It may be clothes that make the man (or woman), but it’s the accessories that make a statement–and they also make good gifts that cover all points on the price spectrum.
When buying fashion accessories, keep a few trends in mind: Velvet and faux fur are the fabrics of choice.
Velvet has always been popular around the holidays; there’s something about the rich and luxurious look of the fabric. But now soft velvet extends into a wealth of accessories–from handbags to headbands to shoes.
Melissa Ryan, fashion office manager at Marshall Field’s, says she’s seeing “velvet for the holidays, particularly scarves, which can take anything from day into evening.”
At Field’s, scarves in burned-out velvet, in which a pattern is designed into the velvet, range from $38 for a more basic version, to $178 for a luxurious Anne Toomey design. Velvet evening bags come in all shapes and sizes, such as $24 for a purple Kelly bag or $32 for a structured brown bag with a beaded strap. On the smaller side, there are stretch velvet gloves ($20-$24) or even soft chenille socks ($8).
Keep yourself toasty warm as the toast of the town in faux fur creations with animal patterns like leopard and cheetah prints. “These accessories are meant for the modern woman, not the fashion victim, who wants to add a sense of elegance and luxury to her wardrobe,” says Annie Walker of Bloomingdale’s.
Faux fur shows up on scarves, hats, gloves, headbands, handbags and backpacks–adding playful accents to winter ensembles. At Bloomingdale’s, there’s everything from a faux cheetah handbag ($38) to a La Maison De La Fausse Fourrure faux fur shoulder bag in moss green ($98) and faux mink hat in dark brown ($72).
Field’s also has plush faux fur hats for $36, in styles that include leopard and wildcat.
Cashmere scarves are also fabulous gifts that show your good taste. Neiman Marcus has a Loro Piana cashmere stole ($400), with a floral print on one side and solid, warm autumn colors on the reverse. Top off the look with a top-of-the-line velvet, flat-top wide-brim hat by Eric Javits ($270). Other choices at Neiman Marcus are a forest green Summer Tompkins velvet scarf ($75) and stretch velvet gloves ($28).
Or on a more down-to-earth level, a gardener or hiker might find divine inspiration in the Halo collapsible hat ($35), made by TopsyTail. It’s made of a durable, water-resistant fabric with a 5-inch-wide brim that protects the enthusiastic outdoorsperson from sun and rain. The hat folds and conveniently fits into a pouch for easy stowing. To order, call 800-55-TOPSY.
New this season, Coach bags foray into satin, with brightly colored Maggie satin duffle handbags ($124) available in red, glacier blue, black, beige, lime green and gold. Other Coach offerings are mini key fobs, in which a tiny 3-inch-long purse dangles from a key ring ($34); a multifunction wallet with zippered coin pocket ($88); and, for men, wallets in exotic leathers such as alligator and lizard–a lizard credit card case is $66 and an alligator credit card wallet is $324. Available at Coach stores (900 N. Michigan, 312-440-1777; Merchandise Mart Plaza, 312-661-1772), or call 800-262-2411 to order.
Sunglasses are accessories that never go out of season. This year, look for lots of color in the frames, such as Persol sunglasses in moss yellow, rouge and navy blue. Also check out the geometric shapes, like funky Moschino glasses in squares, ovals and cat-eyes. The Persol and Moschino sunglasses, by Luxottica, are $175 to $250; for store locations, call 888-589-6884.
Sports enthusiasts might like Nikon’s CE Teton metal wrap glasses ($195) with flexible spring hinges and rubber grips, ideal for skiers or snowboarders. Available at Sun King (44 E. Chicago, 312-664-4887) and Active Endeavors (935 W. Armitage, 773-281-8100), or call 800-NIKON-US for other locations.
Barry Kieselstein Cord sunglasses ($355-$500) have intricate details on the side, ranging from alligators to moons, in silver, gold and black. They’re available at Neiman Marcus.
