily. I think if I worked in a job where each day I interacted with different people I’d feel more comfortable repeating statement pieces more often

JAileen

Veteran

My signature is my silver hair. My other signature is the colors I wear - grey, blue, olive and pink. But mostly grey and navy. The colors are represented in every thing I wear, shoes, pants, tops, jackets, and bags.

Irina

Veteran

I would describe my “signature” style as loose, flowing outfits. My basic and statement clothes are oversized or flowing. So, the fit is the same and they represent my “signature” style.
My basics are plain and in my main colors. My statements can be in unusual for me colors, prints or would have some details. I replace my basics with almost exactly the same pieces. Statements on another hand are not plain, they are more adventurous and don’t always work
This year I’m trying 5 pieces per season system to keep my adventures in check

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I feel my shoes would be my signature and I picked my moniker to represent this: the Sassy Shoemaker’s Elf. I do like to have something else that feels a tiny bit sassy ( to me, maybe not to others) in the outfit but I am in my late 50s and in a serious profession so on some days I suspect that is not the case. Also really casual at-home days, gardening or similar, don’t need to have anything signature in the outfit, I’m not bothered.

Anonymous

My signature items are all essential items in my wardrobe. For me, slim, black pants are both essential and signature. Tote bags and 18" inch pearl necklaces are as well. I have items that are not signature, but might be essential.

Oh! And colors. Fuchsia and medium pink are signature.

nuancedream

Veteran

Like Suz, my short, tapered hair is my signature look. I'm rarely seen without large statement earrings or unique footwear because they add that extra bit of polish to a plain outfit.

notsaf

Veteran

Great question and a great time of year to reflect on this. To my mind, signature is a different domain from essentials/statements. That is, essentials and statements can be signatures or not, as demonstrated by all the example so far.

Signatures for me in cool fall/winter are:
- J Crew Regent blazers (esp. black)
- Oversized scarves
- Breton tees
- Dark skinnies
- Black booties

Signatures for me in warm fall/spring are:
- Oversized sunnies
- Trench coats
- Ballet flats and feminine loafers worn without socks
(plus blazers, Bretons, and skinnies from above)

Signature for me for high summer are:
- Denim jacket
- Empire-waist dresses
- Gucci totebag
(plus sunnies from above)

Year-round signatures are:
- Wedding ring
- Delicate gold jewelry
- Good hair (not always achieved!)

I've shown some finds below. These are things I wear on a very regular basis, if not daily, and they're things I've used over and over for many seasons in one form or another (some the exact pieces, some dupes and replacements). The fact that I have fewer for warm weather than cool is yet another sign that I could work on refining my warm-weather look!

J.Crew Regent Stand Collar Blazer

View Info

Top Pick

3

The Jean Jacket in Pinter Wash

View Info

Top Pick

1

View Info

View Info

View Info

The Cat

Veteran

Among my signature items are:
● My thick silver hair. (Statement)
● Bold glasses. (Statement)
● Shawls and scarves. (Statements)
● Midi skirts. (Essentials/statements)
● Often statement footwear.
● Items with simple/essential lines and bold/statement colours (e.g. tank tops / lace camisoles, tees, crewnecks, turtlenecks, and V-cardigans).

rachylou

Veteran

Very interesting question. I’m thinking most would go down as statements because I feel I tend to do with just one of the essentials. Except maybe white jumpers... but then again I wouldn’t say those were signature.

Helena

Veteran

Hmm, I'm not sure at the moment, I would have said skinny jeans and navy blue, but I've made a few small tweaks and changes ... so we'll see what emerges. After all the positive feedback, maybe a berry lippie should become a signature ... and I always wear my bird necklace to remind me of my Mom (as DD calls it, my "Nana necklace") ... or more broadly, delicate jewellery.

Helena

Veteran

... just reading the thread again, I feel like a signature item is something that someone would know you by as distinct ... i.e. if stripes are your signature, someone at your work who didn't know you well still might say, "Oh, she's the one who's always in a striped top".

The thing that people would recognize you by, if that makes sense ...

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I’ve just realised that I didn’t answer the original question properly, as to whether my signature items are statements or essentials. I think in my case my shoes are more often statements than not. The type of outfit ( frequently slim pants and a long top) is probably more of an essential.

Roxanna

Veteran

What a great question!
Signatures for me are:
- my haircut
- blazers
- brooches
- shawls and scarves
Menswear brogues
- midi skirts in summer

Essentials are :
- some kind of topper, always
- flat polished looking shoes
- tailored pants

nemosmom

Veteran

Thank you everyone for your responses!

TG - I think you've nailed it - what set off the question for me was when DH commented on an old jacket of mine a couple of days ago. I tried it on and asked him what he thought, and his response was, "that is such a you jacket".

hmmm....

Brooklyn

Veteran

I think it varies. For summer I would say a plain coloured sleeveless knit top is signature for me - that’s an essential. But I would also say a patterned floral skirt is signature - and that’s more likely to be a statement piece. Also long pendants and big cuffs are signature - statement items again. But so are neutral coloured shoes - and they are essentials.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Signature for me:

- jackets with some bit of “tough” element (leather, moto style, a masculine edge, etc)
- bootcuts and flares (full length)
- statement rings
- midi length casual skirts and dresses (especially in summer)

deb

Veteran

Glasses and footwear. I cannot have enough of either of them.

Sal

Veteran

I could answer it for some forum members - definitely Suz’s silver hair and Brooklyn’s knit tops with patterned midi skirts and JenniNZ footwear.

For me I suspect my signature pieces are statements
- floral summer dresses - I have four
- wider leg culottes - I have three

There are some very well worn combos and items that I have and tend to repeat

- black pants
- camel or tan footwear
- jackets over tees ( rather then shirts)

And I think messy bob hair with sunnies is pretty signature.

For you NemosMum I think of great jeans, shades of green and interesting stylish footwear.

Also I think

SarahD8

Veteran

Oh! I think I phrased my post poorly! By “ “Signature” seems a very intuitive term to me” I didn’t mean “I got it, this is obvious (and you by extension are overthinking)” but rather that when I try to list my signatures I feel like I’m going with my gut rather than applying an explicit definition. Sorry if that came off wrong and sounded dismissive!

Good point about cardigans. I do consider cardigans a signature element of my style, yet there’s not one particular cardigan I can point to and say it is my signature.

notsaf

Veteran

Nemosmom, I'm laughing about your reaction to what your husband said. Did you agree? TG is really onto something that signatures are as much about what other people notice as what we feel to be key about our own choices. And the former is sometimes so hard to judge!

@Sal, I think your gold bomber and your black jumpsuit are definitely signature pieces!

Joy

Veteran

Friend would say that I am seldom seen without a scarf so scarves seem to be my signature piece year round, all sizes and fabrics. This may be morphing into wraps and silk kimono jackets.
My silver bobbed hair is also a signature usually bookended with silver or white footwear.

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