Best Men’s Accessories (Guide for 2022)

Top 10 Essential Accessories for Men and Women • Save. Spend. Splurge.

Top 10 Essential Accessories for Men and Women

I talked about the 10 Essential Items in a Wardrobe for Men and Women, and here are my 10 Essential Accessories for Women.

Men, you really only need the following 5 accessories:

A great watch Elegant pair of dress shoes Beautiful silk tie Nice, simple leather belt Cashmere scarf (in a neutral grey or blue)

For women, it becomes a bit more complicated with accessories!

1. HEELS YOU CAN WALK IN

Here’s my ideal “neutral heel”:

In a brown or a black leather No more than 3″ high (2″ is really my preference) Stiletto Either an almond toe pump or a pointed toe; Rounded toes best go with chunky heels for a retro look in my opinion Instantly comfortable, as comfortable as a heel can be (Manolo Blahniks are top)

2. KNEE HIGH LEATHER RIDING BOOTS

Now it comes down to the shoes. Some women have foot problems, and have to wear those clunky looking orthopedic horrors (I sympathize, I really do), but I should point out that you can get Birkenstock half insoles for your boots.

It makes an immense world of a difference having Birkenstock hard half insoles in my boots.

Any flat feeling boot that would otherwise hurt my feet, becomes a joy to wear for very long periods of time with Birkenstock insoles.

The style of riding boot can differ as well — Frye makes some slouchy, more cowgirl style boots which look nice, but I veer towards the harder, stiffer leather boots with an equestrian look to them as a personal preference.

Dark brown would be my colour of choice, mostly because I hate black, and anything lighter would be a secondary pair of boots.

3. BALLET FLATS

Everyone is groaning now, but I really do love a good ballet flat. It doesn’t even have to be fancy, but it has to be comfortable with a bit of a padded insole, and a high enough vamp (the part that covers your toes) in a soft leather so that you can walk comfortably without blisters.

Read: Where to find the perfect ballet flat

Ballet flats take place in an outfit when boots, trainers or heels simply don’t work. Casual but slightly dressier outfits scream for ballet flats over trainers, and I have inwardly sighed many times at seeing the wrong footwear paired with an otherwise lovely outfit.

Unless you’re making a specific fashion statement (you know, a 90s style grunge look with Keds paired with skirts), skirts are always best worn with ballet flats in my opinion.

4. CASHMERE PASHMINA SCARF

The ultimate in luxury.

My absolute favourite pashmina is from White and Warren in a very neutral oatmeal colour. I wrap it around my neck pretty much the entire time during winter, and sometimes I layer that pashmina over other lighter scarves for another look.

5. A SILK SCARF

Either in a solid white, or in a pattern, large silk scarves (not those tiny square ones that barely knot around your neck), are for me, best worn open over outfits, perhaps wrapped ONCE around your neck so that the other half flies in the wind when you walk.

Two trailing ears of a silk scarf in a pattern (bold, whimsical, dainty, or just plain abstract but pretty), can add colour and interest to an outfit that is otherwise missing something, a certain je ne sais quoi

Plus, scarves never grow too small for you or end up too big. They’re always the right size.

6. A STATEMENT NECKLACE

I like big, chunky, real-stone necklaces in bright colours because you can just wear it over a t-shirt and look instantly more polished than you did 2 minutes ago.

I like bold colours because they add a pop and the first one I would buy would be a bold, deep crimson red.

It’s the “other neutral” to me, because it goes so well with all colours with the exception of some greens (don’t want to look like a Christmas tree!)

Otherwise, a deep blue is also a very beautiful colour to wear.

7. AN ANALOG WATCH

A watch sounds so outdated in today’s times with iPhones and all sorts of digital clocks surrounding us, but there is something really nice about an analog watch with proper hands that lends an air of intellectual sophistication to your wrist.

I myself prefer really large, thick, watch faces, almost like men’s watches with a simple white face, black hands, and a brown leather band.

Dainty watches were never my thing, and although it is now a bit of a trend to wear more masculine, larger watches, I’ve always preferred the look over a dainty one on my wrist.

That said, small, dainty watches have their place in adding a very feminine flair and drawing attention to how tiny your wrist is (which is the whole reason why women’s watches so small and sometimes impossible to read the time from!).

Whatever you choose as a watch — loud, plastic and colourful, or something chunky and masculine, to a chain watch that is dainty and elegant, a watch is a practical and an essential accessory for me.

8. AN OBI BELT

I personally adore obi belts. I own no less than 10 of them I think, in varying fabrics and colours.

