Style Insiders Know These 6 Summer Accessory Trends Make Simple Outfits More Elegant
Perhaps it’s symptomatic with our past fascination with micro trends, but over the past few years, the term “summer” has merely become a bookend adjective to describe a niche aesthetic that seemingly encapsulates our collective mood. Phrases such as “tomato girl summer” and “brat summer” do more than set the scene; they’ve become doctrines for how we should spend the season and dictate the way we dress. (Read: Wearing pops of red and white cotton dresses along the coastline of Sardinia if you’re the former, a strappy tank top, leather mini shorts and carrying an Aperol Spritz for the latter.)
This year, the balmy months have enjoyed a different kind of frequency—one that’s languid, effortless and relaxed. Simplicity is in, over-styling is out, meaning that discerning sartorialists are embracing a form of chic minimalism in their summer wardrobes. This shift has seen timeless silhouettes come to the forefront. The rise of capri pants among the celebrity style set, drop waist dresses reigning supreme and the revival of classic pieces, including lace-trimmed satin shorts and polka-dot prints, indicate our refined palettes. But when our looks are pared back, especially compared to the more experimental ensembles we wore previously, how do we inject a sense of playfulness and personality into these elegantly muted outfits? Enter: The key summer accessory trends of 2025.
Style insiders know that the way to amplify a well-put-together silhouette is to add a few strategic elements. The right sunglasses, handbag, jewellery and shoes can make or break an outfit. Coco Chanel might’ve once said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”, but when you’re wearing something so polished, the key to achieving an editorial or expensive-looking look is to enhance the foundations with something ornamental.
Like the clothes we’re gravitating too, the key summer accessory trends of 2025 are equally sophisticated. Still, they’re imbued with a sense of romanticism and coastal charm that we expect from our hot-weather wares. From beach shells fastened to cord necklaces to gingham bandanas that bring a touch of Grace Kelly realness to effortless shapes, uncover the 7 key summer accessory trends of 2025 ahead.
1. Bandanas
Style Notes: If the summer of 2024 was all about embracing your inner Jackie Kennedy or Brigette Bardot in an Old Hollywood-bombshell-esque vintage head scarf, the summer of 2025 is about channelling Audrey Hepburn with a flirty bandana.
Worn by everyone from Sofia Richie Grainge in the South of France, British model on the rise and Who What Wear UK spring cover star Mia Regan, the trend bridges provincial appeal with a sort of ‘60s ease.
In the last week alone, it’s gone from the grounds of Glastonbury—Gracie Abrams wore one when making her performance debut, styling it with a burgundy Rodarte dress, and more casually when being Charli XCX’s “Apple” girl while strutting around Worthy Farm in a white t-shirt and Adidas trackpants—to the hallways of Versailles as it made an appearance on Jacquemus’s spring 2026 runway. (The French designer revealed this styling choice was an homage to the rustic and rural stylings signature to the region where he grew up.)
But don’t think this is a symbol of contemporary ‘cottagecore’. On the contrary, metropolitan women are wearing these head scarves with everything from sharp straight-leg denim to Doên tops. Very Belle in the big city.
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Style Notes: Ever since the mainstream caught onto the act of “Birkin-ifying” accessories with trinkets, talismans and bag charms, we’ve been enamoured with the act of carrying something that we’ve collected on our travels around with us. Shell necklaces are the summer answer to this trend.
Be it memories of gathering shells from childhood holidays to the seaside or a way to bring a beachy touch to elegant outfits, this season is all about improving looks with an aquatic sensation. Pia Mance, the founder of cult jewellery brand Heaven Mayhem, tells me about the success her shell necklaces have enjoyed. After releasing an exclusive collection of necklaces “inspired by the essence of the season—sun, sea, shells and sand” in mid-June, the Australian-born and Los Angeles-based designer explains that the styles had “a great response”.
“We sold through 70% of the collection within the first 48 hours and now have around 10% left of stock,” Mance adds. The season why shell necklaces are trending? “They're fun, laid back and do a lot of the heavy lifting when putting together an outfit! Adding a [shell] necklace to a simple outfit is the perfect summer accessory.”
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Style Notes: There are times when less is more, and others when the limited number of pieces you wear needs to be zhuzhed slightly to make more of an impact. The belt scarf accessory trend is one such occasion. When wearing a plain shirt and cuffed jeans, fashioning the silk fabric around your waist creates the illusion that you poured more time and effort into looking classy than you actually did. Best of all, it helps turn any shirt or dress into a waisted style as it contours to your body, making it a great reprieve for the shapeless winter warmers we adorn for the majority of the year.
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Style Notes: In years past, the first sign of sun would’ve had us running to wear our Loewe basket tote bag or Jacquemus Le Panier Soleil palm-leaf tote bag. While there is no denying the endless appeal of a raffia carry-all, we’re gravitating towards another entwined style for 2025. Indeed, woven leather bags have usurped straw designs as the summer bag to wield. A sigil of luxury and craftsmanship, adding this accessory will instantly make you look more opulent, thanks to the enduring sophistication embedded into the material and braided make.
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Style Notes: Last summer was a baseball cap summer, with everyone from Hailey Bieber to Kaia Gerber strolling around town in this boyish hat style. While it’s a great way to pledge allegiance to your favourite sports team, there is something a little Kendall Roy about wearing it out and about, especially when paired with tailored pieces. We here at Who What Wear believe that any sun protection is better than none, so while there will always be a place for this style, you can make your looks feel a little more modern by switching it out for a straw bucket hat. Just heed the style advice from another Kendall, Kendall Jenner, that is, for proof why these hats are far more premium-looking.
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Style Notes: From the beaches of Sydney to the streets of Manhattan and the markets of Malibu, the one shoe trend that's set to define the summer of 2025 is jelly flip-flops. This footwear style has always been a marker of minimalism—The Row makes a great case for why you should wear flip-flops and open toes with blazers, shorts, shirts and tailored trousers—but for this year, they've been given a sweet twist. Jelly sandals not only hark back to the titular sea animal, but also remind us of the sickly ice lollies and candy treats we'd eat as a kid on a coastal holiday, making them the ideal summer twist to inject the codes of the season into your look.
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