We’ve all seen the photo: Jane Birkin, smiling brightly as she clutches a stuffed-to-the-brim Birkin bag tightly to her chest. The bag itself is beat to hell – covered in stickers and tassels and charms in a fashion that is now referred to as ‘trinkifying.’
‘Trinkifying’ is exactly what it sounds like: covering something in trinkets, making it cutesy and eclectic and incredibly personalized. This could be, of course, a bag laden in charms – but also a shelf covered in tchotchkes or a coffee table littered with momentos. The defining trait is something typically plain (like a bag, shelf, table or jacket) styled with tiny little things that are unique and special (such as charms, scarves, ribbons, stickers, figurines or keychains – really anything).
Jane Birkin is famous for this. Photographers have captured her many times carrying well-loved Birkins covered in Save Tibet’ posters, hreaded with prayer beads or shoelaces and charms and AirFrance tags. While she is certainly behind the trend, the term itself was supposedly coined by @natashahmedx on Instagram. She wrote: “being a girl is trinkifying everything you own” under a May 6th post.
Since then, the ‘Trinkifying’ or ‘Jane Birkinfying’ trend has exploded. Celebrities from Anne Hathaway to Dua Lipa are embracing their personal flair by decorating their own Hermès Birkins. The most recent Coach Resort show sported oversized carry-all bags featuring delightfully giant trinkets like apples, dice, an “I Heart NY” coffee mug and of course a full-size quilted, Coach flap bag. There’s really no limit to what you can clip on a purse.
We love that celebrities and runway models are living for this Jane Birkin-inspired fashion, but we all want to get in on the trend. Here is a smattering of our favorite charms (some high-end, some low-end) so you too can ‘trinkify’ your life too.
Getting The Look
Try searching for ‘keychains’ instead of ‘charms’ online. Most ‘charms’ will be tiny and geared towards earrings or other types of jewelry. ‘Keychains’ are usually bigger and more suitable for styling an oversized bag.
Gold Hermès Charms
We can’t have a piece centered around decorating Birkins without featuring a Hermès charm. Designers created the Cadena as an alternative to the small lock on the front of Hermès Birkin or Kelly bags. Since introducing the charm in the late 80s, Hermès has produced dozens of designs.
We recommend: the Hermès pegasus or snail.
String Ting
Handmade in London, String Ting is one of the go-to brands for accessorizing your bag.
Something Fuzzy
During their FW 2013 show, Fendi showcased handbags featuring playful, fuzzy little monster keychains. The world was set on fire. You couldn’t walk through an H&M or TopShop without seeing dozens of knock offs. Two seasons later, Fendi released “Karlito” – a little monster keychain that looked suspiciously like the creative director himself, Karl Lagerfeld.
Mini Stuffed Animals
Stuffed animal keychains are super popular right now – especially the Jellycat bag charms – and we can see why. So cute.
We recommend: Jellycat’s Bashful Beige Bunny Bag Charm.
Pearls
It’s important to add depth to your purse charm collection. A long swag of beads or pearls is perfect for breaking up a large chunk of trinkets.
We recommend: Anthropologie’s Icon Pearl Bag Charm.
Ribbons
A really cutesy (and cost-effective!) trick to elevate any bag is to tie a big bow on one of the handles. Extra points if the ends of the bow drape down longer than the bag itself. We’re fans of how easy and accessible this one is.
Silk Scarves
Add texture by wrapping a silk scarf around the handle of your bag.
Tourist Keychains
Tourist keychains are trending from Coach’s New York-themed clusters to Balenciaga’s $725 Eiffel Tower.
We recommend: Coach New York Cluster Bag Charm, Balenciaga’s Paris Souvenir Eiffel Bag Charm or looking on Amazon for a cheaper landmark keychain for a similar effect.
Accessorizing With Charms
This trend is all about expressing yourself and collecting charms that are uniquely you, so don’t be afraid to play around and experiment. Whether you want to splurge on a designer charm or just order some ribbon and a keychain from Amazon, there is something for everyone with this trend – at every price point.
