It's Official: Every It Girl Is Going to Buy This Exact Affordable Accessory Before Spring Starts

By Kim BrowneJanuary 22, 2026

When it comes to spring trends, there are two things I start thinking about first: color trends and accessories trends. They're the categories you can typically start wearing first, even when the ground is blanketed with snow. One of the foolproof ways to figure out which trends will catch on first is to look to well-dressed celebrities, such as Alexa Chung.

Thanks to her impeccable taste, Chung's style has been highly influential for years, and whenever I spot a paparazzi photo of her or she posts a new carousel to her Instagram feed, I study her outfits very carefully. I didn't have to look too closely to spot a future It item in the carousel she just posted from a recent warm-weather vacation. In one of the shots, Chung is wearing a gingham bikini top with black pull-on pants and the affordable accessory I predict will soon be everywhere: a Polo Ralph Lauren Cotton Chino Bucket Hat.

Given the massive popularity of Polo Ralph Lauren's chino baseball caps (with the poster child being Kendall Jenner) and winter's wool-bucket-hat trend, this hat makes perfect sense. Call it the melding of two trends. The pony-adorned bucket hat is the perfect complement to beachy looks, such as Chung's, or any of the preppy trends that are percolating. The hat, which is technically a men's style but comes in a smaller size, is the same price as the brand's signature baseball caps at $55, but a few colors are actually on sale right now. If I had to make a prediction, I'd say that Polo Ralph Lauren will be inclined to release it in more shades.