The Accessory Trend NYC Girls Should Invest in ASAP
There's a new accessory trend in town, and while I think girls from all over the globe will enjoy it, it's especially convenient for those who hail from none other than the Big Apple. If you haven't already guessed from the above photo, the trend is black patent leather—and let me tell you why. Seeing as it's more durable than both regular leather and suede (for starters, a few raindrops won't mean the end of you), the black patent leather shoe and bag craze seems as if it was made for the weather, walking, all-around hustle and bustle of New York City life—not to mention how good it looks.
As one of several extensions of this season's overarching matrix-inspired, futuristic, trend, these sleek patent pieces can be used both to complement an all-black, already-edgy ensemble or to make an otherwise-simple look, well, shine. No matter which way you go with the styling this season though, the bags and shoes you're about to see below will be pieces I personally think you'll want to keep forever. With everyone from Saint Laurent to, of course, Zara endorsing the trend, it has the makings of a keeper. Without further ado, shop my black patent shoe and bag picks below.
By Far is the accessory brand everyone is wearing right now.
The classic Hayward shopper is, of course, cool in patent.
Tackle two trends in once with this studded, Western-inspired pair.
Fall mules with a trend-forward spin.
A little fabric goes a long way to make something stand out.
These are totally fall-appropriate if you live in LA.
These give you a little extra height while still keeping it casual.
Up next? The shoe trend I personally own five pairs of right now.
Since starting as an intern back in 2013, Nicole Akhtarzad Eshaghpour has held several roles here at Who What Wear, and she is currently Editor-at-Large. Upon joining, she was a senior about to graduate from business school at USC. Fast-forward to 2025, and she's moved to NYC from her hometown of Beverly Hills and spends her workdays a little differently from when she was just starting out. Currently, she focuses on a weekly mélange of shopping content and her Trust Me—Buy This newsletter. As far as her personal style goes, she's largely drawn to neutral, classic pieces but will always make an exception for something colorful or bejeweled as long as it's deemed worthy enough. After all, the only thing she loves more than a party is dressing up for one. On her downtime, she can usually be found at home eating something delicious and trying to force her husband to watch Summer House.
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