The Micro Accessory Trend Making a Big Comeback in Copenhagen, Paris, and NYC

It’s time to stop ignoring the signs: bag charms are back, baby! Like it or not, we’ve seen this micro trend make a huge comeback on the runway, on the streets, and even online. While it might be easy to pass off bag charms as a silly way younger generations can tap into nostalgia surrounding early ’00s and mid-teens fashion, there’s actually more to the story. You have to keep in mind that all trends exist in the context of everything that came before them, including bag charms. From a historical standpoint, purses have always acted as a visible indicator of social standing, social values, and personal style—that’s also true with bag charms.

Although smaller, bag charms have served as an indicator of society’s shifting relationship with luxury in the past (and in the present, too). There’s no better example of that than this present moment, which shows us that the return of this trend is a microcosm of what’s happening in culture. With the rise of the quiet luxury movement, we’ve seen a mass movement toward minimalism, which has been incredible to witness because we all should be investing in staples for the long term. However, in the silence, we’ve maybe come to feel that our sole focus on the basics has left our style feeling, well, basic. Luckily, the bag charm trend is ready to fill that void for us. However, if you’re not sold on why you should be covering the surface of your purse with charms, keep reading.

From the Archives

Let me set the record straight: bag charms didn’t drop straight out of the coconut tree; they’ve existed for centuries. Historians have widely observed that in many ancient civilizations, it was common for people to attach trinkets and talismans to their bags. For many, bag charms were a way to signify their social class or even a means of spiritual protection. It wasn’t until the start of the 21st century that we began to see this trend change from its original cultural context. Bag charms shifted from being a footnote in the historical margins to being a significant part of the culture—primarily driven by runway collections and style icons.