Every woman knows no look is truly complete without fashion accessories. Loved for their playfulness and often functional variety, luxury accessories make styling fun and allow every woman’s personality to stand out. Preferences and trends have evolved throughout fashion history, but some looks have remained present in the top wardrobe picks of women throughout generations.
Take a deep dive into the world of iconic accessories to discover the looks that have remained favorites throughout the ages. From humble beginnings to pop-culture icons and the socially disruptive, we’re exploring our top iconic accessories picks, including the Hermès Carré silk scarf, Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel’s subversive use of and preference towards costume jewelry pearl necklaces layered with fancy jewelry, Jackie O-inspired oversized sunglasses, timeless leather pieces and more.
Let these looks inspire your next wardrobe upgrade as we get to know some of the most iconic accessories of all time that will take your style to the next level and have proven that they really are worth the investment. If your seasonal glow-up is in need of a little more than just accessories, explore our selection of must-have dresses and the perfect shoes to match every occasion to create looks that will have you feeling confident, and rightfully so.
The Leather Logo Buckle Belt
Nothing ties a look together quite like a luxury leather belt. Both a functional and accessible symbol of luxury, the leather belt makes an understated statement that everyone can adapt to their own personal style. Leather belts have been around since the very beginning, with early examples hailing from the Bronze Age. Belted looks have come a long way since then and have evolved into many different iconic styles over the years. Leather belts with large metal buckles were once only associated with cowboys of the American West, but luxury brands have put their own elegant spin on the leather belt and buckle look.
A leather belt can both serve a very practical purpose in fit and pull your look together with a classic touch around the waist. What makes them so appealing is they come in a variety of style combinations that have something to offer everyone. They are easily paired with a cool pair of jeans and a shirt for an elevated casual look or put with formal pants, which helps to make the look feel complete. In recent years, in particular, the logo leather belt has been dominating the ready-to-wear scene, becoming a wardrobe staple across generations. The most synonymous styles are the GG Marmont leather belt and Ferragamo’s Gancini reversible leather belt, V Logo leather belt by Valentino Garavani, and many more.
The Pearl Necklace
The pearl necklace is an undeniable symbol of quiet luxury and embedded class. It’s been featured throughout history everywhere, from gracing the decolatagè of the world’s most fabulous royalty to the big screen (think Anne Hathaway’s epic level-up in the devil wear’s Prada) and the jewelry boxes of millions of women across the world. Pearls are easy to love for their unique luminescence that highlights every woman’s face, and because they are widely available in a range of colors and shapes, are always in style and are truly seasonless as they look just as good layered on with a sweater in the winter as they do in dainty strands gracing the neckline of a sundress in the warmer months.
Known as the Queen of Gems, pearls were once reserved only for the higher classes until costume jewelry became fashionable in the 20th century, thanks to Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. Chanel was famous for layering on cascades of jewelry, often mixing fine gems with various strands of faux pearls slung over tweeds and plain woolen knits, in an insouciant disregard for tradition. She had an apparently effortless ability to persuade rich women to follow suit, as they began incorporating costume jewelry pearls combining the real jewelry with the fake and piling it on, often opting for long strands in varying lengths, with Chanel pearl necklaces earning a valued place on collector’s wish lists. Princess Diana was another trendsetting lover of pearls, although she often preferred short choker necklaces with multiple strands of pearls and often incorporated another gemstone or motif into the same singular piece.
The versatility of pearl necklaces makes them perfect for both minimalist and maximalist styling. If heavily layered dripping strands and multiple-strand chokers seem to be missing that modern edge, there are new takes on this classic piece that give all the contemporary styling sensibilities that are easy to love.
For a fresh take on this iconic classic, opt for baroque pearl necklaces with their abstract, unique shapes and luminescent colors that add a contemporary interest with details while remaining understated and classic. You can easily pair them with your favorite pair of jeans and a graphic t-shirt and a hot pair of pumps or sneakers for a look that balances feminine chic with irresistible girl-next-door energy or with your favorite swimwear for a beachside look that will have everyone transfixed by your siren song.
