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Fashion month came and went with a stern message: it's time to dress up. After years of designers insisting on practical, utilitarian clothes and accessories, the runways revealed that everyone is actually ready to have fun again. And when it comes to accessories, there are so many reasons to look forward to spring/summer 2025.
From classic footwear styles made new to belts that reinvent their very meaning, accessory trends for next year are a perfect blend of weird and practical. The trusty sartorial staples we constantly rely on got 2025 opulent makeovers, including top-handle bags, coin purses, oversized sunglasses, and comfy flats. Come next spring, it’ll be all about how you can give them a twist that’s right on the edge.
Ahead, are seven accessory trends for spring/summer 2025 that will turn your heads upside down.
Peep Show
After seasons of Mary Jane and slingback silhouettes dominating the runways, it was time for a twist—enter the peep-toe shoe. Designers like Tory Burch, Giambattista Valli, and Bottega Veneta endorsed the style heavily for spring/summer 2025 with unique takes that subverted everyone’s less-than-favorable opinions on the classic peep-toe shoe. Miu Miu, for example, showed metallic versions with slingback silhouettes that featured a frontal aperture so tiny only one toe was visible, while Tory Burch went even weirder by doing peep-toe shoes that feature an asymmetrical opening and slanted heels.
The New Belt
In a fashion landscape obsessed with corporate-derived styles, it's no wonder the belt has become a protagonist over the past few seasons. For spring/summer 2025 the verdict is clear: the new belt is here. At Prada, it came in the form of an industrial-looking belt with hanging hooks to attach a low-rise skirt. Luar proposed that the new belt is actually two belts, styling a pair of "L" logo belts together. Miu Miu went for a more eclectic take by styling aesthetically opposing belts together (think a chain belt with a leather version, stacked and nearly looped with each other).
Emotional Support Bags
You know the saying, "Life's tough, get a helmet." But fashion is seemingly telling its customers to get a… comforting bag? That was the memo from brands like Coach, Stella McCartney, and Jil Sander, which proposed that bags should be two things: enormous and comfortable. Coach, for example, had coin purses in the shape of giant teddy bears with models carrying them as if they were the equivalent of a plush toy, while at Stella McCartney, models carried sizable folded clutch bags that could double as on-the-go pillows.
It's Handled
Olivia Pope's "It's Handled" catchphrase seemingly served as inspiration for handbag trends this season. Designers collectively rallied behind the fictional character's signature bag, the top handle, as the one true style to work for women on the go. Stella McCartney, for example, showed the style paired with a rolled newspaper copy sitting on top, while Hermès showed briefcase-like versions that perfectly blended business and style.
Inside Out
They say that what's more important is what's on the inside. And fashion's latest push for inside-out accessories makes a case for looking beyond the cover. Brands like Victoria Beckham, Rabanne, and Tibi featured transparent accessories whose sole purpose was to make visible what was inside. At Rabanne, for example, a plastic bag revealed an embellished silver-and-gold bag inside, while at Tibi, models wore clear rain boots that changed colors depending on the socks they wore. Victoria Beckham went for a different approach, dressing models in crystal-clear footwear styles
Tied-Up
Come next spring, buckles will be so last year. Lace-up boots and flats will take over instead. As seen on the runways of Chanel, Chloé, and Ganni there are a myriad of ways that this trend can look like. At Chanel, models walked out in impossibly chic cap-toe platform lace-up booties, while Chloé showed criss-cross lace-up flats.
Futurist Lens
Eyewear trends for spring/summer 2025 will have us all seeing into the future. The otherworldly styles seen on the runways made evident that, after years of Y2K nostalgia on eyewear trends, designers are ready to take it all up to Y3K. Take Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons, who featured a slew of futuristic styles on the Prada runway, including asymmetrical-lens sunglasses with a scarf head wrap attached, while Loewe had reflecting lens aviator-style sunglasses that were so bent they looked close to being broken in half.