Okay, so bag charms are everywhere right now – seriously, you can’t walk down the street without spotting something jingling off a tote or backpack. At first, I thought, “Do I really need fluff hanging off my bag?” But then I saw a friend’s charm collection and got curious. So I decided to dive in headfirst for a month to find the real top must-haves, not just whatever’s trending on social media.
How I Started
First step: I raided my junk drawers. Found an old keychain, a broken bracelet charm, and some leftover yarn from last winter. Tied them all to my work bag and went about my day. Total mess. The yarn tangled around my keys immediately, and the metal charm scratched my water bottle. Lesson learned: cheap or random stuff doesn’t cut it. Back to square one.
Research & Shopping Time
Hit up a few local accessory shops. So many choices! Pompoms, mini purses, dangling fruit shapes. Overwhelmed, I snapped pics of everything catching my eye and crowdsourced with friends. Got roasted hard for liking a fluffy avocado charm (RIP avocado dreams). Then I spent a week scouring thrift stores and flea markets for hidden gems. Found some cool vintage pins but kept asking myself:“Will I actually want this dangling around every day?”
- Attempt #1: Grabbed a cheap crystal charm. Looked great for two days until one gem fell off washing the car.
- Attempt #2: Custom-made a mini leather pouch charm. Paid way too much. Dog chewed it within hours. 😩
Finally narrowed down five styles worth trying long-term:
The Actual Testing Phase
Attached each charm to my daily carry bag for 4-5 days. Took notes on durability, how annoying it was during commute, and reactions from others.
- The Pom-Pom Ball: Ultra fluffy purple one. So soft! BUT rained one Tuesday – turned into a sad soggy lump. Had to trash it. Dry weather only.
- Mini Leather Goods: Tiny crossbody bag charm. Cute as hell. Held my earbuds perfectly. Worth the chew-risk? Maybe.
- Retro Metal Trinkets: Found a tiny silver bicycle charm. Dings against stuff constantly but people kept complimenting it. Surprisingly high charm-to-annoyance ratio.
- Character Plushies: Avoided licensed stuff for copyright worries. Got a handmade felt mushroom guy from a craft fair. Best conversation starter ever.
- Personalized Beadwork: Made my own with alphabet beads spelling “NO” to remind me to stop overcommitting. Practical? No. Funny? Yes.
Real talk: I spilled coffee on two, lost one under a bus seat, and almost strangled myself leaning over with a long charm strap. Survival of the fittest!
What Actually Stuck
After all that chaos, I realized it’s not about trends at all. The retro metal bike stayed clipped on because it makes me smile when it catches sunlight. The mushroom dude lives on my weekend bag. Everything else? Either broke or felt like clutter. My big takeaway:Your charm should feel like YOU – not just decoration. If it doesn’t spark joy (or a laugh), toss it. Also, avoid anything dangling near zippers unless you love untangling knots!