Last week, we explored summer jewelry trends and how they can elevate warm-weather basics. Last month, we did a rundown of summer scarves. But necklaces and kerchiefs aren’t the only accessories for summer you can use to experiment with your style.
With temperatures rising, staring into your closet most mornings during a heatwave often leads to wearing purely functional pieces that tend to feel sartorially uninspired. However, utilizing accessories can add polish and make clothes into outfits. Here’s a look at summer trends to try out.
This wouldn’t be any type of summer accessory roundup without attention being paid to the seasonal essential of sunglasses. Several styles are trending, but 60s-inspired oversized frames tend to add a sense of drama and elegance to even the simplest of looks. For day-to-day use, I wear Diff Eyewear’s “Bella” sunglasses with a squared-shaped oversized frame. Another fun square pair is Velvet’s “Gina” tortoise sunglasses. For something a bit more retro and dramatic, check out Free People’s Juni Oversized Round Sunglasses in either black tortoise or a more translucent lemon tint lens.
Next up, since layers that add character and texture to an outfit are out of the question during these sunny, sweaty days, pile on jewelry instead. You can and should mix and match beaded strands you already own, or if you want to work smarter, not harder in these dog days of summer, pick up a multi-strand piece like the Four-Strand Colorful Kantha necklace from Cultural Elements. This will bring quite a bit of boho to your tank top and pull-on linen pants. If chains and links are more your style, again look to your current jewelry collection and pair several necklaces of varying lengths to create your own “stack,” or look to Boden’s Irregular Layered Necklace for an elegant four-in-one piece that will sparkle over your white tee and Bermuda shorts.
For something unexpected, consider adding a brooch to your look. You may think that traditional brooches are old-fashioned; however, it’s not the brooch, but how you wear it, that makes them a fun and modern accessory for summer. Pin a few petite brooches or pins, like Target’s A New Day Butterfly & Flowers Brooch Pin set, across a baseball cap or a summertime tote bag. Give your brooch purpose by creating a wrap shape to pin an oversized button-down. Or take a bigger brooch, like the Amaryllis Brooch from the Met Store, to secure a neck scarf. I especially like a floral or traditional brooch with a paisley bandana tied around the neck; the contrast is an aesthetic choice as well as a functional one, since wearing a bandana in the summer is practical. Or lean into the sunshiny vibes of the season with novelty pins like Lands’ End’s Bag Pin Set in the theme of “Brunching” with lipstick pins, mimosa pin, and seashore sunset pin.
Of course, we talked about scarves in a previous edition, but I wanted to double down and point out that they are by far the most underutilized accessory for summer. Whether you use them as a head covering, a swimsuit cover-up, a neck scarf, or zhuzhing up your daily look by tying them around your everyday bag, don’t sleep on scarves this season.
In addition to a scarf, you can also add a charm to your bag to add color, create texture, or evoke contrast in a simple T-shirt and shorts. Bag charms can be charming(duh), elegant, or plucky, and are a fun means of giving a little wink toward your individuality and personal style. Of course, last year PopMart led the bag charm charge with Labubus and all that nonsense, and yes, I did buy some for my children, and then, of course, school banned them because kids were losing them. So, for adult women, you can still have fun with charms and not look ridiculous. For example, Rifle Paper Co’s Enamel Keychains can also work on a bag with those that come with carabiner clips, like their chicken or sardine-shaped chains. Or BaubleBar’s Mushroom Bag Charm available at Nordstrom Rack for a cheeky twist for your book bag or tote.
Lastly, shoes. For a change in pace, literally and style-wise, this summer consider giving your standard sneakers and flats a break and instead look for a shoe that takes the best of both in one style. Ballet-inspired sneakers are an unexpected way to add intentionality to any humdrum look. With the rubbery sole and walkability of the classic sneaker and the eye-catching details of a ballerina flat, these truly give you the best of both worlds between function and fashion. You can style a pair like Aldo’s Arabesque flat with both athletic and non-athletic looks all summer long. For a more colorful option, check out Puma’s Speedcat Ballet Suede in sapphire, mint, or dusky rose and turn joggers and tanks into bold or sweetly romantic outfits.
Summer outfitting has its challenges, and while we all tend to opt for simple, straightforward garments to beat the heat, you can still maintain your sense of personal style with thoughtful accessories.
