The Top 11 Accessory Trends of Spring 2020

At the end of the Spring 2020 season, the message of a month’s worth of fashion shows was clear: We need to be smarter about our stuff. As such, the accessories that dominated the runways in New York, London, Milan, and Paris were no-frills, functional items that can live in our wardrobes for seasons to come. Bags will be oversized or bucket-shaped, all the better to tote our possessions, or stripped down to their parts like the lighter and lipstick cases from Celine and Gucci. Shoes must be walkable, like Erdem’s and Sacai’s easygoing flatforms, or based on essentials, like prepster loafers and mary jane pumps.

Even with this focus on timeless accessories, a few flightier trends emerged; see the scads of boutonnières and Rive Gauche headscarves. The fact that all these trends can coexist alongside rainbow sunglasses and an unstoppable straw bag renaissance highlights Spring 2020’s other important message: When it comes to accessorizing, you do you. Buying, wearing, and repeating what you love is a good way to keep your closet sustainable and yourself in style.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Raffia

Grasping at Straws

The single most popular material of the entire season was humble raffia. The fiber was woven into shoes, bags, and belts in collections as diverse as Simone Rocha, Valentino, JW Anderson, and Dior. If that’s not enough proof that this earthy material is in, consider this: As a plant-derived material, raffia is biodegradable, promising that your new It bag will have less of an environmental impact.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Floral Pins

Put a Pin In It

Boutonnières might have begun as a menswear trend in the early 19th century (though some date their naissance to the Egyptians and Aztecs), but thanks to Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière, they’ll prove to be a must-have for women’s suiting next spring. Even those going lapel-free can enjoy a little flower power; just take a page from Chanel, where colorful camellias adorned boater hat brims.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Oversize Soft Bags

Big Softies

Spring’s best super-size bags come in soft sack forms that allow for shape shifting. Pile all of your possessions into Hermès’s scarf hobo and watch it expand, or empty out Bottega Veneta’s woven crossbody and use it more like a harness than a carryall. Either way, the bigger the bag, the better.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Colorful Sunglasses

Face the Rainbow

Sunglasses have been big, small, sporty, and square over the past two years. Now, novel shapes are taking a backseat to major color, with designers like Giorgio Armani and Anna Sui positing fantastical shades in every hue under the sun. Even those averse to whimsy will find something to love here: See Clare Waight Keller’s practical shield glasses in moss for Givenchy or Michael Kors’s marigold aviators.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Square Toes

A Square Deal

Thank Demna Gvasalia for making strong square toes the decade’s most experimental shoe silhouette. Where Gvasalia has tread—and is still going at Balenciaga—others have followed, cutting sandals, boots, and pumps with startlingly straight toes.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Bucket Bags

The Bucket List

At Marni there were gardeners totes, at Missoni they held actual flowers, and at Loewe they were as classic as they come. We’re talking about bucket bags, a popular bag shape that has come full circle for the new decade. Smaller than the season’s oversized shoulder bags, the bucket is a handy alternative for women on the go, and with plenty of styles to choose from, it will be hard to beat on the streets next spring.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Headwraps

Under Wraps

The late Loulou de la Falaise was in the air this season, inspiring designers from Anthony Vaccarello to Angela Missoni to wrap up models’ heads in silk scarves like she used to. Amidst a sea of over-the-top hats and artful veils, this is one cranial trend easy to adopt IRL. Can it replace the babushka as the Spring 2020 styling move to beat? Keep an eye on A$AP Rocky for the answer.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Platform Sandals

Use Your Platform

If sneakers have lost their luster on the runways, ever-practical platform and flatform sandals have emerged as fanciful—and comfortable—alternatives. At Erdem, Simone Rocha, and Giambattista Valli, platform sandals offered a more glamorous alternative to the always-in Birkenstock or Teva.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Bourgeois

The New Gilded Age

The bourgeois look first proposed by Hedi Slimane at Celine is still rippling through the industry, with polished Rive Gauche trappings appearing at many different labels. From Deneuve-ian loafers to Rampling-esque chain belts, this aesthetic is best illustrated with a flash of prim buckle or golden chain. The most clever way to wear these posh accessories? With a wink, of course.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Hands-Free

No Hands!

Fanny packs are still going strong at retail, inspiring designers to find ever more ways to enable hands-free schlepping. From lighter-case necklaces to AirPod holsters to Gucci’s lipstick-holster gloves, there are plenty of new ways to tote your stuff—no hands needed.

SS20 Accessory Trend: Mary-Jane

Sweet Mary Jane

The mary jane pump emerged as a lovely counterpoint to Spring’s mannish and tough shoe trends. Whether in classic black as at A.P.C. or in a rich brocade à la Dries Van Noten, this shoe silhouette has legs.

Originally Appeared on Vogue