Keeping up with the latest trends goes way beyond the actual clothing. When picking outfits, we tend to forget about the importance of our accessories. They can provide a pop of color, they can show off your personality and most importantly, they can turn any basic look into a creative, standout ensemble.

Whether it’s a bag, phone case, belt or pair of earrings, accessories can make or break an outfit. This season, designers have upped their game by creating groundbreaking statement accessories and proving to us that sometimes, it really is all in the details. Here’s how you can channel some of the runway’s most knockout “maximalist” accessory trends for spring and summer 2016.

Bejeweled

Doris Huang | Staff Photographer

Embellishments of all shapes and sizes were quite popular in Milan, whether it was shiny sequins at Gucci or metal accoutrements at Dolce & Gabbana. This vintage Stella Page piece perfectly echoes these trends with its jewel-inspired stones and collage detailing. The bag features Frida Khalo imagery, and the artsy style is similar to Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele Romanticism movement while designing this season’s collection.

Although top handle bags like this one tend to run a bit on the smaller side, they’re a sophisticated, ’50s-inspired alternative to the night-out clutch. However, you could easily rock a piece like this during the day — I’d pair it with some ripped denim, a patterned blouse and flat leather boots for a hippie-chic, retro ’70s-style look. Try a local vintage store to find a bag reminiscent of the one pictured, although Nasty Gal and ASOS always have some great options if you’re looking for something a bit more modern.

Metallica

Doris Huang | Staff Photographer

Metallics have been seen on practically every spring runway from Chanel to Louis Vuitton. A shiny shade of gold, silver or pewter makes a great statement bag or shoe, like this pair of Doc Martens. Embrace another popular style of the season — the oxford — by donning a similar style to the ones pictured. I love these shoes because, like any other pair of Docs, they’re very comfortable and perfect for a day of running around campus.

These shoes are great for making a statement, and surprisingly, they match with plenty of outfits. Try a floral dress and tights for some girly flare, or for a more edgy look, try some leggings, a hoodie and a camouflage jacket.

If you want to directly mimic the shoe trends from the runway this season, I suggest skipping the sock and going barefoot. If your shoes are new, you might have to tough it out with some blisters, but hey, fashion is pain.

Shades of Serenity

Doris Huang | Staff Photographer

One of Pantone’s colors of the year, serenity is a gorgeous — and surprisingly neutral — shade of light blue. While serenity has been seen more on the couture runway than the ready-to-wear, that doesn’t mean that it’s not a perfect spring color to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe.

This leather bag from Rebecca Minkoff echoes the serenity shade perfectly, while also functioning as an adorable and practical day bag. The purse is large and spacious, featuring many hidden pockets perfect for some spare change or an extra lip product (because you can never have too many).

To add a little something more to your bag, I suggest a pompom keychain like you’d find on Kendall Jenner’s purses. What I love about Minkoff’s bags are their superb quality for a pretty reasonable price — you don’t have to spend over $200. If you’re not a fan of this particular style or shade of blue, Minkoff has a varied selection of bags in many different colors. For the spring and summer months, another pastel shade would be prime.

Published on April 11, 2016 at 7:45 pm

Contact: hsmalach@syr.edu