The Top 5 Accessories That Instantly Upgrade Men’s Style
Written by Brandi Hearn
Great clothes are only part of a well-built wardrobe. The finishing details matter, too.
Accessories are often what take an outfit from dressed to pulled together. The right watch, bag, sunglasses, or belt can add polish and personality without making the outfit feel overdone.
You don't need a large collection. I recommend starting with a few quality, versatile accessories that work across your wardrobe, then adding more distinctive pieces over time.
Here are five essentials I recommend every man have.
1. A Structured Bag
If you're carrying a bag into the office, a client meeting, or through an airport, it's part of your overall presentation.
For more traditional professional environments, a structured leather briefcase is hard to beat. If you commute frequently or work in a more relaxed setting, a streamlined leather backpack may make more sense.
Look for:
Clean, structured lines
Minimal branding and hardware
Quality leather
Black or dark brown for versatility
Enough room for your essentials without unnecessary bulk
Recommended: Carl Friedrik Palissy Briefcase — a structured leather briefcase with an understated design, organizational pockets, and room for a 15-inch laptop. It feels professional without looking overly traditional.
The key is choosing the bag for the way you actually live and work. A man who's constantly traveling may need something very different from someone driving to the office each morning.
2. A Quality Watch
A good watch is one of those details that quietly finishes an outfit.
You don't need an extensive collection. For most men, I recommend eventually having two:
Leather-strap watch for suits and more formal occasions
Metal-bracelet watch for everyday, business-casual, and weekend wear
Pay attention to proportion. The case should work with the size of your wrist rather than overpowering it.
For your first watch, keep the design relatively understated. You want something versatile enough to work with several sides of your wardrobe.
Recommended:Tissot PR 100 — clean, classic, and versatile enough to move easily between professional and everyday dressing.
Once your foundational watch is covered, you can introduce something more distinctive.
3. A Slim Wallet or Card Case
If your wallet creates a noticeable bulge in your trousers, it's time to streamline.
A slim card case or bifold keeps the line of your clothing cleaner and encourages you to carry only what you actually need.
Look for:
Black or brown leather
Minimal branding
Slim construction
Enough room for your essential cards
Quality leather that will age well
Recommended: MAISON de SABRÉ Leather Card Holder — an ultra-slim leather option with four card slots and a central slip pocket.
This may seem like a minor detail, but these are exactly the things I notice when working with clients. A beautifully fitting pair of trousers shouldn't be distorted by an overstuffed wallet.
And if you're carrying cards you haven't used in six months, you probably don't need them in your pocket every day.
4. A Great Pair of Sunglasses
Sunglasses are functional, but they're also one of the most noticeable accessories you wear because they sit directly on your face.
Before experimenting with unusual shapes and colors, establish a versatile foundation.
Start with:
Black
Tortoise
Dark brown
Understated metal frames
More important than the brand is how the frame works with your face. Width, lens shape, bridge placement, and overall scale can completely change how a pair looks on you.
Recommended: Ray-Ban Carlos 56mm Polarized Rectangular Sunglasses — a strong black rectangular frame with polarized lenses that can work across casual and more elevated outfits.
I generally like clients to establish at least one black pair and one tortoise or brown pair before we start experimenting with more distinctive eyewear.
5. A Tie, Tie Bar & Pocket Square
Even if you don't wear a suit regularly, you should have the right finishing pieces ready when you need them.
Weddings, formal dinners, professional events, and other occasions tend to come up when you least expect them. This isn't the category you want to be shopping for at the last minute.
For the tie: Start with navy or another versatile dark neutral. Texture can add interest without making the tie overly noticeable.
Recommended: Nordstrom Trammel Textured Silk Tie — a textured silk option that gives you enough detail to be interesting while remaining versatile.
For the tie bar: Keep it understated. A simple silver or brushed-metal tie bar works with most tailoring and coordinates easily with other hardware.
For the pocket square: Start with white. There's no need to overcomplicate this one.
Recommended: Eton Cotton Pocket Square — a crisp white cotton pocket square that works with virtually any suit or sport coat.
And remember: you don't have to wear the tie, tie bar, and pocket square all at once. Knowing what to leave out is part of dressing well, too.
How to Make Your Accessories Work Together
The goal isn't to perfectly match every accessory.
Your shoes, belt, bag, watch, sunglasses, and other details should feel like they belong in the same wardrobe.
Pay attention to:
Leather tones across shoes, belts, bags, and watch straps
Metals across watches, belt buckles, and tie bars
Sunglasses that complement your complexion and facial proportions
The overall level of formality
How much visual interest is already happening in the outfit
The same principle applies when you're pairing shoes with different trousers: don't make each decision in isolation. Look at the entire outfit.
If the clothing is understated, your watch or sunglasses can add some personality. If you're already wearing pattern, texture, or a more distinctive jacket, the accessories may need to be quieter.
Everything doesn't need to stand out. It needs to work together.
The Final Take
You don't need more accessories. You need the right ones.
Start with a structured bag, a versatile watch, a streamlined wallet, classic sunglasses, and the formal accessories you'll actually use.
Choose pieces that work with your lifestyle and the rest of your wardrobe before worrying about what's trending.
The best accessories shouldn't look like they were added because the outfit needed something extra.
They should look like they belonged there from the beginning.
Bring the Entire Wardrobe Together
If you have the clothes but your wardrobe still doesn't feel completely pulled together, book a Private Consultation.
Through the Private Wardrobe Advisory, we'll consider clothing, footwear, accessories, fit, and the finishing details to create a wardrobe that works together from head to toe.
BRANDI HEARN
Strategic Wardrobe Advisor · Los Angeles
Brandi Hearn is a Strategic Wardrobe Advisor with more than a decade of experience helping accomplished men build intentional wardrobes around their careers, lifestyles, and how they want to show up.