If there’s one thing we know about Zendaya, she never misses when it comes to fashion. From jaw-dropping red carpet moments to effortlessly cool casual looks, she has become one of our time’s most influential style icons. But what truly sets her apart isn’t just her clothing choices – how she uses accessories to transform, elevate, and personalize every outfit she wears.
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Working closely with her longtime stylist and “image architect” Law Roach, Zendaya has mastered the art of accessorizing in ways that make each look uniquely memorable. Whether she’s dripping in diamonds at an awards show or adding the perfect tennis-inspired touch to promote her film “Challengers,” her accessories aren’t afterthoughts – they’re essential parts of the story she tells through fashion.
Red Carpet Royalty: Zendaya’s Statement Jewelry Collection
When Zendaya steps onto a red carpet, everyone waits to see what she’s wearing and what dazzling jewels she’ll showcase. Her jewelry choices are never basic – bold, thoughtful, and often the highlight of her look.
High-Impact Necklaces That Steal the Show
Nothing demonstrates Zendaya’s jewelry power more than her necklace game. Who could forget the breathtaking Bulgari Magnifica Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald necklace she wore to the 2021 Venice Film Festival? Paired with a leather Balmain dress, this masterpiece featured over 93 carats of emeralds and instantly became one of her most iconic accessory moments.
At the 2021 Oscars, she wore not one but two spectacular Bulgari necklaces – one featuring a 6-carat yellow diamond on a removable diamond brooch and another with baguette-cut diamonds in a wavy pattern. Combined with her three statement rings, she reportedly wore a jaw-dropping 231.78 carats of diamonds that night!
“Zendaya debuted the Bulgari Magnifica Serpenti Hypnotic Emerald necklace, paired with a leather Balmain dress, for one of her most notable jewelry looks at the 2021 Venice Film Festival.” – Marie Claire
But what makes her necklace choices so special isn’t just their value – how perfectly they complement her outfits without overwhelming them. Zendaya and Roach understand the delicate balance between statement jewelry and the overall look, ensuring each piece enhances rather than competes with her style.
Rings and Bracelets: Stacking for Impact
Zendaya doesn’t follow the “less is more” approach regarding rings and bracelets. Instead, she often opts for dramatic stacking and multiple pieces that create a cohesive look.
For the New York premiere of “Dune: Part Two,” she wore glittering Bulgari Serpenti rings on nearly every finger alongside her Stéphane Rolland Couture dress. Her matching gold manicure tied the whole look together perfectly.
Her bracelet choices are equally impressive. At the 2022 Oscars, Zendaya stacked multiple Bulgari Serpenti Viper diamond bracelets up her arms, creating a cool cuff-like effect that added edge to her custom Valentino ensemble.
And who could forget the headline-making moment at the 2025 Golden Globes when she wore what appeared to be an engagement ring? The 5.02-carat East-West cushion diamond ring (reportedly designed by Jessica McCormack) sparked endless speculation about her relationship with Tom Holland. This shows how even a single accessory can create a cultural moment and drive conversation.
Earrings That Frame the Face
Zendaya’s earring choices are just as strategic as the rest of her jewelry. For the 2024 Oscars, she complemented her pink-and-black palm tree studded Armani Privé gown with stunning diamond and gemstone drop earrings by Bulgari, adding elegance to her look.
What’s fascinating about her earring selections is how they’re often chosen to work with her hairstyle of the day. With sleek updos, she chooses dramatic drops that draw attention to her neck and face. For looks with more elaborate hairstyles, she might opt for subtle studs that don’t compete with the overall effect.
Headpieces and Hair Accessories: Crowning Touches
If there’s one accessory category where Zendaya truly shines, it’s in her use of hair accessories and headpieces. These elements often become the defining feature of her entire look.
Bows and Ribbons: A Signature Style
Zendaya loves a good hair bow – it’s become her signature accessories. During the “Challengers” press tour, she took tennis dressing literally with an oversized white satin bow in her hair that matched the smaller coquette bow fixed at the waist of her sequined Thom Browne tennis racket dress.
