You can’t get prepared for this year’s summer vacation without deciding what you’ll wear to look your best, beyond the essentials like swimwear and breathable dresses. That’s why we’ve rounded up the accessories currently dominating travelers’ luggage. From accessory sizes to metals and a huge trend in headwraps, we’re uncovering the sectors you want to figure out before leaving. So, let’s see what you should pack to show up in style for every occasion.
Photo source: https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-white-v-neck-shirt-wearing-gold-necklace–GhLgB-oXNw
Bulky jewelry
If you’re going to wear jewelry this summer, be unapologetic about it. Because there’s no season better than the summer to let your accessories do the talking, since the torrid temperatures force you to wear lighter, smaller, and fewer pieces of clothes that can’t be layered as they’d normally be during, say, autumn, when you can rely on a textured scarf to elevate your day-to-day stud earrings. Summer months demand a different strategy, just as your upcoming vacation does. So, what’s trendy this year?
First, oversized sunglasses with frames in either bold colors or neutrals and warm tones are putting the tiny frames to sleep. Tortoiseshell sunglasses can effortlessly deliver a dramatic look, whereas the cat-eye is favored for that face-lifting effect it creates.
Chokers are back, though they’re sleeker and more intentional. Instead of layering five fragile chains that’ll get tangled in the wind, a single solid metal choker will be the centerpiece that’ll anchor the entire outfit.
The upper part of the body commands the most attention this year; that’s why when you’re going heavy above the collarbones, you should shift your attention toward daintier, more simplistic bracelets. There still has to be visual equilibrium. A beaded minimalist bracelet – or a handful of them, stacked – will complete your look whether you’re heading to the beach in the morning or to an evening soirée.
Waist beads
Perhaps one of the body parts we’re exposing the most during summers, the waist has and continues to be an aesthetically key area. Stylistically speaking, revealing some waist can help make the legs look a bit longer and create that charming hourglass body effect. But from a fashion POV, waist accessories remain some of the most effective fixtures to add some personality to an outfit, and, more notably, to radiate more femininity. And what better moment to unlock this power than your vacation?
Waist beads are taking over all summer appearances. They’re on your #1 influencer, on Insta reels, on TikTok, at festivals – you name it. They’re reflective of Africa’s unmatched cultural diversity, where the significance of accessories like headwraps, ties, and beads with complex and unique designs goes beyond looks. But many wear them simply because they make the wearer more sensual, they make the look more outstanding, and they can serve as the addition that makes a look complete in ways an ankle bracelet can’t. And this is how waist beads manage to be the ultimate summer staple. You can level up your swimwear game by layering them over your bikini or one-piece set, or you can wear them over a pair of jeans – choices are quite endless. This flexibility also applies to the materials that are used to make these accessories, as they can range from glass to wood to even metal and crystal.
Headwraps and headscarves featuring African prints
Because the ideal wardrobe for summer tends to feature garments that focus more on the quality of the material and less on prints – think breezy linens, cottons, and one-color two-sets – you need something colorful to keep your look from feeling too plain. That’s where pieces featuring African prints come in.
An African print often features more than one color and more than one geometric pattern, which means that you can rely on one model to match multiple of your outfits. You can have a multicolored Ankara headwrap in hues of cream, blue, and gold when you’re rocking your white linen dress on the promenade and keep it on when you’re switching to your navy set for the night. It’s an easy trick to maintain a functional wardrobe while still adding some visual interest to any look – that’s why you can expect to see this trend on display wherever you may be traveling this season.
A combination of metals
For those permanently undecided whether gold or silver accessories and fixtures go better with an outfit, there’s another commonly shared struggle that bears mentioning – the fact that the best bag for the look might feature a gold chain, but the hardware on the belt is silver. The hardship of only featuring only one hue in the metals worn can be truly maddening. But you can breathe easier because the fashion world doesn’t have this kind of expectation from you anymore. Mixed metals are red-hot today as people are less rigid in their assemblies and more focused on sartorial freedom and personal expression.
There’s no rule set in stone, but if you want your combination to exude intentionality, you can start by choosing a leading metal (e.g., an oversized silver chain) and pairing it with contrasting gold bracelets. Two-tone pieces are also incredibly popular today, mixing two tones in one to tie the whole look together in just one move.
The warm yellow power stack
It’s between the 1990s and early 2000s that platinum and white gold, followed by rose gold, took center stage and replaced the ubiquitous gold in people’s preferences. But that’s a thing of the past because today, gold is again more popular than ever. People are again gravitating towards this metal’s power to flatter any skin tone and add timeless appeal. So, if you’re not into the mixed-metal trend and prefer sticking to one tone – because many still dislike the clash created by the hyped-up gold-and-silver match – you can still make a statement with all-gold jewelry. The “quiet luxury” trend hasn’t gone anywhere and some classic pieces of golden jewelry are the definition of it.
Last note
You only have so many days you’ll be out and about, which means that you’ll still want to pack light. Take what resonates with you, leave what doesn’t, and own every look.
