Statement pieces have become very popular in recent years, but many people are confused as to what, exactly, a statement piece is. Some think statement pieces have to be expensive while others think that they must be from well-known designers. As it turns out, a statement piece need not be large, flashy, expensive, or from any particular brand. In fact, a statement piece need only be something eye-catching that pulls an entire outfit together.
Having outlined what a statement piece is, it is possible to offer some guidelines about what to look for. Remember that these are general guidelines, not hard and fast rules. A statement piece should, above all else, reflect your personality.
Though they don’t have to be, most statement pieces are large. They are large simply because size helps to make a piece recognizable. Match your jewelry to your body size though. A piece that looks large on one person may be perfect for another or a piece that looks large with one outfit may look smaller with another.
Size isn’t all that matters though. Shape, age, and design are all just as important as size. When it comes to shape, think about what accentuates the part of your body where the jewelry will be displayed. When it comes to age, think about whether you are vintage person or tend more toward the modern. Vintage jewelry is quite popular right now. When considering quantity and design, think about whether your want your piece to be a single, large item or comprised of many smaller items in a sort of mosaic. Again, personality is key, so match each property to your own personal sense of style.
One of the best ways to develop a unique statement piece is to create one yourself. If you are interested in making your statement piece rather than buying it, consider building a braided necklace. In just six easy steps, you can have a beautiful necklace that is custom made to display your personality, which is by far your best asset.
Steps to Building a Braided Necklace
1. Necklace Design
Before you jump in to constructing the necklace, you need to decide on a design. Some people just want a simple string of beads while others prefer the beads to be woven together to create a sort of medallion that hangs from a chain. Also decide on things like how long the chain will, how thick the beads will be, what color scheme you are going for, what type of metal you want, and so forth.
2. Gather materials
These are just the things you need for simple braided necklace. For more complicated designs, you may need other components.
.  Beads – These can be any color and shape you like. You can choose to mix and match beads or keep things consistent.
.  Wire – You’ll need a wire, that you can manipulate well, to hold the beads. That usually means looking for wires with gauges between 16 and 22 in most cases. To see a selection of wire sizes and materials, check out WigJig.com. You can also use nylon twine, string, of any other material that suits your fancy.
.  Clasps – You need something to secure the necklace to your body. You will also need decorative clasps to hold the beads to the wire unless you plan to tie the wire off an hide it in your design.
.  Accessories – Beads can be accentuated with a special chain or other ornamental piece. The sky is really the limit here, so use your imagination. The chain will be attached to the wires (which hold the beads but are not usually seen) and then to the clasps to create the necklace.
.  Pliers – These are necessary for holding and bending wire and for crimping certain clasps.
.  Scissors – These are need to cut the wire.
3. Bead Placement
Take a length of wire and attach a decorative clasp to one end (or tie off the wire so that the beads won’t slip off). Start adding beads, in a pattern that suits you, until you get a length you desire. If you are making a single chain necklace, then you can attach the clasps for taking the necklace on and off at this point. If you are going for a medallion design, keeping reading.
4. Repeat Step Three
Depending on the size of the necklace you desire, you’ll want to repeat step three until you have several strands (at least six in most cases).
5. Attach the Strands at One End
Attach the strands together at one end using a hook, loop, or other connector. This end will act as your anchor. Note that you will probably attach the chain that goes around your neck to this loop as well, so make it a pretty one as it will be seen.
6. Braid and Finish
Braid the individual strands together to create an interwoven look and then attach the loose ends together using another loop. Attach your chain to this final loop and your necklace is probably finished (unless you are adding additional clasps to take the necklace on and off.
Personal Statement
If you followed the tips above, you now have a great statement piece that no one else in the world will have. It will not only looks great, but will showcase your personality and so should be worn with confidence. Now all you have to do is pick the right outfit to compliment your necklace and show it off to the world.
Wynona Zaph is passionate about crafting. She especially enjoys blogging about inspirational designs and project how-tos.