Belt bag

Menswear in 2010 is starting the new decade with an interesting mix of must-have accessories, from gender-bending alternatives to masculine embellishments. Forget about those runway staples such as leather satchels and summer aviator sunglasses. This season boasts of stylish pieces not meant to be handled by the faint-hearted. And, if you’re beginning to pack those holiday ensembles to the back of the closet, this would be the time to try something new.

Out of the Spring-Summer 2010 menswear collections from Milan and Paris, several modern accessories stood out and became favored necessities for the coming season. First, bags for 2010 came in smaller packages. Belt bags favored the runways of Versace and Louis Vuitton, as inspired by the functional New York messenger.

For those who want to push boundaries, the man clutch, in all of its leather varieties, is your summer It piece to covet. Fashion designer Angela Missoni led the Milan collections with its expandable version while Salvatore Ferragamo kept it polished and sleek with a portfolio-sized clutch.

If you think cream straw hats are still in, then you’ve got another thing coming. For headgear, the new season delved into a darker route for its toppers as evidenced by the perforated pieces at Prada. Even Moschino took the trend but embellished it with neon fabrics for a more refreshing appeal.

As for footwear, two strong trends came out from the European summer runways. High-cut sneakers, from multi-colored to metallic palettes, ruled the shows of D&G and Iceberg. To get the full effect, these fashion houses paired their must-have sneakers with hot shorts.

But if there’s one accessory to invest in for 2010, it must be the Givenchy studded gladiator sandals. Creative director Riccardo Tisci sure knows how to play the fashion game as his street cool-garbed punks for Givenchy Summer 2010 got its touch of class with these sure-fire hits for the coming season. If the studs are a bit too much for your taste, opt for its more traditional sandals in black. But for sure this decade isn’t the time to play it safe anymore.