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WHAT THE HECK IS A MALE ACCESSORY?
FASHION | Written: Wairimu Njoroge
14.07.2025
It’s a simple question, but when unpacked, it reveals a critical discussion. Born from the mundane, this thought emerged when I noticed a chessboard in a storefront window. To its right sat a five-piece decanter set atop a counter. I wondered: Are these male accessories? Or do they simply highlight the absence of them?
Online, the accessories tab’s drop-down menu offers an array of products. The listings available to women and men appear largely similar. To test this observation, I sought my brother’s perspective. I asked, “What are male accessories?” He replied: sunglasses, hats, jewellery, piercings, and watches.
PHOTO | DEATH TO STOCK | Franco Dupuy
I then set out to observe the accessories worn by men I saw in passing. Belts, sunglasses, and watches were common, but interestingly, backpacks often appeared as the bag of choice. Despite a wide range of accessories being available to men, only a small portion is regularly worn.
This disconnect between availability, representation, and actual adornment raised a second question: Why is this the case?
There is a variety of male accessories, but when venturing in-store, the accessories on display often appear hobby-related. A disconnect only explicable by the value placed on male accessories, it’s evident in the way these items are marketed. The standard male accessory typically features solid colour palettes, with the occasional patterned variation. In contrast, hobby-related accessories tend to offer more diversity, which helps explain their prominence at the forefront of retail displays.
THE GENDERED PERCEPTION OF ACCESSORIES
Intrinsically, when we think of the word accessory, what comes to mind? The feminine connotation of accessories cannot be ignored. With a rigid gender perception, the acceptance of accessories as a masculine convention presents a barrier.
There is a clear line of acceptable male accessories: think belts, watches, hats, and glasses. Anything external that compromises traditional masculinity ideals is ignored, even though accessories like bags are practical.
Remember the whirlwind in 2023 when Jacob Elordi became somewhat synonymous with bags? He donned a range which spanned from shoulder bags to tote bags, duffles to a crossbody. When asked why he carries a bag, his response was fitting: “When I leave home, I need to have a certain thing from every category with me…”
Despite this, his choice of wearing a bag was perceived as a cultural and fashion statement because of how unconventional it still is. The societal view on men wearing bags still remains attached to their masculinity, subjecting us to grown men wearing backpacks for eternity.
Even though his reasoning was that of practicality, most still instinctively shy away from bags because they are viewed as effeminate.
Reframing the Conversation
The conversation about the acceptance of male accessories among men should start from detachment. The utilitarian nature of accessories at the forefront has narrowed the range presented by retailers because more weight is on functionality.
This is why we see the same “accepted accessories” time and time again. Because the focus is more on functionality, versatility is limited, as it now only fits within what it was made for.
Whilst also being functional, accessories allow for expression of self and embodiment of visual appeal, which men’s accessories currently lack. The attachment to masculinity lies within how the accessory is presented. Watches are seen as robust. Belts have ties to traditional roles such as soldiers and manual labourers. The angular and bold frames of sunglasses are considered masculine.
Again, the current TikTok trend of males being claimed as secure when they can confidently carry their girlfriend’s purse without any shame.
Societal perceptions contributing to the association of bags with femininity have made men hesitant to adopt the accessory. If we are only at the point where wearing a bag says something about security, it will take some time before male accessories are accepted.
Let me leave you with my conclusion: I think that because we have such a defined emphasis on what is acceptable in terms of male accessories, it has created a perceived lack. The representation of accessories will only come with acceptance, and through this, the disconnect will no longer survive.
Do you think there is a lack of male accessories?