Ray-Bans were the sunglasses brand two to three decades ago with their Aviator and Wayfarer designs (remember Tom Cruise in “Risky Business”?). They never really went completely out of style, but their designs lost market share to the oversized, oval wrap frame. The style took off as a fashion statement and even today virtually all celebrities sport a pair of gigantic oval sunglasses. Ray-Ban introduced its own range of oversized oval wrap frames to keep up with competitors, but the brand has also held onto the classic styles that originally launched it to fame.

I have never been a regular sunglasses wearer and I can’t really tell you why. I owned a pair of Ray-Ban Aviators 20 years ago, which I loved but barely wore. Ten years ago, I spent a fortune on a pair of black prescription sunglasses, and they too have hardly seen the light of day. Crazy.

But I admire lasses and blokes in fabulous sunglasses. It’s a killer accessory and a practical one too. In the spirit of fashion’s revival of 80’s looks and trends, the classic resin Ray-Ban Wayfarer has regained popularity. This particular pair of shades has really tickled my fancy so I’ve ordered a white pair and I can’t wait to try them on. Hopefully, the fun and nostalgia associated with wearing Ray-Bans again will make me actually wear them.

Note to self: stop squinting Angie and wear your new sunnies.

Today’s Ray-Ban Wayfarers. The design was originally brought to market in 1952 and it was popular for almost two decades. They returned in the 80’s and early 90’s, and are back again today.

A cool Summer hat is a great way to add a little attitude to your style. Casual, breezy, lightweight and super practical. It’s the perfect way to keep the sun off your face and the hair in place.

The straw fedora is particularly popular this season and I like it too. It’s edgier and more androgynous than the conventional floppy straw hat, which makes for a nice change. It looks sassy paired with just about any relaxed look, both in beach and city settings.

I don’t wear hats unless it’s bitterly cold and a necessity. And although I’ve seen gals with uber short crops pull off headgear with style, I like hats best on lasses with longer hair. It’s almost necessary for hair to peek through from underneath the hat to do the look justice. Either way, a hat is a fab idea if you’re looking for a fun and functional Summer accessory that won’t break the bank.

Beige toned straw fedoras are the obvious colour choice, but consider other shades too. Black, grey, cream and white make nice alternatives. Check out forum member Loulou who has her Summer hat look down.

Accessories are still the fastest, cheapest and most effective way to accomplish a stylish and current appearance. Choose them wisely and your style quotient sky rockets. Leave them out and you’re not realizing your true stylish potential. I often spend time in accessory departments, discovering new ways to update my style and the styles of my clients. It’s always a fun and interesting process.

Some accessories are closer to my heart than others. So here are my top five accessory categories, a list that has been constant for the last ten years:

1. Handbags
2. Chunky pearl necklaces
3. Scarves
4. Spectacles
5. Watches

I also love belts, barrettes and brooches but there was only room for five on my list. I used to love cocktail rings, but lost interest after finding the perfect pearl ring that became the only ring I want to wear other than my wedding band. I do not wear earrings or sunglasses and hardly wear bracelets (I do admire them on others though). Hair accessories and hats are fun, but my short crop does not do the look justice.

Over to you. Rank your favourite accessories one through five. I’m very interested to see the range of your responses.

It took a while for me to figure out that a “purse” in American English refers to what I call a handbag. In British English, a purse is more of a wallet and that’s the meaning I’ve been accustomed to my whole life. So I carry a purse in my handbag, like you might say that you carry a wallet in your purse. You can imagine how funny it was when I first heard people saying that they like to fit a bottle of water in their purse. That’s one giant purse.

Wikipedia explains it well:

“In American English, a purse is a small bag, also called a handbag or a pocketbook.”

“In British English, a purse is a small money container similar to a wallet, but typically used by women and including a compartment for coins, with a handbag being considerably larger; indeed, a purse is often kept in a handbag.”

I have American friends that use the word handbag instead of purse, just like I do. Is it a regional thing, or is the word “purse” on the way out? Which word do you use?

Cross body bags (or sling and messenger bags as I know them) used to be my favourite type of bag five to eight years ago. I loved this look because it was hip and hands free. But out of the blue, carrying a bag across my body started causing neck, chest and shoulder pain. I stopped cold turkey, passed on most of my sling bags and have hardly sported the look since. But I got all soft at the Macy’s sale last week when I saw something that had my name written all over it. I was prepared to give the look another chance. Enter my next Spring update: a cream cross body bag. Along with my other new off-white bag, this is my favorite of all the Spring updates thus far. I’m a bag lady at heart.