Oversized Jackie O Sunglasses
Jackie Kennedy loved classic silhouettes and bold accessories and was often seen sporting oversize sunglasses alongside her signature Gucci Jackie bag. The former first lady and trendsetting style icon loved big, bold oval or hexagon sunglasses, which were the epitome of 60s and 70s style, that translate into a contemporary staple and long-standing accessory icon. Oversized sunglass styles offer good size face coverage, optimizing sun protection, and are great for running out the door on no-makeup days while maintaining a chic, mysterious, put-together look.
Make sure not to over-accessorize when styling oversized eyewear. Balance big shades with delicate gold chains and earrings, or make a statement with rings that balance the weight of the look away from the face. Heavy necklaces, earrings, or scarves will weigh down your face. While the oversized Jackie O sunglasses look may hail from the 60s and 70s, this retro style has plenty of contemporary options to choose from that maintain a timeless look with modern touches, such as polarized lenses, UV protection, and modern design details with some of our favorite looks coming from Chloé, RayBan, Gucci and more.
Luxury Watches
There is no other accessory so synonymous with luxury and timelessness than luxury watches. Humans have been fascinated with time since the beginning of, well, time. Over 5,000 years ago, the ancient Egyptians used sundials to measure the passing of hours, while the first wristwatch was made in 1868 for Countess Koscowicz of Hungary by Swiss watchmaker Patek Philippe, who continues to be known as one of the most elite names in luxury watchmaking to this day. Once reserved only for high society, mass-produced, affordable watches are now widely available to the masses. However, society has never quite lost its taste for high-end and luxury watches, which symbolize status to this very day. While many American companies chose to follow the mass market appeal, Swiss watchmakers such as Rolex decided to remain true to their focus on luxury timepieces which have long been, and will forever be, a favorite of luxury watch collectors.
Actor Paul Newman was famous for sporting a Rolex Daytona bought for him by his wife in 1968 that was fixed on his wrist for most of his acting career in the 1970s and 80s. For those who manage to get their hands on a luxury timepiece, it is a true statement of class and status. Not to mention, is there anything that doesn’t look amazing with a high-end watch? It pairs beautifully with both jeans and a shirt and a power suit. Balance the look with tonal earrings and rings on the opposite hand for a feminine touch or keep it simple and let your wrist take full center stage. You can bet that luxury watches won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, making them a great accessory to invest in.
The Panama Hat
Panama hats inspire visions of warm tropical destinations, vintage heartthrobs, and the ultimate feeling of laid-back cool. Despite the name, Panama hats originate in Ecuador. The construction workers that built the Panama Canal used Ecuadorian Hats as protection from the harsh sun, and the name ‘Panama Hat’ was coined in 1906 after the media virally published photos of President Roosevelt overseeing the canal’s construction. Since its functional early days, the Panama hat has become something of a style statement, particularly on the big screen in films with dreamy vintage actors like Robert Redford in the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby, Warren Beatty in Bonnie and Clyde and Humphry Bogart in Casablanca.
What began as a men’s style isn’t just for men anymore. Panama hats have become a unisex accessory that is perfect for lending a touch of iconic men’s style to feminine wardrobes for a balance that adds interest and a laid-back sensibility to your styling.
Because these iconic hats come in varying sizes, colors, and brim widths, it’s important to pick a style that works for your particular face shape and style. A round face will better suit a wide brim and lighter-colored hat band, while a smaller face structure works well with a darker band and thinner brim.
The Printed Silk Scarf
What do Grace Kelly, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Bella Hadid, and A$AP Rocky all have in common? These trendsetting celebrities love an iconic silk scarf and know how to make it their own. Effortlessly chic and versatile, silk scarves can be worn around the neck with an elegantly minimal button-up shirt, as a hair cover as sported by Queen Elizabeth and A$AP Rocky, flirtatiously tied around the chest as a delicate top and paired with jeans, or even – as famously styled by Grace Kelley (Princess Grace of Monaco) – the most fashionable sling to ever grace a broken arm. The fact that it looks just as chic and natural on the Queen of England as it does on Bella Hadid and A$AP Rocky is a true testament to the iconic essence of the printed silk scarf.
