If you’ve ever stood in front of a full-length mirror at 7 a.m., staring at a solid button-down and a pair of dark jeans, wondering why the outfit feels… fine, but not quite you, you’ve probably asked the same question I hear from brands and everyday customers alike: Do accessories actually add value to an outfit? Accessories
For 12 years, I’ve run an accessories supply business, sourcing and crafting pieces from small-scale artisans across India, Italy, and Mexico—pieces that end up on everything from fast-fashion fast-movers to couture red-carpet looks. I’ve watched a $20 tee become a $500 “statement piece” when paired with the right woven leather belt, and a basic blazer go from generic to unique with a set of hand-carved cufflinks. But for every client that comes to me saying, “I need 500 of these for my new collection,” there are at least two more that ask, “Wait, do people even still care about accessories? Isn’t everything about the main garment these days?”
Let’s start with the science—there’s real data here, not just my years of warehouse stories. A 2022 study published in the Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management surveyed 1,200 adult shoppers across the U.S. and EU, asking them what made an outfit feel memorable versus forgettable. The results? 68% of participants said that accessories were the “most impactful” part of an outfit, even more than the fit or fabric of the core garment. The lead researcher, Dr. Lisa Carter, noted that when you see a person for the first time, your brain processes small, distinct details faster than it does a full outfit. A pair of silver drop earrings glinting at a meeting or a textured crossbody bag worn over a coat cuts through visual noise—they’re tiny, intentional signals that make an outfit stick.
That’s where my work as a supplier comes in. I don’t just make extra belts or earrings to add to a order of dresses; I make pieces that fill gaps in how garments communicate. A customer might come to me with a line of minimalist linen dresses, and tell me, “We want people to remember our brand beyond ‘cute linen’.” So we source hand-dyed cotton cord for adjustable necklaces that match the natural linen tones, but add a tiny, asymmetrical wooden bead that’s only visible when you tilt your head. It’s not a big, flashy piece, but it’s the kind of detail someone will text their friend about later, saying, “Wait, that dress had a cool little bead.”
Another data point that’s stuck with me: the 2023 State of Fashion report from McKinsey & Company. It found that global spending on accessories grew 4.5% faster than core apparel between 2019 and 2022, even during periods of inflation. When shoppers are tightening their budgets, they don’t cut accessories first—they often buy a cheaper core garment, then invest in one or two high-quality accessories to make it feel new. I’ve seen this play out at the warehouse: when the cost of cotton tees spiked in 2021, we doubled our orders for woven leather scrunchies and thin sterling-silver rings, because small accessories let shoppers refresh their wardrobes without dropping hundreds on new tops.
But here’s the thing about value that a lot of people miss—it’s not just about price tag. Value is emotional, too. I had a client a few years back, a small sustainable brand out of Portland, that made organic cotton sweatshirts. They came to me saying their best-selling sweatshirt was getting lost in a sea of identical “lazy day” clothes on Amazon. We partnered with a group of weavers in Oaxaca to make tiny, hand-woven hat pins—each one made from leftover wool from the weavers’ other projects, so no two were exactly the same. The pins retailed for $12, and the sweatshirt went from selling 30 units a week to 120, because suddenly, owning one meant having something that wasn’t mass-produced. That’s value: turning a generic garment into something with personality, something that tells a tiny story, just by adding a small accessory.
I’ve also heard the argument that accessories are unnecessary fluff—especially now, with casual wear dominating most people’s daily outfits. Why bother with a belt when your jeans have built-in stretch, or a necklace when you’re working from home and only your laptop is visible? But that’s a misunderstanding of what accessories do. They don’t just “dress up” an outfit; they adapt it. I have a customer who’s a graphic designer, and she wears my brass hoop earrings with every single one of her outfits: with a hoodie on zoom calls, with a blazer for client meetings, with a sundress on weekends. That pair of hoops isn’t just an accessory—it’s a signature, a way to feel like herself no matter what she’s wearing underneath. A friend who’s a nurse wears my stretchy fabric watchband (so it’s comfortable for 12-hour shifts) with her scrubs and her going-out jeans. Accessories make clothes flexible; they turn one core garment into multiple ways to express who you are.
Of course, not all accessories add value, and that’s where a good supplier makes all the difference. I’ve seen cheap, mass-produced plastic earrings that break after three wears, and thin metal belts that scratch leather. Those don’t add value—they take it away, because they make the whole outfit feel disposable. That’s why we source everything we sell with quality in mind, not just cost. We work with artisans who get fair wages, so every piece has a story behind it, and we test every belt buckle to make sure it doesn’t break after a month of use. For my clients, that means their accessories don’t just make an outfit look good—they build trust, too. A customer who buys a belt from my client knows it’s going to last, because the belt is made well. That’s long-term value, not just a quick sale.
Last year, I worked with a bridal wear line that was struggling because a lot of brides were opting for elopements instead of big weddings. They had beautiful, simple wedding dresses, but they wanted something that would make the day feel special, even when it was just a small group. We made thin, adjustable leather anklets with tiny seed pearls sewn on—something you could slip on under a wedding dress, or wear with jeans and a white shirt for the after-party. The anklets were $28, and they became one of the brand’s top sellers, because they let a bride make her day feel intentional, no matter how small it was. That’s the power of accessories: they fill in the gaps that a garment can’t, because a garment is made for everyone, but an accessory can be made for you.
I know there are still people out there who don’t prioritize accessories, and that’s fine. Not every outfit needs a statement necklace, and not everyone wants to wear earrings to work. But over 12 years in this business, I’ve seen firsthand that when someone does add a well-made, intentional accessory to their outfit, it changes the whole thing. It makes a boring outfit feel personal, a cheap outfit feel thoughtful, and a good outfit feel memorable. It’s not about being flashy—it’s about adding that tiny, human touch that makes clothes more than just fabric.
If you’re a brand looking to elevate your next line, or a shopper who’s looking to add something special to your wardrobe, let’s talk. Whether you need a small run of custom pieces or you’re looking for quality accessories to pair with your existing garments, I can help you find pieces that add real value—pieces that don’t just sit in a drawer, but become part of how people show up in the world.
LVT Dry Back Flooring References
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. (2022). The Role of Accessories in Outfit Memorability and Brand Perception. Vol. 26, No. 3, pp. 412-428.
McKinsey & Company. (2023). State of Fashion: Global Trends and Consumer Spending Patterns, 2019-2023. pp. 18-22.
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