My previous cross body bags were quite large, and even though I keep the contents of my bag to a minimum, a big cross body bag does not work for me anymore. To my surprise, the smaller style works really well. I’ve worn the new micro version several times and no pain. I can hardly feel it’s on my body. I’m thoroughly enjoying the return of this handbag style to my ensembles. Along with wristlets, it’s made a nice change to the large flat totes that I sport daily.

Click here or on the pictures for a larger view of the outfits.

There are many variations on the cross body bag: large and small, plain and printed, casual and dressy or boho and classic – take your pick. This one errs on the dressy side, but even so, the integrity of the look is relaxed and modern. I can match up this particular style with both pants, leggings and frocks because it’s small, whereas large cross body bags seem to lend themselves better to pants, slacks and jeans.

A cross body bag of any size is an especially good idea for commuters on foot, and mums-on-the-go with kids in tow. It’s also a handy option for city travel, day trips and long shopping days. Zappos, Fossil, Nordstrom and Macy’s have great selections of cross body bags at the moment, which you’ll probably nab for a song. Mine was marked down from $129 to $42. Brilliant.

Other Spring 2009 accessory updates:

• Scarf and handbag
• Casual necklace
• Fun floral belt
• Floral pin
• Turquoise scarf

I love accessories with floral motifs and there are plenty to choose from this season. Fabulous. Enter my next Spring update: a floral pin. Unlike my other Spring updates, I’ll sport it all year round. Even more economical.

Floral pins come in many different fabrications, sizes and styles: realistic or abstract, solid or patterned, large or small – take your pick. I like abstract floral pins made of silk or feathers the best. I guess it’s the modern-retro aspect of my style that finds those ones appealing. The versions that look more like actual flowers are sweet too, especially when creating a nice contrast with an androgynous outfit.

About five years ago I was wearing floral pins all the time, but stopped when the look was everywhere. Spotting the perfect black and white polka dot floral pin at Club Monaco rekindled my interest. So much so that it has given new life to the older floral pins in my accessory box.

I like the way floral pins add an arty and whimsical feeling to any outfit. And if you thought that there was only one way to sport them, think again. You have several options as you can see from my outfits above (by no means an exhaustive list). The obvious idea is to pin the trinket to a jacket or cardigan, but don’t forget about dresses, blouses, knitted tops, tunics, knitwear, button-downs and waistcoats. Also think about attaching the floral pin to another accessory, like a necklace, scarf, handbag or belt. Plenty of possibilities!

It can be nice to give a floral pin a permanent home, like keeping it on one particular jacket or coat all season. I have a black feathered floral pin that stays put on a black dress. After spending a pretty penny on this timeless sequined flapper frock, it’s the $9 feathered floral pin that gives it the perfect edge. Never underestimate the power of an inexpensive accessory.

Scarves can look dowdy and uniform-like. The trick is to add a bit of edge to your look when sporting a scarf, and the knot is one way to do this. I often tie my scarf using a knot that I arrived at after ages of fiddling in front of the mirror one day. I call it the “Angie Knot”, but if it has a real name please let me know – I’m sure I’m not the first to use it.

I generally stay away from skinny oblong scarves and neckerchiefs because the shapes don’t offer enough volume and texture. My favourite scarf dimensions are 40 by 66 inches for a pashmina sized scarf, 23 by 60 inches for a large oblong scarf, and 34 by 34 inches for a large square scarf. Anything longer than 60 inches is usually too long unless you’re very tall. On the other hand, if you’re petite, you’re after a shorter scarf between 40 and 50 inches long. These are a little harder to find and you might need to hem the length.

Follow these steps to tie the Angie Knot:

1. Roll a large square scarf into a long worm, or scrunch up a rectangular scarf so that it resembles a worm. Place the scarf around the neck so that the side that does all the work hangs longer than the other side. You can also skew the scarf so that the hems are uneven. This will give you this waterfall effect. Fold right over left and pull that same right end back under the end that’s hanging in front of your body.
2. Take that same right end and loop it through the part of the scarf that’s around your neck and ABOVE the knot.
3. Pull down that right end and use the knot as a pulley to pull the knot vertically so that the knot looks tight, neat and appealing. This is the most important part, so fiddle till you get it right.
4. Lay both ends flat across the body, making sure that the ends are more or less even. Voila!

This style of knot works well with all sorts of fabrications, from wool, satin and rayon, to silk, viscose and cotton. The scarf stays put once it’s tied and is interesting to look at. Wear the scarf “cravat style” for a strict, professional and authoritative look, or wear it loosely on the décolletage for an arty and playful vibe. I sport both looks depending on my mood and the weather. With the warm Spring weather, I’ll be tying my cotton and silk scarf with a loose knot.