An obi belt just ties everything together for me. It adds an extra pop of interest to the waist of a dress either to contrast the look (e.g. an orange grey patterned print dress with a yellow and grey belt), or to make it look like I actually have a waist.

It draws attention to the smallest part of your body (your waist), gives you a nice hourglass, cinched look, and needs no other accessory!

9. SUNGLASSES

Before I go into styles I’d like to talk about WHY you should buy good sunglasses.

For the sake of the health of your eyes, I implore you to not just look at the style but the following 3 criterion:

100% UVA protection 100% UVB protection Polarized

Polarized lenses are way more expensive to be sure (they start in the $150 range and go up to $$$$$$ of money depending on the brand name), but if you don’t buy a good pair of sunglasses you will do more harm than good to your eyes.

Sunglasses as a rule, shade out the brightness of the sun and make your eyes dilate to let in more light, but if your sunglasses don’t offer any protection, you are simply just opening up your eyes to increased, intense, PERMANENT sun damage without knowing it.

The effects of such damage may not be apparent early on, but as you grow older, it becomes a problem, just as too much sun damage in your youth will result in skin cancer, wrinkles and sunspots by your 40s.

This is also the reason why although children’s sunglasses come in cute shapes and make them look adorable, you shouldn’t put cheap sunglasses from the dollar store on kids.

You’re just killing their newborn, delicate eyes earlier than usual.

Yes, sunglasses are expensive and it’s crazy to many people to pay more than $10 – $30 for a pair, especially if you’re thinking of forking over $200+, but your eyes are worth it.

Otherwise, no sunglasses at all might be preferable. Sure, you’ll get wrinkles in your forehead from squinting in the bright light, but at least you won’t be intensifying the sun damage to your eyes.

Now that the lecture is over, on to sunglass styles!

You do not need more than one unless this is your “thing”.

A. Pick a pair that suits your face shape

This is harder than it looks, and I am blessed to have an oval shaped face which means I can wear any style, but I prefer rounded square shapes in sunglasses. They seem universally flattering on every face shape to me.

Aviators are also nice shapes for sunglasses, and I somehow have gotten used to the big bug-eyed look of those massive sunglasses but could never bring myself to buy a proper pair at $200 a pop.

B. Pick a complementary colour

They can come in a dark blue polarized tint or a warmer more golden one. I tend to like the golden tint better because it suits my skin tone, but you’ll know once you have them on!

C. Pay attention to your nose bridge

If you have a rather flat nose bridge, look for a pair in metal with structured nose pads so that they stay on your face and don’t slide down.

If you have a prominent nose bridge (lucky!) you can wear either style, but I daresay a plastic frame will be more practical (you can flip it onto your head and not worry about it catching and pulling out your hair), and easier to clean.

10. A STATEMENT RING

My last item is because I love wearing rings so much.

They’re easy to wear and not as conspicuous as a necklace or earrings, when I don’t want the jewellery to take over the outfit.

I like bold, sterling silver rings, but some people prefer delicate items.

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Best Men’s Accessories (Guide for 2022)

Men’s accessories will either make you or break you. They can make you look sexy and intriguing, or like a 16 year old boy who’s trying to pull girls by wearing his dad’s Rolex.

Good men’s accessories accentuate your outfit and give girls an excuse to open you.

I’ve had girls walk right up to me, put their hands on my necklace, and ask “That’s so cool! What is it?” more times than I can remember. It’s an easy way to give girls something to talk about with you, and it works very well.

Women spend hours getting ready, doing their hair, matching their accessories, putting on makeup, and squeezing into the perfect dress, so when a man is very well put together, they’ll notice. Good men’s accessories will set you apart from 99% of men.

The Components / General Guidelines

The goal of accessories is to mildly accentuate what it is that you’re wearing—NOT to draw a ridiculous amount of attention to it. Do you see how nicely Daniel Craig’s watch matches his outfit?

He’s wearing a sleek white shirt, a grey tie, and he has a black holster or backpack or whatever. This combined with a silver watch, adds a nice pop to the outfit, but it’s not something ridiculous like a giant golden 48mm rim behemoth.

Accessories should always accentuate your outfit, never take away attention from it. This is key to remember, and it’s where most guys mess up.

A lot of guys buy some giant watch that looks retarded, but they think that they’ll show it off and try to get girls with it or something, but it literally never works. The goal of style is to reflect who you are, not to put on some weird “I’m rich as fuck!” persona.

