Those pesky cheerleaders. First they want their sport in the Olympic Games and now their favourite accessory is one of the hottest accoutrements of the summer.
I give thee the humble – or in the case of Fendi, not so humble – pompom.
Last with us in 2014, when we saw giant pompoms "bounce" down the runway at New York Fashion week, this season's poms are small, cute and stuck on more things than syllables in "crafternoon".
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/vAHB5vZ.jpg)
A pompom sandal is the party shoe of the summer. Just add margarita. Photo: Getty Images
Channelling a Mexican fiesta, expect shades of canary yellow, tangerine and magenta. Or, for something more subtle, maybe try a more deconstructed variety. Yes, engineering types, I know you can't be a little bit pompom but hear me out. Designers such as jewellery maker Lucy Folk are taking the idea of a pompom and arriving somewhere that looks a little Great Barrier Reef coral meets lurex chandelier.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/uRjdFDF.jpg)
Leave these pompoms on the basketball court. Photo: Getty Images
Who's doing it ... and how to work it
Not since Nikki Minaj sat next to Anna Wintour at New York Fashion Week in September 2011 have we seen a celebrity embrace pompoms to the same degree.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/RdvUXiw.jpg)
Not sure if Anna Wintour is a pompom fan, judging by this photo with Nicki Minaj. Photo: Getty Images
Kendall Jenner has recently been spotted getting around with a pom on her handbag, which is a good place to start if you are not quite ready for the full sweater.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/EdyxcHV.jpg)
Keep an eye on your pompoms, Kendall, they're breeding.Photo: Getty Images
And of course, if you want to play things down a bit more, tassels are the first cousin of pompoms that look less Fruit Loop-y and are easier to embrace in neutral colours.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/XJwKxwD.jpg)
Too much? Liu Wen at the Victoria's Secret parade in Paris last week. Photo: Getty Images
Where to get the look
Now, we don't all have a Fendi budget but it's free to look. Pop into the company's first standalone boutiques to see how the world's most luxe purveyors of the pom do it.
On the high street, Wittner is leading the local charge for pompom sandals, which is a cute and affordable way to experiment with the trend.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/K6xTd1D.jpg)
Boohoo, $12.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/TtEz4G5.jpg)
Sportsgirl, $39.95.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/Eo40pQf.jpg)
Lucy Folk at Matchesfashion.com, $405.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/Bo29R7R.jpg)
Rails, POA.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/d4y5C6V.jpg)
Jasmine & Will, $109.
![](http://web.archive.org./web/20161209050251im_/http://imgur.com/OCvFUkz.jpg)
Rubi Shoes, $39.95.