By now, we all know the perfect add on to any outfit are the accessories. They can give your outfit the extra flair and edge that creates a personalized style. The perfect accessory is often hard to find, but stores this season have pulled out all the stops on their accessory lines, creating chic and affordable finds.
This spring, treat yourself to shape-complementing belts, elaborate sandals, retro-styled sunglasses or convenient tote bags to prepare your wardrobe for the upcoming summer style aesthetics.
Spring invites the beloved sundress into the fashion guru’s closet. However, every sundress needs the perfect accessory to complete the look, and that’s where the ultimate belt comes into the picture. To add some flavor to a floral-patterned dress, a woven belt in a salmon pink or canary yellow buckled around the waist adds a classy but cool touch to the weather’s most accommodating piece of clothing. For those who prefer short, jersey dresses in solid colors, a western-style belt with a horseshoe buckle can be the attention-drawing accent to an otherwise bland outfit. For an extra adornment to a pair of denim shorts, adding a fringed belt adds the edgy look everyone secretly wants to sport in the sun.
For the long spring and summer seasons ahead, it’s important to enjoy every waking moment in the weather. The fashion expert can do so by taking one step at a time in the hippest gladiator sandals. The urban chic favorite comes in every style, color and embellishment to satisfy even the most stubborn shoppers. For those who like to look a little more glamorous on a daily basis, the strappy sandal can be found in metallic gold and silver snakeskin patterns. Black, tan, white and brown leather options are also fashionable for the girl who wants to modernize the ancient look. For the fashion devotee on the lookout for the most extravagant sandal, the gladiator panache offers shoes that encompass the ankle with leather straps. Gladiator sandals are versatile, as you can wear them just as well with skinny jeans or a mini-skirt.
Whether you’re at the beach, in your car or walking down the street, sunglasses are a key element for spring and summer fashion. To beat the sunlight while still looking good, vintage-type sunglasses will do just the trick. From sunglasses that channel Jackie O. to the classic square Ray Bans to the timeless aviator frames, this summer is the time to expose sunglasses that are out of the ordinary and far from traditional. Sunglasses that portray a retro look are catchy. Ranging from tortoiseshell frames to colors of lavender, bright red or neon yellow, retro glasses give anyone the chance to decorate their face with a popular accessory. Classic aviators give onlookers the rebellious vibe of summer. Those who wear them will ultimately give off the vibe of the carefree, beach-trotting summer adventurer.
“I love my aviators,” said Natalie Acone, a freshman communications major. “Whenever I wear them, I know it’s summertime and I’m ready for the beach. I never take them off. I wear them well into the late afternoon because they just scream summer.”
Lastly, the summer explorer needs the appropriate bag to hold the season’s essentials. Canvas tote bags are practical and easy to find in a range of patterns, colors and designs to choose from. According to InStyle Magazine, the “Artist’s Tote” is this season’s champion canvas bag, coming in a variety of the most creative and colorful designs. Stores such as Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters offer their own versions of the canvas bag from totes to satchels.
Braided belts, spunky sandals, vintage inspired sunglasses and splashy totes can work when paired together or alone, complimenting the season’s trendiest outfits. These styles have even popped up on Quinnipiac University’s campus now that the weather has brightened and the grass on the Quad has gotten a bit greener.
“I’ve noticed people in prairie skirts and tank tops,” Acone said. “A lot of girls even wore their ‘gladiators’ with those outfits while they were sitting outside.”
This season, transitioning from the Quad to the beach allows room to buy the accessories that can change last season’s look. While scouring those aisles and fishing through those racks at Forever 21 or Target, make sure to score the bag or belt that will characterize the upcoming sunny season as you pack up winter’s chilly accessories.