There are also several guidelines to follow when you’re trying to purchase men’s accessories. You want to have an outfit that’s congruent, color coordinated, and high-quality.

Congruence

This is BY FAR the most important aspect of choosing your accessories. Congruence simply means that everything in your outfit is consistent.

For example, if you have an “Everything’s Bigger in Texas” belt with a massive buckle, but then you have a necklace with a gem at the end, matched with a nose ring and a Yankees cap, you’re going to look like an idiot. You’re going to look fake.

I cannot overstate this enough—men’s accessories must be congruent. They must all fit together, and be a certain “look.”

For example, contrast the first example with this: a man wearing a black v-neck, dark denim jeans, a mysterious green pendant, and a black leather watch.

It’s a lot more congruent—he doesn’t look like he’s “fake,” for lack of a better word. If you’re going to have a ‘”douchebag” style, then fully embody it. If you’re going to have a “mysterious” style, then fully embody it. If you’re going to have a “San Francisco Hipster” style, then fully embody it.

In short—be your fucking self and find men’s accessories that match your personality. Don’t be “fake.”

Personally I’m more of an introvert, and I get pretty brooding at times, so I go with the “dark and mysterious” style. But maybe you’re outgoing and extroverted—a more “abrasive” style may be for you.

Color Coordination

This one is also pretty big. The general rule for men’s accessories is that you do not want to match black and brown. For instance, if you have brown shoes, then you want a brown belt and watch. If you have black shoes, you want a black belt and watch.

With accessories, you want to make sure that they look nice together. So for example, a silver watch will go nicely with just about anything that’s black-based. A black blazer, a black v-neck, black shoes, etc.

A brown watch, however, might go better with brown shoes, and maybe a dark green rugged shirt, or some other earth-tone. The point is that you shouldn’t mix like a brown leather jacket with a blue watch and black shoes or something weird like that. Your outfits should be color coordinated.

You can deviate from this rule a little bit, once you’ve got a better sense of style, but for now I’d stick with the basics.

Quality > Quantity

When people first see you, there’s only a 5 second window to make a first impression. People (especially women) will judge you based off of how you look, so it’s better to have a few killer outfits than 50 okay ones.

Yes, I know, I know—it’s shallow. Women are more attracted to guys that have good style, and men respect other guys who have good style, too; deal with it. Take advantage of this and wear an outfit that conveys wealth.

That being said, you shouldn’t spend more than you have to, though. You can get a dope watch for $100 that looks 90% similar to a Rolex, but that’s literally like 5% the cost. Take a minimalist approach to clothes, and don’t be a fool and fall for brands unless you can afford it.

Realize that branding plays a massive role in the cost of clothing – the same jacket that would cost $2,300 at Neiman Marcus will cost $300 at Huckberry.

Basically, spend as much as you have to, but not a penny more.

Necklaces

Necklaces are generally considered to be the most important accessory, because they’re the most visible. If you’re into pulling girls from the club scene, it’s great, because it stands out and gives her something to grab/play with.

If you get anything from this article, get a necklace. You won’t regret it. They’re not even that expensive, either. Seriously if you can’t afford a $15 necklace you need to re-evaluate your life.

Figure out what style you’re going for and pick a necklace that goes with it. Here’s a few that I recommend:

For The “Mysterious” Look

I’m a big fan of gem necklaces, because they’re sparkly and reflect light when you’re in a club/bar. Gem necklaces are probably one of the best men’s accessories out there, and you can get different colors for different outfits, too (they’re only like $8).

They’re also a really great conversation starter—whenever a girl asks me about my necklace, I say that it’s supposed to cleanse your chakras or something and then we segway into conversation from there.

This one is pretty cool, because it has a lot of random religious shit dangling on it so it’s sure to catch someone’s eye. I’m also a big fan of religious/spiritual necklaces, because most girls are into that type of thing so it’s an easy conversation opener.

For The “Douchebag” Look

Dog tags will pretty much always be in style—you can get them silver or black, but I wouldn’t deviate from these two colors. Depending on what you pair them with, you can either look like a douchebag or a bad boy. I prefer to go with the bad boy look, but do whatever you think is best.

The thing with dog tags is you want them to look simple and sleek—you don’t want fancy designs and bullshit all over them. Maybe consider getting your name on it, or if you have one from your Grandpa who fought in a war or something, that’d be cool, but generally don’t get anything with fancy sparkles or gems or whatever.

Ah, the douchebag necklace. The hallmark of coke-snorting, asshole producers, low-life, degenerate scum, and drug-dealing, thugs alike.

