From Hats to Gloves, 2024's Accessories Are Brimming With Personality

There's a big difference between wearing an outfit and styling one, and in my opinion, accessories are the ultimate decider between the two. But not just any accessories will cut it. A black belt or designer bag will do a lot for an outfit, but it won't necessarily lead someone to save your look and go back to it time and again for inspiration. Instead, what sets apart those dressers you follow whose outfit combinations consistently appear intentional and different enough to save for later use are personality pieces, or accessories that aren't necessarily meant to complement an ensemble but contradict it and make you think.

The personality piece can be anything, but recently, it's taken the form of sculptural belt buckles, pillbox hats, colorful hosiery, and unexpected eyewear shapes. It could mean leather gloves or a vintage brooch, but it could also present itself as a bandana or eye-catching hair clip. The possibilities are endless really. In the end, all a personality piece is meant to do is make you and the people around you feel something. It's loud and fun and exciting—three things that we've missed in fashion throughout its most recent wearability kick. Luckily, the year of the personality piece has arrived, and the eight trends below are ripe and ready to help you usher it in in style.

Belts are something most people own at least one of, but do you possess a belt so artful and eye-catching that it could completely transform a simple LBD or pair of jeans and a T-shirt with a few quick slides through some loops and attaching of a buckle? Maybe not. That's where the below styles come in. Thanks to designer brands like Alaïa, Khaite, Chloé, Tom Ford, and Bottega Veneta, there's no shortage of statement belts on the market right now ahead of spring, and their best, most personality-filled options are just a scroll away.

When in doubt about your outfit, add something into your hair and it'll probably do the trick. That can mean folding a silk, patterned scarf in half and tying it like a bandana on your head, grabbing a sleek CBK–approved headband, or securing a colorful or voluminous clip to your ponytail. Whatever you choose, it'll almost always increase the intentionality behind your look in seconds.

When I first noticed that oversize eyewear was creeping its way back into fashion's good graces, I instantly felt like a change was coming. Minimalist, '90s-inspired shades had dominated for years at that point, so the return of shield-like sunnies felt especially significant. Then Miu Miu's Bayonetta and oval-shaped eyewear entered the chat, further proving my hypothesis that something new was coming. Today, eyewear is a whole new world, with wild shapes by Loewe and Alaïa, XL silhouettes at Saint Laurent and Phoebe Philo, and office-siren opticals at Miu Miu.

If you think of tights as being black or flesh-colored and worn for strictly practical purposes still, it's time for a complete system refresh. Gone are the days of tights playing the utilitarian game. Now, the role of hosiery is for fun and fun only. Red, blue, white, and gray pairs are meant to brighten and liven up any dress, skirt, or even jeans ensemble, as are lace, fishnet, and otherwise patterned options. Embrace them and your outfits will be better for it.

I've never believed in not wearing or personalizing your favorite items, even if they were a significant investment. Pieces in your closet are meant to be worn, whether they were expensive or not, and more so, they were purchased to be an extension of you, so why not add touches of you to them in the process? That's my take at least on the current bag-charm trend. Fashion doesn't have to be so serious all the time. It can be playful too, and one way to do that is by clipping on a cutesy charm or key ring to the various loops around your most-used purse.

Of all the personality pieces on this list, none have been embraced by fashion quite as openly as elbow-length gloves. One minute they didn't really exist in the zeitgeist, and the next, they were everywhere, in every editorial shoot, runway collection, and street style image from New York City to Paris. Why? They make outfits better and more interesting to look at with almost zero effort involved.

If you look at the S/S 24 and F/W 24 runways, the single-most standout accessory category would have to be hats. They were everywhere and took on every form, from swim cap–like toppers at Prada and Fforme to pillbox shapes at Alaïa and Altuzarra. Clearly, today's top designers were bored of minimalism, and hats were their way of fashioning to the max. Who are we to doubt or stop them?

The era of brooches being the most slept-on jewelry item in your collection is officially over, and good riddance. Your ears, neck, and wrists don't have to go naked. Why should your lapels? It's honestly kind of cruel how we kept them hidden away for so long. Luckily, brooches are now free to be showcased as frequently as their owners please, thus making outfits everywhere better and worthier of compliments.