With most fall 2026 clothes erring on the side of sensible, the accessories were allowed to be odd. Scrunched opera gloves showed up everywhere from Julie Kegel to Pieter Mulier's final Alaïa collection, and a small clutch finished a lot of looks. Khaite's purple suede gloves, Alaïa's chartreuse velvet gloves, Zimmermann's mustard velvet Cloud clutch and Métier's dark brown suede Ease clutch are an easy way in.

Hats were all over the fall shows, from sporty fur-trimmed caps at Hermès to the turbans Stephen Jones made for Givenchy. Max Mara's camel Teddy bucket hat and Gigi Burris's grey wool-felt cap are the easy ones, Roger Vivier's burgundy crystal-embellished beret adds sparkle and Junya Watanabe's black plush and wool wide-brim hat is the dramatic option. Wear one with a plain coat and let it be the point.

Bags went fluffy for fall at Bottega Veneta, Fendi, Chanel and Loewe. Saint Laurent's cream shearling Icare maxi tote is the biggest, Loro Piana's grey faux-shearling Sesia tote is the practical one, and Stella McCartney's brown plush Flabella clutch and Gabriela Hearst's black shearling Soft Demi clutch are the evening versions. They look best against smooth fabrics like a wool coat or a leather jacket.

Western belts crept onto the runways at Chloé and Jean Paul Gaultier, and the buckles got bigger. Déhanche's black Mila belt has a large gold rectangle, Chloé's brown Modern Talisman belt is embellished, Nili Lotan's brown belt carries a heavy silver buckle and Amanu's chocolate suede Skinny Grumeti belt finishes in a big oval. Wear one over a long knit or a dress to pull in the waist.

Sport-style sunglasses turned up on runways and in street style all season. Rick Owens' red Wrap Around sunglasses, Celine's blue Runner shields, Loewe's grey Speed Shield Mask and Alaïa's brown Mask sunglasses all wrap the face in a single sweep of lens. They look sharpest with tailoring, where the contrast does the work.

Accessories are the smartest place to try a trend, because they change an outfit without asking you to rebuild it. If you take one thing away, let it be that one statement accessory per outfit is plenty, since a fuzzy bag with a big buckle and a beret starts to look like a dare. We would skip the fuzzy clutch if your evenings involve crowded bars and spilled drinks, because shearling does not forgive much. The gloves and the belts are the most versatile of the lot, and both work with clothes you already own. Try the trend that feels least like you at first, then wear it more than once before deciding.