From bunnies to Bottega.
Decades ago, trends had longer legs. The affordability of fast fashion, the decline of hand-made and homemade clothing, and the beast that is social media all contribute to this current style climate of “Thank you, next, thank you, next.” We are in a bottom-up rather than a top-down environment, where the big fashion houses and the magazine editors seem to have less and less influence on what’s trending — contrary to Miranda Priestly's (Meryl Streep) “cerulean blue” speech in The Devil Wears Prada.
At this point, a lot of us are exhausted with the demands of rapid trend and micro-trend cycles. It’s hard to get excited about a certain look, fit, or accessory, knowing that it will only feel sparkly and fresh for about a season. I think you eventually end up in a place where the costs of keeping up outweigh how good it feels to not GAF. And as you get older, as I have, and we all eventually will, you start to just worry about what you like and don’t like. How peaceful. But kinda boring, lowkey! Fashion is so fun!
That might be why it’s so exciting to see a trend that has nothing to do with over-consumption. And what fits that bill lately are the bag charms I’ve started to see crop up in my city and all over social media, in a very quiet way. The bag charm trend is so whimsical to me because it has HEART! I love that this trend is mostly focused on authentic expression. After seeing pictures of girls adorning their purses with charms, I set out to interview a few people about where their charms are from and what they mean to them.
Most charms are gifts from loved ones or mementos from favorite places. The point of bag charms, as evidenced by my research, isn’t to achieve a specific look borrowed from Pinterest or TikTok, but to personalize the bag to you, a la Jane Birkin. It’s a great way to take something as mass-produced and common as a bag and make it feel uniquely yours.
Phenomenons like the bag charm trend have more longevity, in my opinion, because they are about personalization. You’re not trying to adhere to a predetermined aesthetic, but more so infuse your life with a little whimsy. And I find it adorable that we’re all now carrying around good luck charms, talismans, and things that remind us that we’re loved.
Maddie, Chicago
I bought the bunny on Amazon when I was going through a rough time (lol). It reminded me of my friend Sumner who had a Hello Kitty charm stuffed animal on one of her bags <3 I like how it’s started looking more worn as I’ve worn the bag more; it reminds me of The Velveteen Rabbit.
The turquoise cinnabar charm I got from a store in NY Chinatown called Wing on Wo that’s one of the most beautiful shops I’ve ever been in :) Also an impulse purchase when I was visiting NY ... I love to impulse purchase my charms. I would rather build a collection over time than buy them all at once. I’ve been on the hunt for some good beads for a while but they haven’t come to me yet. Even though I only have 2 charms on my bag, I feel like they’re a reflection of where I’ve been and how I’ve felt. And I think they just add something fun to an otherwise very architectural and structural leather bag.
Maggie, Los Angeles
Both of these are gifts! The sardine is from my friend from when she was in Portugal and the little bunny in a dress is from my ex-girlfriend (she got it in L.A.’s Chinatown).
Honestly, I’m not someone who’s the type to get fun little things just because, so these remind me of people who have more whimsy than I do, haha!
Avina, Los Angeles
The butterfly charm is a Bottega Keychain my boyfriend Ben got me for my bday. It was a ridiculous gift I wanted and he didn’t see the issue! The beaded necklace and red jade charm on [the] opposite side are both from Chinatown, to protect me. The woman who does my nails said I’m so lucky when she saw them. Finally, the red tassel with the yellow string with a little bell is from my friend Melanie. She made it herself, it’s so precious.
Layla, New York
The orange charm is from a Blind Box series I loved as a teenager called "Yummy Breakfast." It must be almost 20 years old at this point. I got my Miffy from the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. She's wearing a dress version of one of his sunflower paintings, which is absolutely darling to me.
Danielle, New York
The pin with charms is sort of an evil eye broach that my mom had. Ukrainians believe adding a safety pin to the inside of your clothes is good luck, so I think the shape of the broach might be an homage to that, but then it also has a hamsa on it, and it had a small evil eye charm but it fell off (not sure what the spiritual significance of it falling off is). I don’t really wear broaches or pins so I thought adding it to the bag would not just be a nice way to keep it on me, but it would also add some lighthearted playfulness to the legacy and seriousness of a vintage Coach lol
The little red guy is from a toy maker whose whimsical work really speaks to me (@lifemachine.co on Instagram). I’ve been a fan of them for a while and when they were selling stuff at a market, my friends and I all got matching ones a la friendship bracelets. I think his mischievous expression is so cute, and again I really think the juxtaposition of a playful charm with a serious bag provides some joy and whimsy to my stuff, maybe helps me find common ground with the authoritativeness of my bag lol
It’s always nice to look down and see a trinket traveling with you! 🌀
Cecilia O’Mara is a writer and painter living in Los Angeles. This year she really wants to go to Texas. You can find her on Twitter @2coppertone.