The Secret To Layering In The Summer — No Clothes Required

Temperatures are rising. Hemlines are getting shorter. And skin is coming out of hibernation. It’s the annual summer shift we all look forward to, until the reality of a 90-degree day officially arrives and all you can think about is how many layers you can legally take off.

Staring into your closet during a heatwave often leads to a spiral of sartorial panic, usually resulting in a tank-and-shorts uniform that feels entirely uninspired. But once you look away from layering fabric, you can find something much cooler to stack.

“Accessories are such a good way to elevate your everyday basics,” explains Stephanie Sanchez, senior fashion and accessories editor at BDG Media. “I am a very classic-white-T-shirt-and-jeans kind of person, but if I were to add a brooch, a scarf, or bag charms, that just takes it to a different level.”

The visual intrigue that comes from layering clothes is in depth and texture. Fortunately, the same depth can be created with stacks of accessories. Maximalism will save your minimal layers so you don’t have to compromise on style because of the heat.

TZR has the best ways to accessory-stack this summer. Choose your favorite or layer them all.

Pile On The Jewelry

Though Coco Chanel once famously said to look in the mirror and take one thing off before leaving the house, the current style zeitgeist is proving that more is undoubtedly more.

Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel certainly agrees. Forgoing the gold-versus-silver debate entirely, the house’s Resort 2027 collection injected a vibrant dose of color through layers of beaded necklaces.

Chanel isn't the only house to endorse layering this season. Miu Miu’s Spring 2026 collection is a crash course in unconventional accessory stacking. Layered over the brand’s take on aprons this season, knotted scarves were styled alongside stacked chain-and-leather belts worn as necklaces and cuff bracelets. Luckily, you don’t need to cut up your own belts to recreate this look — a few mismatched pieces from your jewelry box will achieve that same maximalist style.

No one models the trend better than Bella Hadid, who recently wore Massimo Dutti during a New York City outing. On her collarbone, she donned a gold-and-pearl necklace under a long vintage Chanel pendant featuring the house’s iconic CC emblem. But she didn’t stop at the neckline. Hadid amplified the look by methodically stacking multiple gold cuffs up and down her arms.

As Hadid illustrates, jewelry stacking looks best over an understated outfit, such as a slip dress, a monochrome co-ord, or a simple T-shirt and jeans.

Bundle Those Belts

We easily default to jewelry when an outfit needs a lift, but many overlook their lower half. A good belt instantly delivers a polished look, but why stop at only one?

Let’s start small — or rather, thin. Wearing Tom Ford, model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, notorious for her minimalistic fashion, created a focal point within a monochromatic outfit by doubling ultra-skinny belts. Through the might of two of the skinniest belts you can find, you can attach a new sensation to your everyday regalia.

If you’re like me, you have countless types of belts that look nothing alike. Instead of homogeneity, take a tip from Ambush’s Spring 2026 collection and lean into variety. Though three unique belts should be an eyesore, the ensemble steers clear of chaos because it allows the belts to do the talking, keeping the clothes simple with a slight exhibition of skin. If mixing textures feels intimidating, start by pairing two belts in the same color family but with varying widths.

Bring Back The Brooch

Runways love a brooch, but everyday fashion still writes it off as outdated. Forget the old reputation; there are endless inventive ways to wear them. Scatter the accoutrements across a baseball cap, stick them on your purse, or follow Grace Van Patten’s method and pin a statement piece right at your waistline.

Brooches are not just an idle adornment; they have a built-in purpose too.

“Specifically, for the summer, you can use it to manipulate your T-shirt or tank. If you want to crop it or bunch it up on the side, using a brooch as a place holder is really chic,” says Sanchez. “It’s just an interesting detail [on] what would otherwise just be your usual T-shirt or tank.”

When used to hold the place of a scarf — as seen on Blumarine’s Spring 2026 runway, where a butterfly brooch clasped a black scarf around a model’s neck — there is no flimsy tying required.

As with every accessory, brooches have stacking potential. At Dior’s Resort 2027 show, a long pink dress was embellished with flowers pinned at the straps and bunched at the waist — a look you can easily recreate with floral brooches and a simple maxi dress.

Play The Scarf

A scarf is a wild card in fashion; it is the most underutilized and best asset in a closet. Head to toe, just find the gap and play the scarf.

“I like having my head covered in the summer, and the scarf is the perfect way to do that. It’s such a versatile accessory: head scarf, use it as a belt, or a shawl in the office. The longer, the wider, the better,” says Sanchez.

Anna Sui also advocated for head scarves in her Spring 2026 collection. Opting for matching patterns to the outfits, the kerchiefs punctuate the bohemian looks. While Sui makes a great case for full-on coordination, you can also use a head scarf as the focal point. In the case of Emma Chamberlain’s outfit at Sabrina Carpenter’s “Sabrina’s Pit Stop” event during Coachella this year, her scarf adds a pop of color and print to a neutral outfit.

Neck scarves may feel counterintuitive in the summer months. However, as illustrated by Burberry’s Spring 2026 collection, a long scarf makes a breezy crocheted mini dress feel anchored and elongated, while simultaneously allowing more skin to feel the summer breeze.

If tying fabric around your neck feels restrictive in the heat, simply drop the look down to your hips. It’s an effortless way to add dimension to your bottom half, whether you choose a matching fabric look (like from Chanel’s Resort 2027 collection) or a coordinated color scheme (seen on Anna Sui’s Spring 2026 runway).

Add A Charm

Layering doesn’t have to be just for your body. In fact, when those 100-degree days hit, we need stacking options that aren’t touching us at all.

Anne Hathaway’s chic winter uniform might be the equivalent of summer's T-shirt-and-jeans, but it’s her black Birkin with a white pegasus bag charm that becomes the centerpiece.

In a time when everything has become self-branding, bag charms have become the playground of individuality within fashion. Though Popmart plushies have led the charge, truly anything can become a bag charm, as illustrated in Coach’s Resort 2026 collection, which features a slew of fuzzy bunnies, ornaments, and dinosaurs.

Grab your everyday bag and throw on a designer bag bauble, keychains from your travels, or, if you prefer a chic garnish, tie on a scarf like Sharon Stone.