Bag charms are about to be the biggest thing in fashion. Take it from me: As New Yorkâs style insiders gear up for Fashion Week, Iâve already noticed an avalanche of charms, keychains, and amulets attached to editor friends and style influencers alike. And at Copenhagen Fashion Week, which wrapped in August, practically every showgoer had some sort of accessory dangling from their purses. The bag trend is a genuine phenomenon, and itâs about to hit the real world.
Glamourâs bag charms trend wish list
Coach kicked off the craze on its fall-winter 2024 runway, where the brand showed bags loaded with New Yorkâthemed baubles: apples, taxis, the Statue of Liberty. (Jane Birkin had passed away a few months before, and her iconic method of layering charms and talismans on designer bags was clearly on the mood board.) The momentâand similar accessories that followed at Miu Miu, Fendi, and Etroâsent shock waves through the fashion crowd: Here was a renewed way to show some personality and buy into designer brands without splurging on a bag or designer sunglasses.
As a style editor myself, Iâm betting big on the bag charms trend for fall; like so many of my peers, Iâm planning to tie scarves to and dangle keychains (like the Calico Critters figure and the mock shrimp below) from the handles of my bags. Oh, and pro tip: If your bagâs straps donât work well with clasps, you can also add a chain as a workaround. These are the best bag charms Iâve seen so far, from Amazon gems to Coach runway pieces.
The cutest bag charms to shop
Pretty much every charm or keychain will qualify as cuteâthatâs what happens when you shrink something down and attach it to a bagâbut these picks rise above the rest. Try a food theme with Coachâs cherries or BaubleBarâs Mickey-shaped pretzel; go full kawaii with a pint-sized Calico Critter or Susan Alexandraâs beaded charms, which are ubiquitous among New Yorkâs cool girls; spread good vibes with Free Peopleâs angel numbers tag or Anthroâs groovy monogram.
The best bag charms on Amazon
Amazon is one of the cheapest (and most convenient) places to pick up unique bag charms. A few standouts include an imitation-pearl bow with major Sandy Liang vibes, a puffy horse thatâs a doppelgänger for a similar option from Hermès, and a customized nameplate that runs under $10.
The best designer bag charms
Todayâs bag charms originated on the runwayâso why not invest in a proper designer bauble? Coachâs trio of charms is large but not heavy, ensuring youâll stand out without too much of a shoulder workout. More classic options include Saint Laurentâs quilted leather pouch and Pradaâs iconic robot. And Miu Miuâs runway piece is certainly an investment, but I can almost guarantee that itâll become a grail thatâll only become more popular (and hard to find on the resale market) in the years to come.
The best functional bag charms
Like your favorite keychain, bag charms can pull double duty on looks and function. Need to carry an AirTag to keep tabs on your bag? Want to hold credit cards, headphones, or your beloved Sonny Angels? Looking for a way to carry your keys that doubles as a fashion statement? These gems will help.
