The Best Accessories Of 2012

When looking back on the Best of 2011, we can't help but proclaim this a banner year foraccessories. From animal hats and food-themed jewelry to suspender tights and tiny clutches, the style STAHS of the year truly accentuated their finest red carpet frocks and street style ensembles with the most eye-catching (and unusual—thanks, Nicki Minaj!) accoutrements we've seen in some time. Thus, without further ado, here are our picks for the best accessories of the year.

ANIMAL EAR COWLS

Jessie J, Demi Lovato, and Nicki Minaj sporting animal hats.
Photo: Getty Images; Splash News

Not only were animal hats a favorite of the fall season, they were EVERYWHERE all year. Leading the pack was Jessie J in a warm n' wooly SpiritHoods leopard hat. Jessie prowled the streets of her native London in this cute head snuggie, choosing to pair it with an orange blouse, matching orange lipstick, and a fierce visage that actually recalls the animal in which she's enrobed. Similarly, Demi Lovato wore a panda hat while hanging with pals at a haunted house in LA. We love that Demi chose to embody the sweet nature of the panda by donning slightly subdued smoky panda eyes and one adorbs smile. The aforementioned Nicki Minaj, on the other hand, wore her tiger hat to the Oscar de la Renta show for New York Fashion Week and took it one step further by throwing some leopard spots atop her hair for an extra added animal dimension. While this is a risky move (especially for a more uptown type of fashion event), we applaud Miss Minaj's brazen, double-layering accessory audacity.