Most any fashion publication worth its style salt generally devotes torrents of ink & verbiage – not to mention worshipful praise – to the absolute must-have item of the season. Baguette purses, embellished skirts, chunky wedge sandals, and beefy necklaces have all, at different times, occupied this lofty perch. However, the perch itself now appears to be falling out of favor. "If somebody comes out with an incredible bag for spring that nobody has seen before, this could change, but the notion of the 'It' bag is waning," Ed Bucciarelli, president and chief executive officer of Henri Bendel, told WWD. "Women are becoming more interested in having an individual look." Sparked primarily by the oversized layers shown on the Marc Jacobs runway, a new pumped-up silhouette is a strong trend for fall, comprised of layer upon layer of leggings, skirts, dresses, sweaters, vests, scarves, jackets, caps, hats & voluminous great coats. "So much of what is going on in accessories right now is complementing the shift that is happening in apparel," says Bucciarelli. "It's all about layering and playing with volume. Any accessories that make the notion of layering a little easier for the consumer will be important going forward." Although one of the key factors for the season is the new emphasis on the waist, which has fashion shoppers scooping up wide belts, they are also purchasing tights, leggings, cocktail rings, long chains in unusual metals, and hair ornaments; in other words, there are popular categories, but there isn’t a single must-have. "Everyone needs a belt these days because there is a dramatic shift from the waist to the upper body," Rick Weinstein, director of sales and marketing for Searle, explains. "It requires everybody to replace what they have, so we have grown our vendors in the belt category. The handbag business, however, seems to be neither here nor there. There is no 'It' bag right now and there is no direction other than the clutch and looks in patent leather."

• Marc Jacobs Fall 2006 Show
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