Fashion Accessories: Definition, Types & Examples

Learning the different types of accessories for women would help you keep up with the new accessory trends. Fashion accessory dates back to the stone age and the medieval period when stone and traditional fashion accessories were mainly in use.

Fashion accessories can be used to express an individual’s personality, relative to the different shapes, sizes, and hues of the fashion accessories. Wearing an exquisite hairstyle and top fashion-designed dress without using the right fashion accessories can ruin the entire outfit.

What are Accessories and What is the Importance of Accessories in Fashion?

Fashion accessories are fashion wears that are worn to adorn the main outfit. Fashion accessories add stylish touchups to clothes and one’s overall appearance. Whether you intend to go with a statement earring or you are layering delicate necklaces, or just throwing on a neck scarf or piece; accessories are essential in establishing a complete look.

Types of Fashion Accessories for Women and Men

There are two main categories of fashion accessories; the fashion accessories that you wear and the ones that you carry.

1. Worn Accessories

The worn accessories are accessories asides from your fashion clothing that are put on the body. This type of fashion accessory is subdivided into numerous categories. The following are the examples of worn fashion accessories:

1. Hand Fashion Accessories

Bangles and Bracelets

When it comes to the various worn accessories by women, bangles and bracelets are fashion accessories worn by both men and women around the wrist. A bangle differs from a bracelet in that a bangle is a solid, one-piece band worn on the wrist without a clasp or opening.

A Bracelet is also a band wrong around the wrist, just that instead it has a clasp for easy opening, access, and flexibility around the wrist. Bracelets can be made of chains, leather, or a rubber-like material by fashion designers, and maybe circular or elliptical. Bangles despite being solid pieces of jewelry are most times made of stretchy bands and rubber materials.

Studs And Cuff Links

A cuff link is a piece of fashion jewelry fastened into the buttonhole of a shirt or at the cuff around the wrist. Studs are similar to the cuff links, but by way of differing, it has a protruding pin or knob connected by a detachable clasp from front to back.

Gloves

Gloves are ceremonial fashion accessories worn on the hand. Gloves are worn mainly to protect the hand from cold and harsh weather. They also serve decorative purposes at ceremonies and wedding occasions.

Rings

A ring is a fashion accessory worn on the finger for decorative purposes, a sign of matrimony or engagements, religious affiliations, and honoraries.

Watches

A watch is a portable timepiece designed to keep a consistent and cautious movement with time awareness. Watches are fashion accessories because they can be styled beautifully, to bring out specific cues in the hands.

2. Hair Fashion Accessories

Hair accessories are ornamentals attached to the hair. These may include hair bands, hair bows, hats, helmets, bobby pins, tic-tac clips, and hair barrettes. They are used for adorning the latest hairstyles and flaunting the best hairdos.

Hats

A hat is a head covering worn to protect the hair against harsh weather conditions, for ceremonial wear including university graduations, religious occasions, or ordinarily as a fashion accessory.

Helmets

A helmet is also a head covering worn to protect the hair, instead, it is harder and a padded protective hat. It is worn majorly for safety by police officers, soldiers, sports players, and motorcyclists, among others. The helmet plays an additive role to the skull in protecting the human brain.

Scarves

A scarf is a wide cloth or fashion piece worn around the neck, shoulders, or over the head for warmth, protection, fashion, and religious cues.

Veils

A veil is a broad and fine piece of material worn by women to conceal their hair or face. Veils are used as wedding accessories and for religious purposes.

3. Eye fashion accessories and wears

Eyeglasses

Eyeglasses are eyewear that can be worn for correcting defective eyesight or simply as one of your fashion accessories. Eyeglasses are made up of a frame consisting of a rim and two pieces of glass or plastic.

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are protective eyewear for shielding the eyes against the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. Sunglasses or sunshades are spectacular fashion accessories that are very complementary to one’s overall outlook.

4. Foot Accessories

Anklets

An anklet is one of the worn accessories by women. It is an ornament worn around the ankle. Anklets can be worn hanging loosely by the ankle or they can be made tighter around the ankle.

Sandals

A sandal is a light form of footwear or shoe having an openwork or strapped pattern and attached to the sole of the feet.

Shoes

A shoe is footwear made typically for covering the foot. It has a sturdy sole that does not reach above the ankle. Shoes are numbered among the best accessories because of their protective functions. Shoes can be made of leather or rubber materials.

Socks

A sock is a fabric or clothing worn over the foot and lower parts of the leg. Socks are made of soft materials which can either be knitted from wool, nylon, or cotton. Just like shoes, socks are important fashion accessories for the feet.

5. Other Worn Fashion Accessories

Brooches and Pins

Pins are normally used for fastening and holding pieces of fabrics in place. Brooches are decorative fashion accessories that are traditionally pinned or attached to clothing as an ornament.

Belts

Fashion belts can be worn as an accessory around the waist. It is used for keeping the undergarments in place, for tightening the waistband of clothes, as a fashion accessory, or as a means of carrying tools around (This is well seen in the belts of security officers on duty)

Earrings

Earrings are not just fashion accessories for women, but also for women. An earring is a fashion accessory worn through an ear piercing on the earlobe. Earrings are of different types. It may be small as a finger ring or large as a bangle, with different styles and designs.

Necklaces and Pendants

Necklaces are neck fashion accessories worn which can be paired with pendants and lockets for a minimalist or statement outlook. Necklaces can be fashioned as a simple chain with a pendant or studded with pearls and beads. They are one of the most important fashion accessories because they bring out facial cues.

Ties

The tie is a strip of clothing or band of material worn around the collar and knotted in front typically as a part of a formal outfit.

Sashes

A sash is a loop of clothing worn over the shoulder or around the waist as a uniform or official dress.

Perfumes

Perfumes are finishing fashion accessories. A Perfume is a fragrant liquid made from essential oils and natural extracts. They are sprayed or applied to enhance the smell of one’s body.

2. Carried Fashion accessories

Handkerchiefs

The handkerchief is one of the carried accessories. It is a small square piece of linen used mainly for wiping the face, nose, and eyes, or for decorative purposes.

Purses, Wallets, and Handbags

A purse is a small pouch for carrying small items mainly used by women. A wallet is similar to a flat purse, having separate slots for guarding cards and money. Leather wallets and handbags are very stylish accessories worn by both men and women.

Luggage

A Luggage or suitcase or traveling bags are used for packing one’s belongings when traveling.

Umbrella

Umbrella is a circular canopy made of cloth on a supporting metal frame. Umbrellas are used for protection against harsh weather like rain and sun.

Conclusion – Fashion Accessories: Definition, Types & Examples

You can explore different types of fashion accessories to completely enhance your overall outlook. Some examples of fashion accessories that are popular among women and men include; jackets, shoes, boots, cravats, bonnets, hats, berets, ties, scarves, shawls, suspenders, belts, stockings, leggings, gloves, bangles, bracelets, anklets, necklaces, earrings, cufflinks, studs, pins, brooches, eyeglasses, phone peripherals, among others.