Trend file with Secret Closet: Spring 2013 trending accessories

Spring is the best time to invest in accessories — it’s all about mixing and matching colours and textures — and you can be as bold and bright as you like.

Whether your style is sleek minimalistic or whacky and imaginative, there’s something for everyone on our list of must-haves as seen on spring 2013 runways from London to New York. The best part is you don’t need to get the exact piece, if you keep your eyes open, you can replicate the look with any high-street brand or even non-branded street market collectibles. Here’s what you should be looking for!

Flower trinkets

No one does feminine better than Oscar de le Renta. The carefully carved petals in the oversized flower necklaces and cuffs, seen at his Spring 2013 RTW collection, personified it. We were especially enamoured by the neutral black-and-white colours used; making the pieces both wearable and more noticeable. To get the look you might opt for Maheen Karim’s inspired metallic gold petal ornamental chains and belts.

Linked In

Heavy metal is in vogue and anything with shiny polished chain links qualifies. The bigger the better; we found some amazing choices from DVF who innovatively used them in shoes, as well as Balmain, Eddie Borgo and Louis Vuitton, to name a few. The concept is simple and relatively understated; you can get the same look from high-street brands such as Aldo or Mango as well.

Metallic fringe

We all love statement necklaces but the metallic fringe ones are especially great to dress-up a solid monochrome top. They were even creatively used on gladiator style crisscross black-and-gold metallic strapped heels by Versace in keeping with the shin high Roman style currently trending globally and by Sergio Rossi for an amplified effect.

Stack Heels

Stack heels are fast replacing wedges and we prefer the neat straight lines any day. Spring is about open toes and cut-out broad straps are extremely flattering on any foot. While wedges are a bit of a hindrance for those of us who are taller than the average height, block heels are easier to carry off and vary in the inches they add.

The Shady Effect

No spring look would be complete without the right pair of sunglasses and this season colours have penetrated eyewear as well. Like everything else, oversize is the key whether you opt for tinted hues as seen on the spring runway for Michael Kors or coloured frames.

As Clear as Day

The transparent effect in both bags and shoes is still holding strong, however this is a hit-or-miss kind of trend not easily carried. We prefer it in shoes to purses and even then more so in formal clutches such as the Gucci tinted box clutch and the Chanel Lego clutch. If done correctly, this is a brave look to pull off.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2013.

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