I personally have never tried out the “douchebag,” style, but I have a friend who absolutely embodies the Jersey Shore lifestyle, and he pulls like a magnet.

You can go with either a chain, or a chain with a cross. That’s pretty much it. The douchebag style is fairly simple, and the accessories for being a douchebag are even more simple: big chain, earrings, and obnoxious sports hat.

Watches

Watches are probably the second most important component of men’s accessories, and in fact, depending on your outfit, they may be the most important. For example, if you’re wearing a suit, a necklace won’t even show, so a watch is paramount.

I’m a huge fan of stylish watches under $150, because to be honest nobody gives a fuck how much your watch costs. What they care about is how fun you are to be around.

I’ve seen guys try to pull by bringing up their Rolex watch in a conversation, and girls are absolutely disgusted by it. It’s needy and it makes her feel like she’s being “bought.” Don’t do this (even though our culture says it will work).

So the thing to remember is that you do not need to spend $5,000 for a watch. An affordable watch that looks nice will be more than enough.

I’m a huge fan of Invicta watches—they look really sleek, but they’re also very affordable. In fact, I have this very Invicta watch and I wear it all the time. I get complements on it pretty frequently, and people are always very surprised when I tell them that it was only $70.

This Invicta watch would go best with a “black” based outfit, but because it’s silver, it’s also very versatile. You can wear it with any earth-tone based outfit (dark red, blue, green, fall colors, etc.), but it goes best with black.

Fossil is also a really great brand—their watches are very affordable and quite edgy/stylish. I also have this one right here. Unfortunately it broke (I’ve had it for years) so I need to get it fixed, but when I used to wear it frequently I’d also get a ton of complements.

This Fossil watch would go best with a “brown” based outfit. You could match it with an earthy colored shirt (dark red, mustard, beige, dark green, etc.). Don’t you dare pair it with anything black.

Wristbands

Sometimes you don’t want to wear a watch, for whatever reason. Maybe you’re traveling to a sketchy place overseas, or maybe you can only go clubbing in DC where thugs are everywhere to be found. Either way, wrist bands are a good alternative to watches.

Wristbands are a great substitute—they add a little flare to your outfit, but aren’t too cumbersome. Wristbands are, in my opinion, some of the best men’s accessories out there. They’re inexpensive, lightweight, and add some edge to your outfit.

This one would go great with a “black based” outfit. It’s also very inexpensive. You can also pair it with a white shirt, or white graphic T.

This is a bit edgier than the last one, but you can easily pull it off if your outfit is congruent. Because of the red and gold undertones, it can be a great accent to a shirt that’s black with a little bit of red or gold in it.

Anchor bracelets seem to be trending—I have no idea why, but it’s just something I’ve noticed. This would go with a “black” based outfit—maybe some dark denim jeans, black boots, and a darker colored T-shirt.

Earrings

Getting your ears pierced is a pretty big decision (not really). I got mine pierced almost a year ago, and I’ve noticed that they definitely attract a certain type of girl. I haven’t worn earrings in forever, because to be honest I think they’re kind of gay, but I still wanted to try them out as a social experiment.

Generally speaking, things that are more “counter-culture” (like earrings) will attracted rebellious girls who want to get back at Daddy for giving her a curfew. This is one of the many reasons why douchebags get laid so much.

One crucial component to every douchebag’s arsenal is a set of earrings—be sure to get them square, though. Don’t buy circular earrings, because they look way too effeminate.

Black earrings are great if you have a lighter skin tone (like me). Generally speaking if you’re very tan you want the diamond (cubic zirconium) earings, and if you’re fair-skinned you want onyx earrings.

Rings

Rings are a cool addition to any outfit, but be sure not to over do it. Just one is enough. If you can have a ring that means something, that’s the ideal. Something like a college ring, a sports team ring, or whatever, would be much better than some random ring.

Having your accessories mean something personal is always better than saying “oh no, I just bought it off Amazon.” That being said, having an accessory that you bought off of Amazon is better than no accessory at all. Also, as a side note—be sure to put rings on the hand opposite of your watch.

This would go great with a darker outfit. Think of pairing it with a black v-neck and some dark denim. It’s definitely more of the bad boy style, so if that’s what you’re going to, consider buying it.

This would look great with a lighter outfit. Think a white linen shirt with some white chinos. This might be great for someone who’s going for the douchebag style, but doesn’t want to overdo it. To be honest, I could see myself wearing this ring even though I don’t do the douchebag style.

