Men’s accessories are one of the most fun ways to complete your outfit. Whether it be a cool new
They give you an added layer of creativity and lend even the simplest outfit a stamp of your personality.
A few days back, I wrote about my rules for putting together strong spring outfits, including how to find the best light-wash jeans and the ideal footwear. The rules for spring accessories, however, warranted a post of their own.
Spring fits tend to be more minimal—obviously, you’ll want to wear less as temperatures rise. This is why accessories are so important during the spring months: they serve as the quickest vehicle to a sense of flair and originality.
And, of course, some of them are utilitarian (think: sunglasses and hats). So what should you be investing in this season?
1. Watch with a Metal Bracelet
As I wrote in my previous piece, it’s less than ideal to wear a
There’s a concept in the world of
Looking for strap inspiration?
You’ll want to opt for
I know I’ve talked before about my Seiko Turtle, a
A Seiko 5 is probably the best “strap monster” as it comes in a million different dial variations and colors. These days, they come with a drilled lug to make changing straps as easy as pie.
I have a Seiko 5 with a green dial that I put on a metal bracelet for during the summer and a green leather strap to dress it up in the colder months.
You’ll love this one, too
A Quality-To-Price Standout: 15 Seiko 5 Watches Worth Considering
Other
If you have a little bit more cash to blow, the Tudor Black Bay 58 and the Omega Speedmaster are timeless pieces that will last a lifetime and you can dress them up, down, and around town year-round.
2. Baseball Caps & Other Hats
As a hairline-challenged person, I have really leaned into hats over the last several years. The baseball cap is obviously the most ubiquitous and versatile silhouette for any situation.
Spring is coming and the sun is burning through winter’s grey clouds, so having a baseball cap with a solid brim is not only stylish but practical.
Get into the action with this one-of-a-kind New York Yankees MLB Team Classic 39THIRTY Flex hat from New Era! -Fanatics
I think there is nothing cooler than an MLB hat for your hometown team (and if you’re not from an area with an MLB team, you’re one of the lucky few that can choose whichever logo you find the coolest).
As a native San Franciscan, I’m always wearing a basic black Giants hat with the orange logo embroidered. Unfortunately, I have to admit that a Yankees hat is ground zero for cool baseball caps. It’s simply the coolest cap of all time.
Of course, you can get hats with anything on ’em. I love a vintage option with the name of a band or an event from the past like a music festival or a hotel. Dig through the pages of eBay and you can find something eternally cool.
Want more hat options?
Aside from a baseball cap, look for a bucket hat. If you have the funds for it, the Jacquemus bucket hat is beautiful and you can usually find them on sale. Several other brands have solid bucket hat options.
Uniqlo has a nice assortment of timeless colors. I purchased one from Supreme last summer, and I think I will be wearing it for decades.
This is why accessories are so important during the spring months: they serve as the quickest vehicle to a sense of flair and originality.
3. More Jewelry!
Let’s preface this by saying that you can wear most jewelry year-round. However, I think it is especially fun to experiment with jewelry in the warm months because spring standards like shorts, short sleeves, and open collars are perfect to showcase your pieces.
Starting with a thin chain is probably the most accessible route for most men. Gold or silver, it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re putting forth the effort.
There’s so much costume jewelry out there that you can’t really go wrong; however, if you have the means to purchase real precious metals, you should make that happen.
Which chain should you wear?
A gold chain, especially a thin one, should set you back no more than $300 while a silver chain might not break $100 if you find the right deal.
After you snag a chain or two, you can expand into other kinds of jewelry, including, but not limited to, rings, earrings, and bracelets. Thankfully, we’re no longer in the days of stacking tons of bracelets on each wrist, as used to be trending.
Instead, go tasteful by wearing one piece in each category: one chain, a pair of earrings, a ring or two, and a bracelet. You may have heard the old rule to not mix your metals, but times change for a reason.
Everything is much more laissez-faire at this point, and gold and silver go together just fine.
4. A Light Bag
You’d be smart to grab a tote bag for everyday use. An L.L. Bean “Boat and Tote” will last forever, and with the option to customize it with a monogram, you can really make it yours.
I follow an account on Instagram called @ironicboatandtote, which features photos of bags with funny slogans.
They’re great for going to the office, a day at the beach, a picnic in the park, or shopping at your local farmers market. You’ll be the coolest kid wherever you go.
You’ll like this one, too:
The other bag that you need is a shoulder bag. To be fair, I don’t know what these are called. I’ve seen them called “side bags,” “bum bags,” “pouches,” “fanny packs,” and many more.
If all you need is the essentials (wallet, phone, keys, gum, etc.) then a shoulder bag is perfect.
Just about everyone has been making these since 2016 so you have yourself an unlimited amount of options to choose from. Mine is from Noah, a brand that I hold in very high esteem, and I got it for 50% off on the SSENSE sale.
I copped this one in green and brown, but I recommend going black or brown to keep it classic. They come in a lot of fabrics – nylon and leather being the most common. You can decide what’s right for you.
Need more than one bag? (Probably)
5. The Most Stylish Sunglasses You Can Buy
No warm-weather wardrobe is complete without a stylish pair of shades to top it all off. A good pair gives you a bit of edge and mystique. All the girls will be asking their friends who you are at the bar.
The trick with sunglasses is to get the right shape for your face. There are several charts you can use to pick the right sunglasses for your head/face shape. With that said, aviators and wayfarers are the most timeless silhouette.
Alternatively, forget face shapes all together and just
Ray Ban has been the king for so long that it seems inconceivable that any brand would knock it off its pedestal. These Wayfarer sunglasses are the perfect go-anywhere, do-anything pair.
One of my main warm-weather style hacks is picking a pair with colored lenses to give my outfits a touch of flare. I typically channel my inner Hunter S. Thompson and opt for a pair of yellow-tinted lenses.
What’s That one cool men’s accessory you can’t go without?
I love accessories so much. If you really dive into the world of accessorizing, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself addicted, unable to help yourself from buying more and more of whatever piece it is that catches your fancy.
For me, that’s watches. I also have too many hats to count, but
You can keep your outfits as minimal as you want, opting to wear a simple outfit with one or two accessories, or you can wear accessories from all of the above categories at once and still look tasteful.
It’s very common for me to wear a
Remember that, above all, accessories should be an extension of your personal style, so let it rock!
Got any accessories questions? Hit me up on that Insta DM!
