The dangling distractions found hanging from the waistlines of many fashion week attendees—decorative keychains, tassels, charms, and the like—might represent a move beyond bag charms, which grew out of a reignited obsession with Jane Birkin and her fabulously festooned signature bag adorned with beads and chains.
The accessory mania seems to have moved to the waist, particularly among guys spotted at the spring 2027 menswear shows. It is not just the hip belt or chain we know and love, nor your Brooklyn-based, Carhartt-loving friend’s typical carabiner with their connotations of blue collar work or swaggering machismo, but, instead something more whimsical and expressive: chili pepper charms, knit Hello Kittys, mini Gucci pouches, solid silver AirPods cases, and a slew of other decorative indulgences hanging off of belts or tied into belt loops. Notably, the functional look of these accessories flips utilitarianism on its head, as many of the hip-hung items, like a gaggle of keys that look a bit too pristine to be true, are purely playful. We are charmed, to say the least.
Paris, fall 2026 menswear
Photographed by Phil Oh
Paris, fall 2026 couture
Photographed by Phil Oh