For the 2022 Emmy, she opted for a matching black hair bow that tied back to her vintage Valentino ballgown, adding a touch of classic Hollywood glamour to the look. This choice wasn’t just pretty – it helped establish the narrative of the outfit as a nod to timeless elegance.
Her use of bows is so effective because they’re always perfectly scaled to the outfit and occasion. Sometimes, they’re subtle accents; other times, they’re oversized statements. But they’re always thoughtfully incorporated to enhance the overall aesthetic she’s creating.
Structural Headpieces That Command Attention
Beyond bows, Zendaya isn’t afraid to experiment with more architectural headpieces. At a Vanity Fair and Lancôme Paris event 2018, she wore a wide-brim top hat that perfectly completed her Marc Jacobs Fall 2018 oversized color-block blazer dress – a look that embraced ’80s maximalism at its best.
Even attending more casual events, she often incorporates headbands or other hair accessories that elevate basic outfits to stylish territory. These pieces serve as focal points that draw the eye and add personality to her looks.
Challengers-Inspired Tennis Accessories: Game, Set, Match
Zendaya’s recent press tour for “Challengers” showcased her and Roach’s genius for thematic dressing, particularly through tennis-inspired accessories that became the talk of the fashion world.
Tennis Ball Aesthetics That Serve Style
The absolute standout of her “Challengers” accessories was the custom-designed Loewe tennis ball heels she wore for the Rome photocall. These shoes featured actual tennis balls attached to the heels, taking the tennis theme to a literal yet fashionable extreme.
“For the Challengers photocall in Rome, Zendaya and Roach took tennis dressing to the next level. The star wore custom-designed Loewe logo tennis ball heels alongside her bedazzled tennis dress from the Spanish house. Talk about a serve.” – Marie Claire.
These heels weren’t just whimsical – they were a brilliant marketing tool that generated endless social media coverage and cemented the connection between the film and Zendaya’s fashion narrative.
Sport-Luxe Elements for Everyday Glamour
Beyond the showstopping heels, Zendaya incorporated more subtle tennis-inspired accessories throughout the “Challengers” press tour. Tennis bracelets (appropriately named, given the context) frequently appeared, as did other athletic-inspired pieces reimagined in luxury materials.
The influence of these choices extended beyond the press tour, helping to fuel the “tennis core” trend that swept through fashion in 2024. Her ability to make sports accessories feel high-fashion demonstrated once again why she’s such a powerful force in setting trends.
“The Challengers movie and the actress’ press tour looks may have contributed to a renewed focus on the tennis core trend: According to Instagram, searches for tennis-inspired fashion have jumped 67% since the film’s release.” – Forbes.
Zendaya’s Accessory Essentials
Statement Necklaces
Zendaya frequently wears dramatic necklaces from Bulgari, including the Serpenti collection and custom high jewelry pieces. She often pairs them with simple necklines that showcase the jewelry for maximum impact.
Hair Bows & Ribbons
From oversized satin bows to subtle ribbon accents, Zendaya uses hair accessories to add a feminine touch to her looks. She scales the size of the bow to match the impact of her outfit.
Multiple Rings
Rather than wearing just one statement ring, Zendaya often stacks multiple rings across several fingers for a more dramatic effect. She frequently mixes metals and gemstones from the same collection.
Structural Headpieces
From wide-brim hats to architectural headbands, Zendaya uses structural headpieces to transform basic outfits. These pieces often become the focal point of her entire look.
Vintage & Archive Bags
Zendaya’s appreciation for fashion history shows in her bag choices, often selecting vintage or archive pieces from luxury houses. Her casual looks usually include structured designer bags that add polish.
Casual Cool: Zendaya’s Everyday Accessory Game
While red carpet Zendaya gets the most attention, her casual styling is equally worthy of study – especially regarding accessories.
Sunglasses and Eyewear That Transform
Sunglasses are a staple in Zendaya’s off-duty wardrobe. In “Challengers,” she sports iconic Persol sunglasses that perfectly capture her character’s blend of athletic prowess and fashion awareness.
