In the age of Instagram, accessories are more crucial than ever. Think about it: When you’ve run out of cute selfies, what do you ’gram next but your brand-new boots, handbag, or beloved Adam Selman x Le Specs sunglasses. With that in mind, we rounded up Spring 2018’s most compelling accessory trends, each made for the social media–savvy shopper.
On top of Vogue’s list are the micro sunglasses already so popular with Kendall Jenner and the Insta-girl set. Transparent bags make flashing your newest buys even easier, while a dramatic hat will be the ideal set piece in your selfie. Even the lowly sneaker has gotten a makeover in the form of Loewe’s curled-up kicks and Louis Vuitton’s futuristic runners.
Tiny Sunglasses Are Here to Stay The teeny, tiny, almost-not-there-at-all sunglasses trend started by Bella Hadid and her fellow Insta babes will still be going strong come Spring 2018. Sleek, skinny shades appeared at Miu Miu, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, meaning that a whole new crop of women will be shelving their oversize specs in favor of micro frames. If you’re not one of them, try a pair with a sportier edge, like the neon-edged shapes from Fenty x Puma or Stella McCartney.
Transparent Shoes and Bags Give Showing Off a New Meaning In the age of oversharing, no accessory gets the job done quite like a clear bag. The transparent briefcase at Helmut Lang, clear purse at Valentino, and plastic shopping bags at Céline and Maison Margiela guarantee that every tchotchke in your bag becomes the center of attention. (Better make sure your keys are clipped to a cool keyring!) Transparency doesn’t end there—Chanel and Balmain are making the clear boot a true fashion essential.
Hats for Rain or Shine In a climate-changed world, the weather can’t be trusted. With that in mind, designers have whipped up hats for every temperature. At Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld made rain bonnets seem cool—pro tip: wear yours with crystal earrings and a full face of makeup—while Jacquemus supersized sun hats for the beach. Somewhere in the middle are the bucket hats from Michael Kors, which are probably best for a temperate day in the Hamptons. At least, that’s where you’ll find Mr. Kors wearing his.
Bags Come in All-New Shapes Classic bag silhouettes will never go out of style, but on the Spring runways, designers were thinking less in terms of the lady bag and more about geometric forms. Take Paco Rabanne’s cube bag, a perfect square in caramel leather sized for a night on the town, or Gabriela Hearst’s Nina bag as prime examples of the new possibilities for what your bag could be. Circles appeared at Dolce & Gabbana, stars at Mugler, and spheres at Céline, all making your elementary-school book about shapes seem ultra-relevant.
Boots Are Made for Walking Stilettos didn’t have a very good season. The proof is in the vast range of low-heeled boots that appeared on the runways at Chloé, Dries Van Noten, and Givenchy. Let’s face it, the modern woman has places to go—and needs a shoe that can get her there.
Patterned Bags Are the New Statement Pieces How much time have you wasted in the mirror trying to cobble together an outfit that ticks off all the colorful, shapely, textured boxes only to pair it with a bland neutral purse? Too much time, right? Prada, Proenza Schouler, Marni, and more are advocating for turning your bag into a conversation piece.
If You Must Wear Heels, Opt for a Classic Pump Like we said, heels are on the wane, but if you need the added inches, designers made the case for pointed-toe pumps. At Tom Ford, models wore a cap-toe version, while Virgil Abloh set off his Princess Diana–inspired Off-White collection with bow-adorned styles. If those examples sound too classic for your taste, well, there are Christopher Kane’s foam-trimmed tweed pumps and Balenciaga’s croc stilettos.
Fashion Is in Love With Gloves iPhone Xs be damned! Fashion is having a love affair with opera-length gloves and no smartphone touchscreen can stop it. At Marc Jacobs, beaded finale dresses were accessorized with elegant black gloves, while Koché took a sportier turn and paired flirty dresses with white gloves. If you must remove a glove to send a DM, do it in the style of Olivier Theyskens’s models and hold the empty glove elegantly in your other hand.
Meet the Super-Sneaker Remember when anonymous white sneakers were all the rage? That time is long gone. On the Spring runways, sneakers got some truly wild updates: Loewe’s came with curled toes, Junya Watanabe’s were studded with spikes, Vivienne Westwood’s were covered in crocheted flowers, and Public School made a pair of Jordans that inched to models’ knees.