This one is a bit more edgy, but still looks great—this is definitely on the more “mysterious” end of things. It also has a Celtic knot on it, which can be a good conversation starter (be sure to google what it actually means, though).

Hats

Personally I don’t wear very many hats, but I’m putting this on here anyways, because hats can look really good if you have the right style for it. I’ll wear a hat occasionally, if I’m just in some casual clothes (like a white t-shirt and some loose-fitting pants), but most of the time I don’t.

This is a pretty cool hat that can go with a more laid back/Hipster style. The earthy colors will accentuate a brown based outfit. Think of pairing it with a darker shirt (dark red, dark blue, dark brown) and maybe some denim jeans.

California Republic apparel is starting to trend, so this would be a good buy. It can be matched with pretty much anything due to the neutral colors (black and white). Also keep in mind that if you wear this hat, people are automatically going to assume that you smoke weed.

And of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without a Yankees snap back—one of the douchiest hats there is. If you’re going for the douchebag style (which again, can work very well with girls), make sure you grab one of these.

Sunglasses

The quintessential cool guy item. Every badass ever featured in a movie has a sweet pair of sunglasses. Sunglasses are one of the best men’s accessories out there, because they complete the outfit. It’s like the icing on top of the cake.

The Rayban Wayfarer is a great addition to any wardrobe, and it’s one of the most iconic sunglasses designs. It can be paired with just about any outfit, and is super comfortable (doesn’t pinch the side of your head).

This one is another fantastic choice—it’s super lightweight, versatile, and looks badass. If you can afford to get both the Wayfarer and the Aviator, I highly recommend it, because being able to swap out these two depending on the outfit will make you look super badass.

For both of these sunglasses you can get whatever tint you want—personally I go with an earthy color like brown or green, because it’s easier to match, but if you wear a lot of blue/white clothes, maybe consider getting a lighter tint (like blue or silver).

Belts

Belts are pretty simple. If you’re wearing black shoes, wear a black belt. If you’re wearing brown shoes, wear a brown belt.

For everything else in between (gray shoes, blue shoes, etc.) just match it with your watch. If you’re wearing a silver or black watch, wear a black belt. If you’re wearing a brown or beige watch, wear a brown belt.

Despite this simple rule, 99% of men break it. Don’t be an idiot. If you know how to use the proper men’s accessories (belts are a huge part of this!) women will take note.

The thing to remember with belts is that it’s all about the buckle. Always strive to get a cool buckle or a normal buckle; don’t get some weird, stupid looking buckle because it’s just going to make you look dumb.

Obviously you have to match the color of your belt, too, but people are primarily going to look at the buckle.

This one would go great with any black based outfit, and it’s super sleek. Consider pairing it with a nice pair of grey khakis, a black v-neck, and a dark red leather jacket for the ultimate badass look.

This one has a pretty unique buckle and will go with any brown based outfit. It has a nice sleek look to it, which is uncommon for most brown belts. Most brown belts look more rugged, whereas most black belts look more sleek.

Wallets

Avoid big chunky wallets. They look dumb and they create a huge bulge in your pocket. Sometimes you can’t even fit them into your pockets (if you wear skinny jeans), so it’s a huge pain in the ass.

Bellroy is my absolute favorite wallet brand—I’ve had their black Hide and Seek wallet for a few years now, and it’s great. It has a hidden pocket for the benjamins, a cool owl logo on the bottom right, and best of all, it’s super thin even when fully loaded with credit cards and cash.

Summary

I would highly recommend getting your accessories down pat—when a man knows how to match his accessories, it sends a very powerful message to women: this man is different. He gets it.

A lot of guys think it’s gay or whatever, and I get that, but the facts are the facts. Women are more attracted to men who are socially attuned; one part of this is knowing how to look and dress well. When you know how to look and dress well, women will automatically assume you’re a high status male. Men will also do the same.

The looks that I get when I dress well vs. when I don’t are astonishing. Just the other day I walked into a Starbucks and literally 3/4 of the heads turned, because I was dressed to impress. Contrast this with other days where I’m hungover and tired, and I just plop into some slippers and sweatpants; I don’t get nearly as many looks (although I do get some numbers).

The most important thing to remember is: make it congruent. Choose a “look,” or a “type,” and design your wardrobe around it.

Find what works for you. Develop your own style. At first you may need to take my word for it, or “mimic” someone else’s style, but eventually the goal is for you to make your own style. If you guys have any questions, comments, or concerns, let me know. I’ll see you next time.