8 Summer Accessories I'm Low-Key Over and What I'm Buying Instead

With the ebb and flow of the trend cycle, it's only natural that certain items would shrink out of the spotlight to make way for fresher pieces to take center stage. While I'm all for trends with a long lifespan, I can't help but notice the way that some styles just become more popular than others and over time eclipse them altogether. It doesn't happen overnight and usually takes a few years to really filter in and out, but this summer especially, I've noticed a few shifts that I need to discuss, specifically with summer accessory trends.

With the rise of the quiet-luxury aesthetic and a shift toward anti-trend style sensibilities, the accessories that are popping this summer are largely of the classic variety—pieces like sleek oval sunglasses, raffia totes, and sarongs. Naturally, when certain items are trending, others fall by the wayside, so I'm sharing eight summer accessory trends that I'm eyeing and buying along with eight more that I'm slowing down on this season.

Buying: Raffia Bags

Skipping: Beaded Bags

There's no question that 2023 is the summer of raffia. The quintessential warm-weather texture comes back around each year, but with buzzy new shapes like Khaite's Olivia Bag, raffia is having a moment once again. This is a trend to invest in now and wear for years to come.

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Buying: Wide Belts

Skipping: Chain Belts

One outfit trend I've been noticing a lot involves a wide belt worn over a simple dress or skirt. Sure, the belt may serve no purpose other than to add an aesthetic element to an outfit, but there's no denying how cool it looks. On the other hand, I've been slowing down on chain belts recently, as these are a pretty direct alt.

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Buying: Corded Pendant Necklaces

Skipping: Beaded Necklaces

It wouldn't really be summer if there weren't at least one quirky accessory trend happening, and right now, it's corded pendant necklaces. They come in all different shapes and color combinations and make for a quick and fun addition to just about any summer outfit, from a dress to a swimsuit. 

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Buying: Wide, Stretchy Headbands

Skipping: Silk Scarves

Don't get me wrong. Silk scarves will always be a mainstay in my closet, but I'm reaching for these wide, stretchy headbands much more frequently. I like the retro-inspired feel they lend—they were all over the Schiaparelli runway—and it doesn't hurt that they also hide any bad hair days.

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Buying: Pareos

Skipping: Caftans

There's nothing more classic than a sarong in the summer. With a virtually endless number of styling options, not owning one honestly seems like a fashion crime. It's in the lead as the popular swimwear styling option this summer and, therefore, crushing caftans and other traditional swim cover-ups.

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Buying: Bowler Bags

Skipping: Baguette Bags

Miu Miu's latest bag, the Arcadie, is suddenly on the arms of every celeb, including Hailey Bieber and Emily Ratajkowski, and I'm already predicting it will influence handbag trends for the rest of the season and into the next. Its oblong bowler-bag shape is a retro respite from the droves of '90s shoulder bags that have reigned supreme. I'm not saying it's completely over for the baguette bag, but this could be the tipping point into a new category of bag shapes. Don't say I didn't warn you.

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Buying: Bold Cuffs

Skipping: Body Chains

When it comes to jewelry, the bolder the better. I've noticed that fashion people are smitten with '80s cuff bracelets like the ones from Alaïa and Saint Laurent, and I'm in love with the way just one or two of them anchor even a simple outfit.

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Buying: Oval Sunglasses

Skipping: Colored-Lens Sunglasses

Oval-shaped sunglasses are up 12% year over year, according to Trendalytics, and it's not hard to see why. The classic sunglasses are more of an anti-trend piece, but celebs and fashion people are favoring them for a more refined and sophisticated finish instead of bolder choices like colored lenses from a few summers past.

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