We have officially reached cuteness overload!
Bag charms have become the “it” accessory of the year, with Labubu (a furry little gremlin that straddles the line between cute and creepy) leading the charge. Brands are even making mini bag keychains so your bag can have a bag.
But it’s not just bag charms that have invaded our lives. Because everything, and I mean everything, can be made cuter. Phone charms, shoe charms, charm necklaces, gummy bear necklaces — fluffy and beaded accessories have become a must-have.
It’s a pretty stark contrast from the minimalist “stealth wealth” and “quiet luxury” trends that reigned supreme until recently. Over the past year, we’ve given up on looking perfectly put together and embraced our inner child instead.
Given the current state of the world, it’s no wonder we all want to add a little more playfulness into our lives (and our closets!). Sotheby’s Specialist Lucy Bishop told Elle that consumers were “embracing escapism to distract themselves from the pressures of modern life.”
Fashion psychologist Jennifer Heinen seconded this opinion and told WWD,
“Objects that are small, collectible, and whimsical allow us to anchor ourselves in something controllable and emotionally non-threatening. On a deeper level, they reflect a desire to reconnect with emotional textures that adulthood often suppresses — tenderness, wonder, curiosity.”
Like any trend, prices can vary greatly. Just because a purse looks like a fluffy teddy bear doesn’t mean it costs the same as one (Moshino currently sells a multicolor teddy bear clutch for $1.3K).
And some bag charms cost as much as a bag itself. Designers like Prada and Chloe sell bag charms for hundreds of dollars. Pre-owned Hermes bag charms can cost upwards of $2K. And if you’re hoping to get your hands on an authentic Labubu, you better be ready to cough up some dough. A Pop Mart x Vans Labubu Doll recently sold for over $5K on StockX.
Of course, with designer prices come designer knockoffs, I mean, “dupes”. You can currently get a Labubu keychain lookalike on Amazon for $30 and nobody would know the wiser (at least, nobody on Instagram — an up-close inspection might yield other results).
Regardless of how (or where) you get your bag charm, it’s nice to see a little whimsy put back into fashion. You can’t read the news without seeing headlines about famine, mass shootings, heat waves, and flash floods. And if a furry little monster can bring some joy into your life, then why the hell shouldn’t you carry one?!
Check out some of our favorite fluffy, beaded, whimsical, fun accessories below.
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