2024 is ushering in the era of maximalism, accompanied by loud colors, pattern mixing, and chunky, stacked necklaces. With the rise of maximalism, we’ve also seen an influx in bold accessorization. Now I personally don’t partake in this type of accessorization, but I do believe it’s a valuable method of expression. Some of the most popular forms of accessorization include headwear, jewelry, neckwear, and belts, with the first and second being my personal favorite. Maximalism makes the world your oyster so lets explore some of the options.

Headwear:

Amongst my favorite methods, headwear has a multitude of forms. The most popular is the classic hat, whether it be a beanie, wide brimmed hat, or a baseball cap. Beanies, generally associated with alternative and hipster culture, are currently popular amongst mainstream winter fashion and streetwear. In alternative forms, beanies are common in acubi and subversive aesthetics. The wide brimmed hat, commonly thought of as a millennial trademark is…definitely functional, but also acts as a helpful statement piece. My personal favorite form of hat is the classic baseball hat. While many of them are heavily branded, I think they offer a simple casuality to any outfit. An often overlooked form of headwear is a traditional headcovering. While often seen in the form of a hijab, greek orthodox head covering or a christian veil, these methods can aid in ones fashion journey. If you are a person who chooses to cover, the employment of alternative layering, pinning or a fun fabric choice (should your personal guidelines allow it) all allow one to use their head-covering as a form of accessorization within or outside of the maximalist aesthetic. 

Jewelry and Neckwear:

Second is, of course, jewelry. Maximalist jewelry has been pigeon-holed into the classic chunky jewelry stereotype. While this is a large facet of maximalist jewelry, there’s a number of other expressions. Maximalist jewelry has presented itself as ornately decorated cake-slice earrings (seriously, look it up on etsy), or rubber duck rings. Italian charm bracelets and vintage watches can also fall under this category, though in a more subtle sense. Next we have neckwear. While that could be a chunky scarf, it can also be a stacked pearl choker or a loudly patterned tie. I’ve seen bowties with pearl chains, rhinestone neckties, and large floral chokers. While many of these things seem vaguely uncomfortable, they serve their purpose, loudly expressing the desired message. My personal favorite use of a necktie is when they’re sewn together to create a completely new top

(I’ve seen the creator on instagram—if you know her PLEASE send me her @).

Belts:

Finally we have belts. I will forever talk about the diesel belt skirt but thats just one example of a belt as a statement piece. Tiktok fashion girls are layering multiple thick belts on top of each other (usually accompanied with fur trim) or stacking half a dozen skinny belts on top of a mini-skirt or jeans, creating a completely new look. Belts can be worn through the traditional loops or slung casually across the hip with a pair of lowrise pants. Gone are the days of belts actually helping hold your pants up (or if they are, god forbid it be in a boring way). Everything is a belt, from a shoelace to ribbon, if it goes across the waist or hip, congratulations! It’s a belt.

All in all, maximalism is…a lot. But that’s perfect! It speaks volumes unapologetically, making your personal taste clear. While it often gets a bad rapp for being “too loud” I think, even as an outside consumer, it serves as one of very few “aesthetics” that truly engages in genuine expression without the constraint of contemporary labels. Besides, it’s not like you have to be a maximalist every day. It can be a fun way to start or end the week or even something to get you through a tough Wednesday. Maximalism exists however you choose to engage in it, so take a bit of a risk and try it out!