5 Must-have Spring Accessories
Remember how excited we were for fall? Wool, tweed, studded leather hobos? That's how we feel about spring 2011 -- all its silk, snake and waist-defining belts with feminine-meets-sporty twists and edgy little turns.
There is no fashion season we can resist.
At the moment, accessories have our attention. Designers are showing a mix of soft and hard, big and small, and glamorous and minimalist. Here, five must-haves for the season, beginning with ...
5: Wrap Belt
Actually, "wrap belt" doesn't begin to describe it, but it's technically accurate. Spring 2011 wants you wearing it at the waist, giving you an hourglass figure whether you've actually got one or not. Most popular in the spring collections:
- Obi-style
- Adorned wrap belts, both narrow and wide
- Bohemian
- '70s-style
- Wide, supple leather that ties in a bow or a knot
Your choice! Use one to add interest to jeans, shape to a tunic, or to finish off a simple jersey mini dress with some oomph (and some color -- the brighter the better).
Next, it's not just for a bad hair day …
4: Head Scarf
Head scarves accent spring lines, beautiful bohemian swaths of silk wrapped expertly to achieve a perfectly effortless, "I'm on holiday" look.
That effortless takes practice, but there's no time like the present -- so start wrapping. Prints are the way to go -- animal prints are still hot, but geometric, abstract and the ever-timeless watercolor florals are other irresistible options for the starlet-riding-in-convertible look.
Speaking of, you'll need her shades, too …
3: Funky Shades
The spring 2011 runways were awash in eye-catching eyewear. There were plenty of options: not-your-grandmother's cat-eye glasses, all sparkly and beaded and big; retro '60s shades in white plastic; giant '70s frames, huge and tinted orange; and black-rimmed geek glasses taken up a couple of sizes to chic.
Don't shy away from color here, especially warm pastels like peach and lemon. They're everywhere in accessories.
In essence, choose statement shades. One pair will do. (Maybe two.)
Next, you'll need a new pair of shoes, obviously …
Spring 2011 is somewhat channeling 2010 in structure. Platforms are a must: strappy, sporty, Oxford-y, or even "flat." This spring, though, you might want something, well, a little mixed up.
Combining textures, patterns, styles and materials is big. Look at mixed-media fabrics, varied snake prints, sporty white sneaker-types on a 4-inch heel, florals on a sculpted wood block, patent and flat leather crisscrossing straps, or desert-tone metallic suede, 2 inches tall from front to back (the platform "flat" -- easy walking).
You'll gain some height no matter what, so this could be the season you won't have to shorten your new pair of jeans (which, for all you non-size-zeroes out there, do not have to be skinny anymore!).
Finally, you may want to learn to travel light …
Giant, leather hobos and structured Chanel and Hermes shoulder bags will never go out. This season, however, you may want to add something novel to your purse collection: a small one.
A very small one, actually. Tiny clutches, coin-purse-size shoulder bags, and hands-free, belt mounted wallets are a happy change from the usual, weekender-size lovelies, especially for a night out.
A beaded, metallic leather or neutral-standby purse-belt (that's what we'll call it) can be your very best friend at a spring concert or clubbing excursion.
Whichever way you go (not all of us get to have five "must-haves"), make sure it works with something covered in stripes. Stripes are absolutely everywhere.