Would you tote a see-through handbag?The rise of clear accessories suggests you might

Sometimes the same staples and motifs appear in catwalk trend reports season after season: leopard print, checks, trench coats, lace, sheerness.While weve become accustomed to sheer skirts, tops and dresses layered on models in varying configurations, designers took the idea to another level for spring-summer 2018 with a raft of clear accessories.

Helmut Lang, Céline and Emporio Armani featured clear handbags in their shows.Karl Lagerfeld reached “peak clear” at Chanel, waterproofing his models with transparent raincoats, bags and boots.Ellery and Simone Rochas perspex-heeled Mary Janes and ankle boots and Neouss PVC-panelled mules are beloved by in-the-know accessories hounds, while Guccis star-spangled sunglasses make the case for clear frames.

Theres an element of Nineties nostalgia to all this, but clear accessories date back further.In the Fifties and Sixties, designers delighted in the novelty of clear handbags.Later, Pierre Cardin and André Courrèges became obsessed with the futuristic feel of glossy, man-made fabrics like PVC, mixing vinyl skirts with clear plastic headpieces and accessories.

The advantages of see-through accessories are (sorry) clear.Helen Mirren has noted the leg-lengthening effects of plastic platform “stripper” heels on the red carpet (although inadvisable from a style perspective, shes not wrong).

The new clear handbags make terrific, lightweight alternatives to leather bags in summer, and are a safer way to buy into the sheer trend than by, say, wearing an organza pencil skirt over high-waisted pants.The trend is highly Instagrammable, too – see Eva Chens back-of-taxi pics with her Staud bag.

Vintage plastic can discolour and be brittle, so check older pieces carefully.If you find a good one, clean with window spray and store in a soft cloth bag to avoid dust.

A word of warning: going see-through gives the world a glimpse inside your handbag, so curate its contents with care.Put less photogenic belongings in opaque pouches inside a large, clear tote – and walk out with nothing to hide.

French shoe designer Roger Vivier made a splash with this pair of orange and crystal-clear plastic boots – an instant mod classic in whichthe low, wearable heel almost balancedout the clamminess of knee-high plastic.

Pradas spring-summer 2010 collection will forever be remembered in fashion circles as the one that launched the chandelier dress – and the chandelier sandal, a clear Perspex sandal dangling with crystal baubles that became an instant sell-out.

For Chanels SS18 collection, Karl Lagerfeld layered his models up in showerproof accessories.The clear hats, capelets and boots made a strong statement, but the transparent handbags and totes were the pieces everyone wanted to takehome.