Bag charms are about to be the biggest thing in fashion. Take it from me: As New York’s style insiders gear up for Fashion Week, I’ve 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 it’s about to hit the real world.
Glamour’s bag charms trend wish list
Coach kicked off the craze on its fall-winter 2024 runway, where the brand showed bags loaded with New York–themed 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 moment—and similar accessories that followed at Miu Miu, Fendi, and Etro—sent 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, I’m betting big on the bag charms trend for fall; like so many of my peers, I’m 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 bag’s straps don’t work well with clasps, you can also add a chain as a workaround. These are the best bag charms I’ve 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 cute—that’s what happens when you shrink something down and attach it to a bag—but these picks rise above the rest. Try a food theme with Coach’s cherries or BaubleBar’s Mickey-shaped pretzel; go full kawaii with a pint-sized Calico Critter or Susan Alexandra’s beaded charms, which are ubiquitous among New York’s cool girls; spread good vibes with Free People’s angel numbers tag or Anthro’s 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 that’s a doppelgänger for a similar option from Hermès, and a customized nameplate that runs under $10.
The best designer bag charms
Today’s bag charms originated on the runway—so why not invest in a proper designer bauble? Coach’s trio of charms is large but not heavy, ensuring you’ll stand out without too much of a shoulder workout. More classic options include Saint Laurent’s quilted leather pouch and Prada’s iconic robot. And Miu Miu’s runway piece is certainly an investment, but I can almost guarantee that it’ll become a grail that’ll 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.
