As a fashion editor, my job is to detect trends on the regular. I’m really not trying to boast here, but I truly take pride in thumbing through Instagram or turning to the streets to spot cool new looks worth testing out. In reference the latter, I often uncovered the freshest street style trends when I lived in NYC and L.A. I now live in Boston, and despite it not being a “fashion capital,” I actually see forward looks all the time. In fact, it’s the unique accessory trends that often make me do a double-take when I’m prancing around Newbury Street.
What’s even more noteworthy is that many of the extras I take note of in Boston (or my hometown in Wisconsin) often look expensive but don’t necessarily come with the enormous price tags. I know this because I asked a woman sitting next to me at a coffee shop where her unique mock-croc bag was from, and she said Urban Outfitters. TBH, I wasn’t even that surprised, because if cheaper bags or shoes come in a modern shapes and feature high-end-feeling details, they could totally pass as designer.
Because I ventured a guess you may be interested in more of the expensive-looking accessory trends I see on the regular (come on, who doesn’t love to feel fancy on the cheap, right?), I curated a list of the most beautiful, budget-friendly pieces I notice in the “smaller” cities I’m often in. Keep scrolling to learn more—and shop a few (or seven) of the under-$200 items in question for yourself.