Zendaya uses eyewear as transformative pieces in her personal style that can instantly elevate a simple outfit. She often chooses statement frames in unexpected colors or vintage-inspired shapes that add character to even the most basic jeans-and-tee combination.
What’s striking about her eyewear choices is how they often serve as a bridge between high fashion and accessibility – they’re pieces that fans can more easily incorporate into their wardrobes to channel a bit of her style magic.
Bags That Tell Stories
Zendaya’s bag collection is both practical and statement-making. During Paris Fashion Week in 2023, she stepped out with a multi-colored logo-printed Louis Vuitton bag that offered pure nostalgia. Naomi Campbell first wore the bag for Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2004 campaign, showcasing Zendaya’s appreciation for fashion history.
For casual outings, she often opts for sleek, structured bags that add polish to relaxed outfits. What’s notable is how her bags, even from luxury brands, never feel ostentatious – they’re chosen to complement her look rather than show off.
Zendaya’s Signature Accessory Styling Techniques
What can we learn from Zendaya’s approach to accessories? Several key techniques emerge when studying her style evolution.
Monochromatic Matching for Maximum Impact
One trick Zendaya frequently employs is matching her accessories to her outfit color. For an appearance on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” she perfectly coordinated her oversized hair ribbon to her bright orange Carolina Herrera mini dress, which already featured its bow at the waist.
This matching approach creates a cohesive, intentional look that feels polished and put together. It’s a technique anyone can use, regardless of budget – simply choosing accessories in the same color family as your outfit instantly elevates your style game.
Unexpected Pairings That Surprise and Delight
Her willingness to embrace unexpected combinations keeps Zendaya’s accessory choices fresh. She might pair high jewelry with casual attire or combine vintage accessories with ultra-modern outfits.
At the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars Party, she sported a sleek black Sportmax suit with a bright leather tie and a peacock Bulgari brooch – mixing traditionally masculine elements with a feminine decorative touch that felt surprising and perfectly balanced.
These unexpected pairings create visual interest and conversation pieces, demonstrating that accessories can be used to subvert expectations and create something truly unique.
Thematic Accessorizing That Tells a Story
The most distinctive aspect of Zendaya’s accessory approach is her commitment to thematic dressing. For the L.A. premiere of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” she wore a web-adorned Valentino couture gown accessorized with a lacy black masquerade mask – a subtle reference to the unmasking of Peter Parker’s identity in the film.
At the 2019 Met Gala, where the theme was “Camp,” she fully committed to a Cinderella-inspired look complete with a glowing “carriage” purse, a signature baby blue headband, and, of course, glass slippers. With Roach playing her “fairy godmother” (complete with a magic wand), the accessories helped transform the outfit from a beautiful dress into a whole narrative experience.
This storytelling approach to accessories makes each appearance meaningful rather than just stylish – there’s always a concept, reference, or idea communicated through her choices.
The Evolution of Zendaya’s Accessory Style
Zendaya’s journey from Disney Channel star to fashion powerhouse is reflected in how her accessory choices have evolved.
From Disney Days to Fashion Royalty
In her early career, Zendaya’s accessories were age-appropriate and commercial–colorful statement pieces and trendy items popular with teens. As she grew into her style, her accessories became more refined and deliberate, helping to establish her as a serious fashion contender.
Law Roach played a crucial role in this evolution. When major fashion houses initially refused to dress Zendaya (as Roach has revealed in interviews), they turned to vintage pieces and strategic accessorizing to create memorable looks that garnered attention.
“When she was a Disney starlet, brands would not lend their clothes to Zendaya, so instead Roach dressed her in vintage pieces from a secondhand store.” – The Daily Guardian.
These early challenges forced creativity that ultimately defined her distinctive approach to style – proving that limitations can sometimes spark the most innovative solutions.
Brand Ambassadorships and Accessory Influence
Today, Zendaya holds coveted positions as a brand ambassador for luxury houses like Louis Vuitton and Bulgari. These partnerships have given her access to extraordinary accessories while allowing her to influence the brands’ creative directions.
