Style Any Outfit With These Timeless Spring Accessories

Don't underestimate the significance of a great belt or scarf.

women wearing timeless spring accessories like a floral pin, belt, and silk scarf
(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Like a sprinkle of spice to boost flavor or the bass line of a song to ground a melody, timeless accessories don't compete with your ready-to-wear—they enhance it. A beautifully made belt transforms basic blue jeans. A sleek leather tote or work bag (even overstuffed and bursting with your life's essentials) can put the finishing touch on an outfit. These simple but unique add-ons can transform a good outfit into a great one.

Just as you'd extend a certain level of care when curating a capsule wardrobe of worthwhile basics, building a rotation of classic accessories requires intention and thoughtfulness. If you buy whatever flashy handbag or pair of sunnies first catches your eye, they might not last you until the end of the season, let alone years from now. But if you invest wisely, considering a piece's materials and craftsmanship, what's new to you today can easily become modern heirlooms that will withstand generations of wear.

To help you start crafting your collection, Marie Claire curated an edit of our top picks for timeless spring accessories to buy now and cherish forever. Ahead is an homage to the accessory staples that form a timeless wardrobe's foundation.

An Anonymous Everyday Tote

Woman wearing tan pants, a tank top, with a timeless black tote bag

A woven black tote offers eye-catching contrast to an otherwise all-tan outfit.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

While spring's handbag trends may convince you to try a more experimental statement style, you would be remiss to ignore the wear-everywhere appeal of a neutral black tote. If you choose wisely, your daily tote will feel like a reliable friend you can call on for the years to come.

A Strappy Heeled Sandal

Sherri McMullen crossing the street in a black dress, black blazer with a floral decal, and strappy heeled sandals.

Sherri McMullen's T-strap sandals are the perfect shoe to ground her plunging black dress and floral-motif blazer.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Strappy sandals are the saving grace of any shoe collection because of their ability to elevate any outfit. Consider them a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency pair to pull out when your outfit needs more sophistication. Try teaming a '90s-inspired kitten heel with denim and a tee to dress up the casual combo; a refined square-toe style can come along with you for an upcoming summer wedding.

A Bejeweled Bouquet

A smiling woman wearing a floral blazer, flower belt, choker necklace, and matching earrings

Doesn't this triple floral combination—a belt, necklace, and pair of drop earrings—make you smile?

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

A collection of floral jewelry is a delightful sight in the springtime, offering the same serotonin boost as seeing crocuses and daffodils sprout in a patch of grass. Try a lovely, coordinated trio consisting of a necklace, ring, and bracelet that invites some garden-fresh appeal into your accessories assortment.

A Silk Scarf

Two women wearing a black dress with a black bag and a white top and skirt with a silk scarf

Alongside her very chic counterpart, a woman channels vintage glamour with a white and black scarf tied around her head.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Without fail, an opulent scarf will make a regal statement. You can call on its retro connotations by tying it around your head and under the chin, evoking the image of a Hollywood starlet cruising in a red convertible. Or, knot a foulard around your neck for a chic French-inspired take.

Logo-Less Sunnies

Woman standing in the street wearing a striped button-down shirt, shorts, a white bag, and sunglasses

These rectangular black-brown tortoiseshell frames let her striped button-down be the main attraction to her look.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Neutral, logo-free sunglasses are a loyal companion to your daily uniform. Quiet luxury is an inherent part of their design, which means they won't distract from the rest of your ensemble. Add some old-school flair to your look with a cat-eye frame or a bold aviator.

A Playful Topper

Fashion week guest standing on the sidewalk wearing a purple hat, pink top, and orange skirt

Joy in sartorial form! This textured lilac cap complements the pink off-the-shoulder blouse and iridescent bubble skirt.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

Admittedly, a cute little cap is more on the statement end of the spectrum. But hats are having a runway moment and are bubbling up in the mainstream-style conversation. A fabulous beret like Alaïa's black velour style offers cozy Euro flair, while Janessa Leone's is one you can wear to the beach and beyond. A beret or bucket hat deserves a spot in your year-round rotation.

A Finishing Belt

Woman posing next to a vespa wearing a black dress, black belt, and black handbag

Imagine her outfit without the belt and its circular golden detail. It would be missing something, right?

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

A high-quality belt is often an afterthought that's not given the attention it deserves. Its practicality is a huge draw, but belts' fashion impact is worth noting, too. A sleek leather style with strategic silver hardware will make a pair of high-waisted trousers look extra sharp, while a wider leather option will add outfit intrigue when wrapped around a dress or jacket.

A Ladylike Kitten Heel

A woman walking in a yellow dress and black kitten heels

Unassuming in their design but providing a sharp impact, these elongated closed-toe pumps are the ideal pairing with her billowing cream-colored dress.

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

A subtle kitten heel that provides slight height without the discomfort of a capital "H" heel is another shoe you'll reach for in the decades to come. Imagine topping off a pair of slim-fit trousers with subtly textured Croc effect pumps or styling a pointed open-toe mule with a pleated midi skirt. Don't you want to test out those combinations ASAP?

A Top-Handle Tote

A woman wearing a black blazer, button-down shirt, shorts, white heels, and a Bottega Veneta top handle tote bag.

Oh, the places this well-dressed showgoer can go with her Bottega Veneta Andiamo tote!

(Image credit: Tyler Joe)

A classic top-handle tote is the cornerstone bag of any accessories collection. To start, we advise investing in a meticulously crafted woven tote, a summery, yet sturdy linen option, or. slightly quirky (but classic) miniature take on a briefcase.

TOPICS
Emma Childs
Fashion Features Editor

Emma is the fashion features editor at Marie Claire, where she explores the intersection of style and human interest storytelling. She covers viral styling hacks and zeitgeist-y trends—like TikTok's "Olsen Tuck" and Substack's "Shirt Sandwiches"—and has written hundreds of runway-researched trend reports about the ready-to-wear silhouettes, shoes, bags, colors, and coats to shop for each season. Above all, Emma enjoys connecting with real people to yap about fashion, from picking an indie designer's brain to speaking with athlete stylists, entertainers, artists, politicians, chefs, and C-suite executives about finding a personal style as you age or reconnecting with your clothes postpartum.

Emma previously wrote for The Zoe Report, Editorialist, Elite Daily, Bustle, and Mission Magazine. She studied Fashion Studies and New Media at Fordham University Lincoln Center and launched her own magazine, Childs Play Magazine, in 2015 as a creative pastime. When Emma isn't waxing poetic about niche fashion discourse on the internet, you'll find her stalking eBay for designer vintage, reading literary fiction on her Kindle, doing hot yoga, and "psspsspssp-ing" at bodega cats.

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