Spring's Most-Wanted Accessories, From Hats to Handbags

Ready-to-wear gets a lot of airtime here at Who What Wear, but we cannot forget the importance of a good accessory. Strategic add-ons take a look from good to great and make the difference between wearing an outfit and styling one. This brings me to today's task: diving into the accessories set to define spring 2024.
There's a lot to unpack when it comes to accessories this season, even more so than usual. In 2024, personality pieces are leading the trend game, and hats, statement jewelry items, opera gloves, hosiery, and sculptural belts are all showing out, first on the runways and now in the real world. And then comes the shoe and handbag categories, where Prada, The Row, Chanel, and Alaïa currently have the upper hand on their high-fashion competitors. Out of thousands of options, find out which 29 accessories are already dominating the spring season ahead.
TikTok told me that this Reformation bag, called the Patrizia Bowling Bag, is a stellar alt for The Row's lauded Margaux bag.
It's hard to believe that bottle-cap necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are trending right now, no matter how elevated they are, but it's true. Their return is, in large part, due to Sabato De Sarno's Gucci jewelry offering. Dive into the trend for a great price with this gold choker-length option from Mango.
These affordable Nordstrom flat sandals are resonating like crazy with both Who What Wear's U.S. and UK audiences, and according to my co-worker Sierra Mayhew, who tried them out, they require zero breaking in.
Look on Pinterest and you'll find a slew of vintage Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy street style photos, many of which feature her signature tortoiseshell headband. This isn't her exact one—you'll have to visit C.O. Bigelow in Manhattan—but it's a great alt that's crafted in France.
Unexpected tights are a big trend for spring, with lace styles like these being among a slew of buzzy options.
For those chillier spring days when you're most likely donning your coat or jacket like it's the entire outfit, throw a brooch like this teardrop-shaped Massimo Dutti option on one of the lapels. It dresses up any piece of outerwear and reminds everyone around you that you know exactly what's happening in fashion. After all, brooches and pins were featured in Tory Burch's, Jil Sander's, and Miu Miu's latest runway collections, and those are just the highlight shows.
It's a bit wild, I know, but flip-flops are happening right now, especially when they're styled with suiting. (See Bally's F/W 24 collection for styling inspiration.) The Row's simple option is a fan favorite, but this more affordable take from Zara is just as good and a touch more unique thanks to its burgundy, velvet exterior.
Everyone, listen up. If you add one item from this list to your wardrobe, let it be this solid brass leather belt from Aritzia. I've tried a lot of belts in my day, and after adding this exact one to my wardrobe, I'm convinced that I don't need a single other classic option ever again. It's a forever accessory, and it only costs $68.
If there's one item that every fashion person is on a quest to find right now, it's a cool, elegant hat—be it an Altuzarra-esque pillbox style or a swim cap–like option à la designs from Fforme, Saint Laurent, and Prada in recent seasons. I stumbled upon a few can't-miss pieces from Esenshel at Nordstrom and fell in love immediately.
With Zendaya's new Luca Guadagnino film Challengers bringing a resurgence of tenniscore, people's interest in tennis bracelets is sure to follow.
This belt is no small investment, but if you do decide to go big in the accessory department for spring, this is the kind of buy that will put in long hours for your outfits, making each of them stand out no matter who you're standing next to or what you pair with it.
If the swan look appeals to you, Alaïa's Le Teckel Bag is the purse to invest in. It's sleek, it's elegant, and it'll pair perfectly with an A-line skirt and a simple cashmere sweater all spring long.
Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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