In the same way that interior accessories are needed to pull a room together, the same can be said about an outfit; A leather belt, bracelets, cuffs, and necklaces should be staples of your accessory collection. If you are finding that you are not much of an accessory fan, you don’t need to over do it. A simple ring with a nice leather cuff would suffice - just a little something that ties in with your attire, whether it be casual or dressy. Accessories are no longer just for the tres chic woman, now they are necessities for a tres fab man!
Bags are another accessory that you can’t do without! This year, all the major brands such as Dolce and Gabbana, Etro, Burberry, and of course Louis Vuitton have come out with great bags for men: Cognac colour and crock skin leather totes, Denim and canvas shoulder bags, gorgeous briefcases, laptop holders and luxe luggage! Now, these are obviously high-end names but stores such as Le Chateau, Aldo, and Zara will provide you with the right price. Bags carried by men are no longer the aweful term of “fag bag” - now it should be FAB BAG! Accessorizing with the right bag will make you look composed, and best of all you will be so organized!
Ribbon belts were the trend of last year. This year, leather belts have made a huge come back. Leather belts have always been a great staple of a man’s accessory collection, but on the runways now we have been seeing large-scale buckles with a lot of “bling”, and distressed leather in a wide range of colours. The addition of these belts with casual and dressy looks creates an eye-catching appearance. Fantastic pony hair belts have also been seen on the runways, with additions of gold and silver…HOT! The punky look is out, no more studs and double-holed belts. Its now about fun, colour enriched leather belts with large scale over-the-top buckles!
Leather cuffs are still hot but moreso with an updated look. Simple black and brown cuffs have been re-vamped by local designer, Darcy Lundgren of DARIAM. Working with many different types of leather from buckskin to ostrich, he also mixes different materials such as denim and canvas in with his unique collection. His designs are a fabulous change to the ordinary cuff and are a great way to introduce colour into your attire. Using techniques such as branding and stamping he has found an innovative way to freshen up the old cuff of last year - a fantastic find and definite must buy for your accessory collection. DARIAM accessories are available at RA Clothing on 17th Ave SW.
With the resurgence of low V-necks in many of this season’s collections, it leaves a perfect place to showcase a necklace. Pieces in silver, chrome, black and brown are hot! Also, necklaces with charms and pendants have also been seen on a large scale. If this doesn’t do it for you, a simple piece of leather tied around your neck a few times over will do just fine. Jewelry in general is taking on a non-traditional approach with the use of exotic materials, innovative construction and organic inspiration.
Men’s accessories are definitely making a comeback. Don’t be afraid to throw on a scarf, button up a cuff, strap on a belt, grab a FAB bag and be on your merry way to walking the streets of Calgary. You will look unbelievable!
