Never overlook the power that good accessories hold. A strong accessory is something that can take a good outfit to a whole other level. Sometimes, all it takes it just one thing. Whether it's a handbag in a certain color, a pair of statement sunglasses, or an above-average belt, we rely on accessories to transform the clothing we already own and transition our wardrobe mainstays into the next season. When it comes to the accessories for fall 2024, they're so good that calling them an afterthought would honestly be a crime.
There are the belts, a typically boring piece that designers have been innovating on all year. The runways at Saint Laurent, Khaite, and Chloé saw the culmination of all this brainpower in the form of sculptural metal buckles shaped into hands and scripted logos that were more in the camp of art pieces than something to loop around your trousers. Next are hats. They infiltrated the streets in New York and Paris during fashion week and are now hitting the market in the form of pillbox hats, soft caps, and swim cap–inspired toppers. In essence, the accessories this season are a way to convey a feeling and add a healthy of dose of personality to your looks. Ahead, we're outlining the seven pieces set to have the most impact on fall 2024.
*The* handbag color of the season has arrived. While black bags will always be a mainstay in our closets, shades of rich chocolate brown and nutty chestnut are quickly gaining steam as the go-tos for fall. In particular, it's all about brown suede handbags that give off an elevated boho vibe that feels so luxe.
Ladies, swaddle yourselves. If you got the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days reference, we can be friends. In all seriousness, some of fall's strongest runway looks feature scarves, capes, and coverlets, and we're fully anticipating these toppers to be a trend that translates on the street as well. While the designer versions are seriously stunning (we're head over heels for this Prada cape), you need not shell out more than $30 for one that you can wrap around your shoulders, drape off your neck, or tie Audrey Hepburn style over your hair.
Fashion's fascination with big bracelets is only growing stronger as we enter the latter half of 2024. All year, we've charted their meteoric rise from emerging runway trend to full-blown It piece. The first iterations put forth by Saint Laurent and Alaïa may have been made from metals like gold and silver, but the trend is shifting to less precious materials like resin and acrylic.
In case we haven't spelled it out clearly enough by now, 2024 is the year of the belt. Belts have been on a major comeback tour, changing their reputation from boring-but-useful pieces to outfit-making additions. Chemena Kamali's debut Chloé collection put sculptural belts front and center with her crop of logo-script belts, and Khaite did as well with its hand-shaped clasps this season. Belts have dominated all year as a key piece, but this season is ushering in a new era of the statement belt.
Whether you call it quiet luxury or elegant style, there's no question that understated elegance is the mood of the moment, and the number one way to get in on the look for fall will be through the addition of a hat. The fall 2024 collections excited us with a fresh batch of silhouettes to consider and styling inspiration. From The Row's soft caps to the pillbox hats at Altuzarra and the swim-cap styles at Fforme, it seems like the leading quiet luxury labels are getting behind these personality pieces.
Sunglasses may get put on the back burner when the sun starts to dip lower in the sky and set earlier in the day, but the latest silhouette to emerge is simply too exciting to overlook. Acetate aviator styles à la Phoebe Philo are suddenly the shape we're seeing everywhere, and they confirm a hunch we've had for a while that larger frames are about to have a major comeback.
Beaded jewelry may feel like a summery item, but it's already on the next-season shopping lists of the most stylish people on our feeds. This tells us one thing: It's here to stay. Thanks to the elevated versions in carnelian jade and emerald quartz stones by jewelry designers Lié Studio and JiaJia, a rich color palette of deep red, indigo, green, and other earth tones is primed for fall wardrobing.
