London brings together an eclectic mix of people who use accessories as a form of self expression – they style looks fearlessly with attitude! Jewellery is styled together in clusters, layers and stacks. Bags are stylishly individual or seriously stylish. Most prominent are investment pieces that move effortlessly from the office to any occasion. Eyewear is practical with easy oval-shaped frames or attention-grabbing oversized styles.
BAGS
At London Fashion Week bags mean business, they are generally less decorative and more practical – which doesn’t mean they are any less stylish!
Distinctive hand-held and clutch-style bags are important. Shapes are long and narrow, softer styles are rolled and folded, while more structured shapes feature short straps at the side or top. Neat cube and rectangular handbags have distinctive hardware in gold or silver used for branding, buckles or lock fastenings. Medium-length straps enable bags to be carried neatly at waist level, here straps are a prominent feature, sometimes formed of metal chains or cut wide to fit comfortably on the shoulder. High-end textures include reptile, quilted, woven intreccatio and embossed leather, these tactile.
BELTS
Hardware is the most important feature for belts. Oversized buckles with heritage-style branding or decorative engraving are the most popular; these are brass or silver and finished with oxidised treatments rendering them aged or timelessly vintage. Patterned studs, grommets, chains and rings add a punky vibe to leather belts and key chains and charms are also a part of this look. Wide cummerbund styles sit neatly at the waist, these come in pleated fabric or punched and patterned leather. Narrow belts are finished with small buckles or twist lock fastenings, these are integrated into garments or worn long and knotted over jackets. Wearing two belts together is a key styling feature, these are often coordinating with one slightly smaller than the other, rather than twinning.
EYEWEAR
Sunglasses are quietly luxurious with lots of neat narrow oval and subtle cat-eye styles, these are mostly black frames with matching lenses, or the occasional dark amber and brown tint. This shape is also popular in prescription eyewear with half or full-frame styles.
More prominent cat-eye styles are oversized with sharp angles and plain or studded frames.
Standout styles include oversized wrap bug-eye shapes and curved aviators; these come with chunky frames in glossy black, pastels or tortoiseshell patterns. Square styles often feature faceted finishes to emphasise their angular appearance. Frameless and wireframe versions curve around the face with single gradient or smoke tinted lenses. D-frames are also popular with narrow frames and amber, smoke or green tinted lenses.
FOOTWEAR
Styles are predominantly flat, connected to the ground and simply structured. Soft ballerinas, tabi pumps and Mary Jane styles, as well as neoprene swim pumps and sporty mesh styles are part of this look. Flat and low-heel court shoes are a more-formal choice for footwear, these also include kitten heeled thong sandals with optional leg warmers. Loafers continue to be a popular choice with styles ranging from plain through to laced, tassel and penny loafers – newest looks are chisel and square-toe shapes. Texture is added to plain pumps, courts and sandals using fur, feathers, cowhide and sueded materials. Decorative elements include beadwork, embroidery, studs and metal hardware. Ankle boots and knee-high styles are cut wide along the leg and worn casually with a creased appearance. Casual styles have rounded toes, while more formal styles are pointed or square shaped.
HEADWEAR
Hats and hair accessories can tie a look together with coordinating patterns and colours or make a singular statement in a standout style. Baseball caps are a casual option, these feature custom details, branding and patterns, creating an opportunity for personalised looks and self expression. Headscarves are an easy way to bring prints, patterns and colours into an outfit, these are tied at the back or knotted into a turban style. Craft is expressed in hand-woven straw/rattan sunhats, pillbox and trilby styles. Furry hats bring texture to looks, styles are simple pillbox and bonnets or oversized deerstalker shapes. Classic styles include felt fedora and military-inspired caps, while scaled-up buffalo hats appear more modern. Flat, Bakerboy and Newsboy caps are another option in classic wool and tweed fabrics or leather; again the oversized looks are the most fashion-forward styles.
JEWELLERY
Rings are mostly worn in stacks or spread across the fingers in groups of coordinating styles. Single standout rings are often teamed with cuffs in a matching polished or brushed finish. Silver and steel colours are popular with modern and contemporary styles, while gold is used across vintage and classic jewellery styles or in costume jewellery with coloured stones. Brooches pin onto the lapels of jackets and the chest or neckline of outerwear, interestingly these are also used to gather up the hemlines of knitwear and jersey tops. Strands of pearls and shells are worn in layers or enlarged into short statement necklaces. Pearl bracelets and rings are stacked together while earrings are sometimes dipped in black rubber or paired with crystals or coloured stones.
Costume jewellery is set with crystals and polished stones in ornate settings, earrings are shaped into drops, spherical styles or ear cuffs and necklaces and cuffs are formed into single strands or decorative shapes.
