Have you ever wondered what fashion and personal stylists know that help them nail all those amazing looks. As with everything, a little bit of styling knowledge is key to making your outfits go from just looking good to absolutely amazing. In this post I will be sharing one of the secrets to making any outfit you choose not only look good, but amazing too. Have you ever heard of the third piece rule? If not you are probably not alone.
What is the third piece rule?
The third piece rule states when you are planning an outfit, you must make sure there is a third element that ties your whole look together. Your base elements are your top and bottoms. These can be a skirt, pair of trousers or jeans. The third piece is what you add to these two to complete your look.
What can you add as a third piece?
A third piece can be statement jewellery, a blazer, hat, leather jacket or anything you can think of to add to your outfit. It’s important to note shoes and bags don’t count so you are going to need to be a bit more creative when trying to find that third piece.
To help you with ideas on what third pieces you can add to your outfit, here is a list of some looks to try.
Look 1: Skirt, top + a denim jacket
Look 2: White t-shirt, jeans + a statement gold necklace
Look 3: Jeans, white t-shirt, + a blazer
Look 4 Shirt, trousers + statement earrings
Look 5: Dress , belt + fedora hat
Other third piece ideas to add
You can apply the third piece rule with many other items in your closet. These include but are not limited to:
1. Knit Vests
2. An unbuttoned shirt over a T-shirt or sleeveless top
4. Cardigan
6. Statement jewellery
5. Statement tights or socks
7. Head scarves
Who uses the third piece rule?
As I mentioned, stylists use this technique to dress and advise their clients on how to pull a look together. Many fashion stores also encourage their staff to apply the third piece rule when dressing for work. This is to make them appear more polished and stylish when facing customers. Effortlessly stylish and polished is the purpose behind this rule. This rule not only applies to women’s styling but to men’s too.
Does the third piece rule work with dresses?
Yes of course it can. One way you can wear dresses using this technique is by adding a denim jacket and an accessory such as a necklace or a hat to make the third piece. It is that simple. Some of you were probably already doing it without realising.
Give the third piece rule a try
The third piece rule will make a difference to how you style your clothes. It doesn’t take much to try this technique. You probably already have what you need in your closet to give it a go.
Remember shoes and bags don’t count so get creative with it. You can share your looks on instagram and hashtag #stylebychie or tag me so I can see how you get on. Let’s all look great together.
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*Disclaimer. This post may contain affiliate links meaning I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Just so you know I only ever recommend products from retailers I trust and have used.
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