Straw hats and bags are the hit looks of this summer. Photos: Courtesy of C&A and Olive des Olive online shop

Clothing accessories made from straw may have once been the preserve of outdoor workers in the countryside, but they are increasingly popping up in the city's fashion boutiques.

Straw hats, straw sandals, and straw bags: "scarecrow chic" is definitely going to be one of the hit looks of the summer. The Global Times has gone in search of some of the most popular straw accessories around.

Hats on

After a number of broad brimmed-style hats dominated the High Street last year, it's little wonder that straw homburgs are set to do the same this year.

The trend started this spring when Hollywood celebrities Charlize Theron, Diane Kruger and Jennifer Hudson were all photographed wearing straw homburgs in almost the same style - with a black ribbon around the middle. Homburgs, which used to be considered an accessory for children and teenage girls to protect them from the sun, have now become popular for all ages, particularly for those with a retro sense of nostalgia.

Brands like C&A have produced several variations of the round homburgs - all in the same style but with different colored ribbons, including black, sapphire blue, lemon yellow and strawberry pink. Among the items in the company's men's collection, is a homburg with one side of the brim rolled up to give it a cap-like appearance. To enrich the designs, these ribboned homburgs are also complemented by striped designs or are decorated with colorful artificial flowers of various kinds. Straw homburgs can be found in a number of fashion boutiques and outlets on Changle Road.


In the bag

Straw bags for 2011 are on the minimalist side, in line with the rest of the year's fashions. Last year, ribbons and flowers were in abundance, but this year straw bags mainly feature colored stripes giving a clean, unfussy look.

Olive des Olive, the Japanese brand which targets teenage girls is promoting a series of straw bags to complement its clothing line. One, in a rectangular shape, features nothing fancier than a metal button on the top, making it an appropriate match for almost any style of clothing.

For C&A's 2011 bag range, straw models come in a wide range of sizes. A small version with striped colors and a long strap would go well with a mini-skirt and a pair of high-heels. Another single-colored bag in the shape of a semi-circle is a great choice to go with a summer outfit in either silk or chiffon.


The sole option

If the key word for last year's footwear was "flip-flops," this year it's definitely "straw." Almost all of the high street's top brands have designs featuring straw - everything from casual-style straw flip-flops to the more ladylike high-heel straw sandals.

For Pink Mars' 2011 collection, a series of straw sandals with light-colored stripes forming a characteristic knot on the top of the instep is set to be a big hit among fashionistas, with the color of the stripes varying from light-pink to pure white. The sandals can help create a smart look with its slipsole design.