Her relationship with Bulgari has been particularly fruitful in the realm of accessories. As a global brand ambassador since 2020, she has showcased the brand’s most spectacular high jewelry pieces in fresh and contemporary ways rather than stuffy or traditional.ctacular high jewelry pieces in ways that feel fresh and contemporary rather than stuffy or traditional.
The Impact of Zendaya’s Accessory Choices on Fashion Trends
Zendaya doesn’t just wear accessories – she influences how we think about and use them in our wardrobes.
Setting New Accessory Trends
When Zendaya embraces a particular accessory trend, the fashion world notices. During the “Challengers” press tour, her tennis-inspired accessories helped fuel a broader “tennis core” movement that influenced everything from luxury fashion to mainstream retailers.
Similarly, her use of hair bows and ribbons has contributed to the recent resurgence of these accessories across age groups. What might have once been considered juvenile or overly sweet has been reimagined as sophisticated and stylish through her influence.
Democratizing High Fashion Through Accessible Elements
One of the most potent aspects of Zendaya’s accessory influence is how she makes high fashion feel more accessible. While not everyone can afford Bulgari diamonds, her styling techniques – like matching accessories to outfits or using hair accessories as focal points – can be replicated at any price point.
She’s shown that sometimes it’s not the price tag of the accessory that matters but how creatively and confidently you wear it. This democratizing influence has helped broaden conversations about fashion beyond exclusive circles.
How to Channel Zendaya’s Accessory Style
Want to bring a touch of Zendaya’s accessory magic into your wardrobe? Here are some practical tips inspired by her approach.
Start with Statement Pieces That Transform Basics
You don’t need an entirely new wardrobe to channel Zendaya’s style. Start with one or two statement accessories that can transform simple, classic pieces you already own. A bold necklace, an architectural hair accessory, or an unexpected pair of shoes can completely change the feel of a basic outfit.
Experiment with Hair Accessories
Hair accessories are relatively affordable and can make a dramatic impact. Try Zendaya-inspired bows, headbands, or clips with different outfits. These pieces instantly elevate your look without requiring a significant investment.
Think Thematically
When planning an outfit for a special occasion, think beyond just looking good – consider telling a story through your accessories. Are you going to a garden party? Maybe incorporate floral elements. Attending a concert? Choose accessories with a bit of edge. This thematic approach makes getting dressed more fun and creates more memorable looks.
Mix High and Low
Zendaya and Law Roach master mixing high-end pieces with more accessible items. Invest in one quality accessory you love, then complement it with more affordable pieces for a balanced look that feels special and practical.
Why Zendaya’s Accessory Game Matters
Zendaya’s thoughtful approach to accessories offers something more substantial in a fashion landscape often dominated by fleeting trends. Her choices demonstrate that accessories aren’t just decorative afterthoughts – they’re powerful tools for self-expression, storytelling, and identity formation.
By treating accessories as essential components of a look rather than optional extras, she’s helped elevate conversations about personal style. She’s shown that sometimes the most minor details – a perfectly chosen ring, an unexpected hair bow, or a themed handbag – can make the most significant impact.
As her career continues to evolve, we can expect Zendaya’s accessory game to grow and change along with her. But what will likely remain constant is her understanding that the right accessories don’t just complete an outfit – they transform it into something truly unforgettable.
Whether draped in Bulgari diamonds on a red carpet or sporting tennis ball heels at a photo call, Zendaya’s accessories always serve a purpose beyond mere decoration. They help tell her story, establish her identity, and cement her status as a fashion icon and a cultural force whose influence extends far beyond what she wears.
What accessory trick will you borrow from Zendaya’s playbook? Will it be her thematic approach, bold statement pieces, or perfect matching techniques? Whatever elements inspire you, remember that the most important accessory is confidence – something Zendaya wears beautifully with every look.
Pashalis Laoutaris
I am a professional writer, fashion blogger, and owner of the site https://laoutaris.com. I have over 20 years of experience as a salesperson in the fashion industry and 10 years of experience as a fashionista. I consider myself a true fashionista. I write daily blog articles about fashion, tools and converters, and everything you need to know about current trends.
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I love Zendaya xxx