Accessory trends for summer 2016: structured forms for a bold look

Tendances-accessoires-ete-2016Leather, added volume, geometric forms, natural materials, black and white with a touch of yellow or red: these are the accessory trends for this summer 2016. We’ve directly based these predictions on what designers recently presented on the runways and at fashion week. A well-chosen accessory will always manage to add that special something to any outfit, personalising it and bringing it right on trend. Here’s a quick run-down of the colours, forms and materials that will accessorise your summer. Follow our guide, and you can’t go wrong.

If there’s one rule to follow this 2016 summer season 2016, this is it: mix a clean, simplistic look with a touch of eccentricity. Go ahead and find your perfect combination! Bare shoulders, seashore-inspired looks and see-through effects are all to come this season. Long dresses, dresses with splits and kimonos are also going to be making an appearance in your wardrobes. And to really enhance these new arrivals, we’ll be seeing natural materials, geometric forms and oversized jewellery. Along with your espadrilles and your flatforms, opt for ombre sunglasses lenses, a leather clutch bag or cuff bracelet, a large wooden ring, a pair of geometric earrings, and a belt, cravat or foulard made from natural materials.

Trend Number 1: Clutch bags and mini-leather goods

Handbags are just like shoes…you can never have too many of them. And this summer, you’re not going to know which way to turn! Among the on-trend it-bags spotted this season, pride of place on the catwalks went to the clutch bag, with a handle or shoulder strap. Small leather bags and mini backpacks are the essential accessories to your summer. We’ve definitely come full circle from the oversized holdall – and for good reason. These fashion accessories are jewellery items in their own right, and can hold a lipstick or a smartphone. Wear yours casually, whether on a trip out with friends or to a trendy party by the sea.

1 Clutch bag PAUL SMITH SS 2016 © Agence Lenam 2 Clutch bag Twist J.W ANDERSON SS 2016 © Farfetch 3 Clutch bag ACNE STUDIOS SS 2016 © Agence Lenam
1 Clutch bag PAUL SMITH SS 2016 © Agence Lenam
2 Clutch bag Twist J.W ANDERSON SS 2016 © Farfetch
3 Clutch bag ACNE STUDIOS SS 2016 © Agence Lenam

Trend number 2: XXL oversized earrings

The jewellery trend for this summer is extra, extra large jewellery, giving an instant boost to a simplistic, clean look and adds a note of boldness to any outfit. Oversized earrings can be worn by themselves or as a pair. There are large hoops and spirals, pompoms and tassels. You’ll see metal, leather, bright colours and zebra patterns. So now you can match your earrings to your lipstick or your pumps. And above all, don’t forget that oversized earrings can really light up your face and make it look longer!

4 Earrings © FASHION GONE ROUGE 5 Earrings MELODY EHSANI © Melody Ehsani 6 Earrings MARNI SS 2016 © Marni
4 Earrings © FASHION GONE ROUGE
5 Earrings MELODY EHSANI © Melody Ehsani
6 Earrings MARNI SS 2016 © Marni

Trend number 3: Jewellery with geometric shapes

It’s not just a question of excessive size this spring-summer season; we’ve also spotted some unusual jewellery shapes: jewellery will be square, triangular, linear, and circular. So with geometric shapes whichever way you look, it’s about time to get over those maths phobias! For the most part, we’ll be seeing natural materials: metals, leather and wood. As for colours, there’s gold and silver, but also black and white along with the primary colours yellow, red and blue.

