What if I told you that the keychain you bought five years ago on a family holiday—currently gathering dust in a keepsake box—could actually elevate your personal style?
These days, expressing yourself through fashion can feel like a challenge. With new trends, micro-aesthetics, style icons and brands popping up daily, it’s easy to get caught in the whirlwind. You might find yourself wondering: Do I actually like this, or does it just look good on someone else?
There’s also a bigger issue at play: overconsumption is snowballing into a serious ethical and environmental problem in the fashion world. Clothes are now worn an average of just 7–10 times before being discarded. Depop sellers are flipping thrifted items for triple the price, and fashion-related greenhouse gas emissions are still climbing.
So, using items from around your house to express your style isn’t just a cute idea—it’s sustainable. It’s a small first step against throwaway culture, and one that happens to look good on your arm.
Fashion as a whole seems to be softening lately—moving from polished, curated minimalism to something messier and more joyful. Bag charms are an easy and playful way to cut through the noise, mixing personal memories with trends (and let’s be honest, they’re totally adorable).
Since writing this article, I’ve been people-watching and noticed how everyone approaches bag charms a little differently. There’s the Maximalist, whose tote rattles like a keychain museum—every charm likely carrying a story. Then there’s the Sentimentalist, who’s been rocking the same single trinket for years and wouldn’t dream of swapping it out. You’ve got the Rotator, who changes their bag and its charms seasonally (or weekly) like it’s an accessory calendar, and the Accidental Icons—who tied a ribbon to their strap without thinking and don’t even know how great it looks. There’s no wrong way.
Whether you’re deep in the blind box craze collecting Labubus and Sonny Angels, or simply clipping a trinket from your junk drawer on your way out the door, the beauty of bag accessorising is that everyone can do it.
And I mean, literally everyone. You’ve probably seen the pictures of Jane Birkin herself: her beloved Birkin stuffed to the brim, a tattered Save Tibet poster sticky-taped to the side, scarf wrapped around the handle and paraphernalia dangling over.
Image Courtesy of Getty Images
There’s just something so chic about a little bit of mess and personality in fashion. I’d love to ask Jane what she thinks of Labubus as they make one of the biggest booms I’ve seen this year in social media.
I admit I’m getting a little tired of the hype, but their creepy little faces are weirdly endearing—somewhere between haunted doll and high fashion collectible. Like Sonny Angels (which are still having their moment), toys have become the latest accessory darlings, clipped to everything from Jacquemus Le Chiquitos to thrifted tote bags. They’re not just cute—they’re conversation starters, and the element of surprise when opening them makes it even more addictive.
What makes bag charms so fun is that they sit at the intersection of nostalgia and self-expression. They can say, “I have a full-time career in scrolling Pinterest”, “I still think about that trip to Japan”, or “I’m addicted to lip balm”. They’re moodboards in miniature, clunky and colourful and completely unserious in the best way.
Yep, lip balm. All you need is a plain key chain and a sharp pin, and you won’t have to worry about the dryness of the Australian sun ever again. Of course, you could just put it in your bag, but this way is much more stylish, and if you’re like me and switch between bags constantly, you can have a different lippie for every occasion.
I could list out for you which charms to buy and where—but frankly, that would defeat the whole point. Instead, find an old necklace you used to love but don’t wear anymore. Pull the tassel off your favourite perfume bottle. Borrow scarves and ribbons from your mum’s drawer. The best accessories are already in your life—you just have to notice them.
Turns out, the most personal style statement might be forgotten at the bottom of your jewellery box.
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Banner image credit: Martina Calvi