For a strict, authoritative look, roll a smaller scarf neatly before tying the knot, tie the knot close to the neck, and tuck the ends under your blouse or button down afterwards.

So far so good. My inexpensive accessory splurge has made it easy to resist the temptation of purchasing clothing. Instead I have purchased an off-white tote, a yellow spring scarf, a casual necklace, and a turquoise belt with floral detail. Today I am adding a second Spring scarf into the mix.

I get bored of wearing the same types of items in the same ensemble combination day after day. So I switch out the style of my bottoms and tops frequently. For example: in one week I’ll go from wearing jeans and skirts with boots, to sporting frocks and pants with pumps. Mixing it up, plus the addition of a new accessory helps me feel fashionably recharged.

Most tops can accommodate a Spring scarf (if the top has a shirt collar, be sure to wear it inside the collar to avoid looking dowdy). Add to that a variety of scarf shapes, patterns and colours, and the possibilities are endless. A different scarf tied in a different way conveys a totally different mood: from arty and playful, to strict and authoritative. Take your pick.

It’s usually a choice of scarf OR chunky necklace, but I’m wearing both in the bottom two photographs. In these instances the ensemble works because I’m wearing a single layer of clothing and no earrings. If I’d added a necklace to the top two outfits, I’d have lost that clean-cut look. The visual interest of the layering plus the scarf provides ample texture. No necklace required.

The cool, crisp and lightweight integrity of a silk, viscose, rayon or cotton-rich Spring scarf gives it a long lifespan. So don’t restrict this accessory to cold Spring days when it can be comfortably sported over sleeveless tops as temperatures start to rise. Even in hot weather the scarf could be a useful addition in chilly air-conditioned environments.

I bought this scarf from Macy’s and, coincidentally, their online store is running promotions on many of their scarves.

Today is the third installment in my quest to hold out as long as possible with my existing Spring wardrobe, only indulging myself with new accessories that liven up my wardrobe and lift my spirits (refresh your memory with the first two installments here and here).

I’m not particularly partial to florals on fabric unless they’re abstract patterns, but I love floral motifs on accessories. So my heart skipped a beat when I saw this turquoise belt. It was the perfect way to add this season’s it colour to my wardrobe without breaking the bank.

I’m amazed at the versatility of this belt. It works well over last season’s knitwear, blouses and dresses, and it’s going to work equally well over old jackets, knitted tops and basic button downs. I could easily wear this belt with different outfits every day for two consecutive weeks without feeling bored.

I love turquoise with white, yellow, green and red, but can’t help reliving my 80’s memories by wearing it with bright pink. With my current frames the turquoise belt picks up the turquoise on the inside of my specs. I love that. It’s an interesting, subtle detail that will make me want to wear this belt more frequently.

This belt is bold, so in most instances I don’t wear it with other accessories that make a big statement. Only my watch, wedding band, specs and handbag. My chunky pearls work when I incorporate a plain white shirt or blouse, but that’s it. I don’t want to look like Christmas tree.

Belts are not for everyone and the ornate integrity of this style might rule it out for you. But I love them and this one is true to my individual style. It’s modern, retro, trendy, professional and fun at the same time. If you’re a belt wearer, adding a new belt each season is a cost effective way to look and feel fashionably refreshed.

I got particularly lucky with the price of this surprisingly well made belt. One would expect an accessory in this price range to look cheap and nasty, but it doesn’t. It’s virtually an exact copy of the belt styles Anne Fontaine had in her collection last Spring, which cost $300 a pop. Mine cost $34. Fabulous. It passes quality AND budget control.

After wearing neck-covering knitwear with long chunky necklaces in Winter, I’m ready for lower necklines and short necklaces. It’s refreshing to show some skin for a change and wearing lower necklines instantly sparks off my urge to purchase a fresh set of short chunky beads or eye-catching pendants. Enter Spring update #3 (I described #1 and #2 earlier this week).

I normally wear necklaces that incorporate some form of pearl, but occasionally I step out and sport a pearl-less piece that feels just as fab. This dear little arty glass pendant is a fun addition to my wardrobe. I smiled as soon as I saw it because it mirrors my Spring mood. I replaced its original cheap silver chain with a leather cord to give it a more modern, graphic appeal.

The fun, informal edge of this playful accessory makes my old clothes blossom. At a price point of $15, it’s amazing how it has refreshed my existing smart casual and casual ensembles. Mums-on-the-go I hope you’re listening. An interesting pendant looped through a leather cord is an unfussy addition, but adds an excellent textural dimension to a simple, casual outfit.

Apart from the new necklace, everything I’m wearing is between one and six seasons old (handbags included). I hope that this inspires you to start building your accessory collection. And once you start, remember to actually wear the accessories that you’ve purchased!