Fashion People Are Accessorising Like It’s 2008 Again—I'm Road Testing These 7 Trends
Welcome to the Gen Z Mood, where I—Who What Wear UK's 26-year-old social media editor—keep you updated with my mood of the month and the most exciting things I’ve spotted on the scroll. I'm always looking for new and thrifty ways to shop trends, and I'm taking you with me.
When Coco Chanel famously advised, “Before leaving the house, you should look in the mirror and remove one item,” she clearly didn’t see 2025 coming (or Kylie Jenner’s latest accessory-adorned head-to-toe Chanel look for that matter). Over the last year, we’ve seen a full-on accessory renaissance, a rebellion against the pared back, minimalist quiet luxury appetite as of late perhaps, or just another trip down memory lane (remember when any Sienna Miller look wasn’t complete without a belt, a chunky necklace, a bag and a hat?)
But this time, it isn’t just celebrities opting into this more is more attitude. From kitsch tights and serious ties to bedazzled shoes and bonnets, 2025 looks to be the year the fashion set’s passion for adding a little something extra to an outfit reaches fever pitch. Even our bags now have bags—see the Who What Wear team's new favourite bag charm below for evidence.
This embracement for accessorising or, in some cases, over-accessorising isn’t exclusive to one fashion-loving generation. It’s attracting shopping of every demographic; for every nostalgia-loving millennial reaching to the back of their wardrobes to dust off that '00s boho Chloé belt, there’s a thrifty 23-year-old curating their Vinted likes via pinpoint specific search terms. Taking a look at the app's search bar, ‘00s sunglasses’, ‘Y2K baguette bag’, ‘knitted bonnet’, ‘bag charms’ are just a few with tonnes of search volume behind them, supplying accessory-curious Gen Zs like me, a wealth of affordable purchases at their fingertips.
The lure in accessorising, and why I’m making the case that it’ll reach new heights in 2025, lies in its accessibility as a trend. The idea of accessorising a look in order to elevate it, works very well for a money-conscious generation, along with style seekers tiring of the micro-trend cycles and desperately trying to curate a more personal personal style.
Collectively we’re bringing a wink and a nod back to getting dressed via an accessory of our choice. Throwing on an accent hat, (a La Chappell Roan’s hennin at the Grammys) or a pair of chic framed glasses (see Doechii’s recent street-style wardrobe) is just a bit of fun. And to me, there’s nothing more fun than walking around Anya-Hindmarch-style with a mini can of Diet Coke attached to my bag—aside from the £295.00 price tag, of course, but a girl can dream! Read on for more fun, Y2K-inspired accessory trends I have pinned to my mood board for the year ahead.
Framed Glasses
Opting for a chic pair of framed glasses seems to be the fashion set's favourite way to elevate a simple outfit right now. Look to the feeds of celebs like Bella Hadid and Hailey Bieber and you'll notice several spectacle-clad chic 'fits. And, the best news is, you no longer need a prescription from the optician to try this one out, a surge in the popularity of blue light technology means you can style up as many chic glasses styles as you like, all the while protecting your eyes from those pesky screens! My favourite point of reference? Giselle Bündchen's character in The Devil Wears Prada, need I say more?