Unarguably the most famous and most emblematic of high luxury is the Hermès Carré silk foulard which was first made in Paris in 1937 and has long reigned as the ultimate luxury icon in the world of accessories. Colorful designs are available in an array of patterns, most of which remain true to Hermès’s equestrian origins and are exceptionally well-made and very durable.
The silk used to make an Hermès scarf comes from the cocoons of 250 Mulberry moths. To this day, the scarves are created the same way that they were first made in 1937. Each piece is silkscreened by hand, and the edges are hand-stitched and hand-rolled, requiring a staggering six to 18 months to produce just one scarf, making it a true symbol of luxury and an unsurmountable icon in the world of accessories. While Hermes offers what we consider to be the top of luxury, luxe styles are available from many brands on the market, like Gucci, Pucci, Casablanca, and many more.
The Headband
As one of fashion’s most divisive accessories, headbands have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. Whether you can’t get enough of it or prefer to leave the style to others, headbands have made their mark on generations. From the classic headbands popular in the 1960s favorited by stars like Brigitte Bardot to the puffer headbands that symbolized the preppy wave in the 1980s and the infamous comb headband of the early two-thousands, headbands are having a moment again in 2023. While Y2K reminiscent styles are fun and flirtatious, puffy headband styles carry a regal, chic sentiment.
The voluminous style is reminiscent of royal headdresses from the English court during the Elizabethan period and has added an elegant touch to more contemporary royals like Princess Grace of Monaco (previously known as Grace Kelly) and Kate Middleton. Its height and bold presence exude confidence and status while mimicking the effects of a tiara, acting as a more down-to-earth substitute.
There are many ways to style contemporary headbands that adapt them to almost any look. Opt for a classic black headband with some volume that pairs perfectly with a blazer or cocktail dress, or go with a softer, more bohemian knit headband for a more relaxed look.
Leather Gloves
When it comes to iconic accessories, Michael Jackson’s crystal-studded white glove stands out throughout dimensions of time and culture. He adopted this singular glove as an omnipresent piece in his performance wardrobe in the early 1980s, making it a piece of music and performance history that is (nearly) priceless in the eyes of 80’s music and pop-culture fans around the world. The actual price of Michael Jackson’s glove is just under 98 thousand euro – the staggering amount it brought in at auction in 2020 when it was sold to an anonymous buyer from the United States. While this is a prime example of iconic accessories making their impact in pop culture and a fascinating bit of stage history, other iconic glove styles are more adaptable to daily life and style-savvy wardrobes.
While the King of Pop preferred one singular white glove, the King of Chanel is famous for his love for black, fingerless motorcycle gloves. Karl Lagerfeld was rarely seen without a pair of leather gloves and often worked them into his collections. His preferred fingerless leather gloves allowed him to sketch freely while wearing something to cover his hands – which he deeply disliked.
Leather gloves are symbolic of the intersection where luxury meets function. The Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians used leather gloves for warmth while the European nobility and royalty in the medieval and Renaissance periods wore gloves often made of fur and decorated with precious gems and stones, using them as a symbol of luxury, indulgence, power, and wealth. Contemporary high-end styles from brands like Valentino Garavani, Gucci, and Burberry take a more quiet approach to luxury leather gloves with refined pieces boasting chic, often understated, detailing in high-quality leather and finishes.
Warm yet streamlined gloves are perfect for every fall and winter wardrobe. Opt for an unlined pair in warmer weather with a light jacket and tall boots, or pile on the layers in the dark of winter with a wool double-breasted jacket, scarf, and hat ensemble. It’s worth finding iconic leather glove styles to invest in – it’s certain these classic styles will have a place in our wardrobes for years to come.
