If you’ve ever looked at an outfit in the mirror and thought, “Something’s missing,” you may have needed a Third Piece. This has happened to me several times this summer while wearing my Campbell & Kate white button down, and today’s Campbell & Kate blog post is about using a necklace for your Third Piece when it’s too hot for a blazer or cardigan.
In today’s Hourglassy post, however, I have two further thoughts on this subject that I want to explore with you:
1. Have you ever found a Third Piece to be like a security blanket? That’s what I discovered when spring disappeared and I could no longer wear my trusty red cardigan because of the heat. Suddenly my big chest felt very exposed in my all-white shirts. When I wear my coral necklace with my white shirts, however, I feel more secure because it takes the focus off my boobs.
In truth, I have very few Third Pieces in my closet, and I’m in danger of slipping into the rut that Imogen Lamport says results from wearing all supporting pieces or villains. This brings me to my second reflection.
2. How do you decide which Third Pieces are worth investing in? As I write on the other blog, I fell in love with this C.Wonder necklace last Friday. It costs $128.
I haven’t purchased it yet. Instead I took a photo of myself wearing it and showed it to a friend who has completed the FIT image consulting program and who rarely pays full price for anything. If anyone would tell me not to buy the necklace, I knew it would be her, but she told me to get it.
I’m inclined to do it for the following reasons:
a. I will get more wear out of this necklace than the blue Cache dress I wrote about a few weeks ago.
b. I’ve been looking for a striking yet simple gold necklace like this for a long time. I’ve even combed the wholesale stores in Manhattan where everyone claims you can find the same items that you find in department stores for mere dollars.
c. This will go with my white shirts AND my V- and scoop neck tees.
Just today I began putting together a list of items that I need for the fall, and I know this necklace would work with everything on that list in addition to most items already in my closet. In fact, I suspect it would work for most items in most of your closets, which is one reason I’m telling you about it. (It’s not exactly a metal collar like Erika features on her Fall Must-Have List today, but it accomplishes the same thing.)
The thing about Third Pieces is you never know when you’re going to find them. It’s easy to budget and plan for basics, but Third Pieces are another story. Haven’t you found that when you have extra money, you can’t find anything in the store that calls your name?
My final rationale for purchasing it is that because I’m a white shirt seller, I need to wear my white shirts a LOT, and I need accessories that are going to make me interesting. It could almost be a business expense, couldn’t it?
So I’ve been rambling. Sorry. I’m going to reflect on this further before I come up with an answer to my original question, and you’ll definitely be seeing photos of me wearing this necklace if I decide to buy it. I’d love to hear your stories on how you have decided to invest in some of the Third Pieces in your closet.
I once read some fashion advice that said “Before you go out, look at your outfit and take off one accessory”. I realised that most of the time if I were to do that, I’d have to take off my glasses (which are totally necessary), pull out some of my facial jewellery (nose or lip ring) or actually take off some necessary piece of clothing.
So, uh, I don’t accessorize much. If it’s warm enough, I will happily wear shoes and a dress and that’s it (as well as the aforementioned glasses and metal through flesh). I’ll wear jeans and a t-shirt, or jeans and a long top.
I really like my figure, so I often underdress because I’m afraid of covering up my body. I actually want to start going the other way around and wear more stuff and take the focus off my body occasionally.
That gold necklace is very pretty and I don’t usually like gold. I think it would make a great statement piece. I would never pay $128 for it though! I spend about $10 max on my jewellery xD But I can never be sure I’d wear it (and I don’t, usually).
Yes, business expense! Use it as a tax writeoff!
I often make my own jewelry if I see something online or in a store that I really like but don’t want to spend the money. You’d be amazed by the supplies you can find in the bead stores on 6th Ave between 34th and 40th.
This C. Wonder piece would be difficult to replicate, though, as it’s not just beads on a string. You might want to look into Amrita Singh jewelry. It’s a very similar style to this necklace, but it’s fairly inexpensive and shows up deeply discounted on flash sale sites like Ideeli.com and Hautelook.com ALL THE TIME.
Contrary Kiwi, I hadn’t thought of our bodies as the actual piece that contributes the excitement and demonstrates personality, but that’s an amazing point. Someone with colored hair, piercings and/or body art already has that “something more”.
Leah, I’m definitely visiting those bead stores. Today I’m actually wearing a glass pendant and ribbon necklace that I put together from a little place near Times Square last week.
By the way, another concern about buying that piece–the rest of my wardrobe would have to catch up to it to carry it off!
I don’t wear ear rings at all and don’t do prints much so often need accesories but necklaces are too often missing, I have lots of those but sinceI need to wear the work ID tag and keys around my neck every workday I can’t really wear anything but scarves with it. Instead I go for bangles as a thrid piece. Love this type delicate necklaces myself but usually I can only wear those to a fancy party.