7 Earrings, ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel 8 Necklace Operation DIY © Operation DIY 9 Silver Cluff, LEMAIRE, design SOPHIE BUHAI © Lemaire 10 Earrings, ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel 11 Necklace ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel 12 Cluff ARME DE L'AMOUR © Net à porter
7 Earrings, ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel
8 Necklace Operation DIY © Operation DIY
9 Silver Cluff, LEMAIRE, design SOPHIE BUHAI © Lemaire
10 Earrings, ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel
11 Necklace ISABELLE MICHEL SS 2016 © Isabelle Michel
12 Cluff ARME DE L’AMOUR © Net à porter

Trend number 4: Transparent sunglasses

Of course we can’t talk about accessories without mentioning sunglasses too, especially for trips to the beach or park this summer. This season, sunglasses are transparent, with ombre lenses, and flesh-coloured, natural or honey tints. We’ll be seeing round, butterfly and geometric frames. These models illustrate the trends for the summer 2016 season perfectly. Play around with a transparent-effect frame, and with a mirror-effect or discreet, natural lenses with slight gradations of colour. Plus, this season’s round and oversized frames will keep you well protected from those summer rays.

13 CARVEN Sunglasses SS 2016 © Presse 14 MARNI PRISMA glasses SS 2016 © Marni 15 Sunglasses ASOS SS 2016 © ASOS 16 STELLA MCCARTNEY Sunglasses SS 2016 © Net à porter 17 Chloé Sunglasses SS 2016 © Chloé
13 CARVEN Sunglasses SS 2016 © Presse
14 MARNI PRISMA glasses SS 2016 © Marni
15 Sunglasses ASOS SS 2016 © ASOS
16 STELLA MCCARTNEY Sunglasses SS 2016 © Net à porter
17 Chloé Sunglasses SS 2016 © Chloé

Trend number 5: Flatforms

18 Flatform MARNI SS 2016 © Net à porter 19 Flatform STELLA MCCARTNEY SS 2016 © Net à porter 20 Flatform COS SS 206 © Cos 21 Espadrilles Christian LOUBOUTIN SS 2016 © Net à porter 22 Platform sandals COS SS 206 © Cos 23 STELLA MCCARTNEY SS 2016 © Net à porter 24 FERRAGAMO SS 2016 © Imaxtree
18 Flatform MARNI SS 2016 © Net à porter
19 Flatform STELLA MCCARTNEY SS 2016 © Net à porter
20 Flatform COS SS 206 © Cos
21 Espadrilles Christian LOUBOUTIN SS 2016 © Net à porter
22 Platform sandals COS SS 206 © Cos
23 STELLA MCCARTNEY SS 2016 © Net à porter
24 FERRAGAMO SS 2016 © Imaxtree

Trend number 6: Jewellery made from leather

Leather is one of the key elements for this summer. It featured greatly in the handbag and shoe collections, and also stood out in jewellery lines. If you are looking for THE jewellery piece to wear throughout the summer, opt for a bracelet, necklace or cuff bracelet made from leather. Once again, geometric shapes are doing their thing. This summer, look for solid contours that are circular, triangular or square. Leather is truly the queen of all natural materials, adding a touch of chic to your outfits and bestowing her majesty upon your wrists. Two-tone jewellery, often made from more than one material, is also right on trend. A bracelet in yellow leather embellished with blue Bakelite, or a black and white leather butterfly cuff bracelet will inject instant energy to any simple and understated outfit, whether it’s for work or an evening event.

25 Red Navy Cuff Leather Bracelet BUTTONS PARADISE © BUTTONS PARADISE 26 Bee Original Leather Cuff Bracelet© BUTTONS PARADISE 27 Manchette cuir Comb BUTTONS PARADISE © BUTTONS PARADISE 28 Collier Cuir MARNI SS 2016 © Marni 29 Collier Petit Loop HERMES SS 2016 © Hermes
25 Red Navy Cuff Leather Bracelet BUTTONS PARADISE © BUTTONS PARADISE
26 Bee Original Leather Cuff Bracelet© BUTTONS PARADISE
27 Manchette cuir Comb BUTTONS PARADISE © BUTTONS PARADISE
28 Collier Cuir MARNI SS 2016 © Marni
29 Collier Petit Loop HERMES SS 2016 © Hermes

Conclusions:

You might have spotted some of the on-trend colours for this summer in our selection of accessories: yellow, black and white, with a note of red here and there to add a bit of pizzazz. So now, it’s over to you: combine these on-trend accessories with a simple, clean look and you can’t go wrong!