Are we coping with accessories?

Adults are now the bigger customers for whimsical charms, escapist clutches and plush accessories—all to help them in their mental health journey

It's easy to indulge in a bag of salt-laden chips to find comfort on a busy workday, a boring holiday, or when you are just feeling low. But, what if you could hug a cushion shaped like a bag of chips on a bad day too? Fashion has always been a refuge for finding fun and creativity when life surrounds you with monotony. Dopamine dressing has been a major trend for the last two years, and now, accessory trends are reflecting how we are looking for comfort in our fashion add-ons. From food-inspired accessories (like Moschino’s celery-shaped clutch or Huemn’s sequined Lay’s cushion), plush keychains and charms, to animal-shaped bags (Simon Rocha’s Creature Clutch or Coach’s Teddy Clutch), adults are seeking emotional support in childlike accessories in 2025. 

Pranav Misra, co-founder and creative director of the label Huemn, which recently collaborated with Lay’s to launch limited-edition merchandise, says that the partiality towards uplifting accessories is not just to provide a dopamine rush to the consumer. “Fashion is seasonal and most brands think similarly in a similar period of time, largely dependent on consumer behaviour,” Misra comments on every major fashion label offering cutesy bag charms and playful clutches. What is pushing this trend and encouraging brands is an experimental consumer who is willing to put their money into statement fashion pieces other than just occasion-wear, a wave where people are buying art pieces and carrying them as accessories. “The world has been partly a bright and dark place at the same time forever, so has society and politics. There is nothing new about it. I think what has changed is the comfort with which people want to spend money. After the pandemic, a younger age group entered with economic power, they are more comfortable going to parties wearing a piece they have invested in or one inspired by art. We seek internal and external validation in some form. And if you feel happy by spending money on a plush charm that reminds you of your childhood or teens, it is a meaningful purchase for them,” says Misra. It’s not always numbers that inspire design houses though he says. A horned motif widely used by the brand seamlessly seeped in the brand after his father passed away in 2018 he says. “It could just be a creative expression that comes from one’s self, or it could just be an aftermath of what happened with my life.” 

A teddy clutch at Coach’s Spring Summer 2025 show. Pic/Getty Images

Not just clutches (remember the JW Anderson pigeon clutch bag carried by Carrie Bradshaw in Season 2 of And Just Like That…), bag charms have also encouraged the trend of cutesy accessories you could find comfort with. Bag charms are also a gateway to luxury, you might not buy a Chanel bag, but a Chanel charm’s price tag might tempt you, and brands know that. Searches for bag charms went up by 240 per cent on Pinterest in 2024, and plush keychains, bags and phone accessories found takers outside of Japan’s Kawaii culture too. A Kawaii icon that people of different cultures would recognize is Hello Kitty; the brand also collaborated with the Indian label Péro by Aneeth Arora for their Spring Summer 2025 collection. Counselling psychologist Maithili Thanawala Kanabar says that our senses help us perceive the world and make meaning of different stimuli. She adds that this is the reason why some smells, sounds, and places activate specific memories. “In our childhood, we often form attachments with objects, people, and  places in order to feel secure. Think of your favourite blanket, a long-lost neighbour, or a favourite song you’d listen to on a loop. When these objects reappear in adulthood, they trigger nostalgia and provide comfort. They help in  emotional regulation, and the familiarity has a positive effect. Which is why we often think of the ‘good old times’,” explains Kanabar as to why it is difficult to escape nostalgia. 

Celebrity stylist Divyak D’Souza says, “I don’t think we should take ourselves or the way we dress too seriously. Childlike bag charms have always excited me and I have been using them regardless of whether they are in trend. I pick something cute every time I travel and add it to my purse, bag, duffel bag, etc. It adds a lot of personality and a story to your look. The bag you buy is sold to several other customers, but charms will help you personalize it. You can create a story on your bag with your charms.” Not just charms, if you wish to try childlike accessories, you could even start with a mobile phone case. Adding oversized charms on smaller bags makes them fun, D’Souza also has a Péro Hello Kitty stuffed charm on a tiny purse to make it silly and fun.  “Wearing statement, whimsical jewellery or footwear can be difficult, so charms, and mobile covers are a fun way to start small and then take it up a notch,” says D’Souza. Charms also make for great travel memorabilia, they show cultural interest, and are bright and colourful he says. Be it a kangaroo from Australia or a geisha from Japan, it’s okay for your bag to look like a teenage school girl’s. “Unserious, fun and irreverent is how one should enjoy fashion. My bag charms also take me back to the places I have been to and the things I have experienced. And that is true luxury; the fact that I have the wealth of these experiences, and charms remind me of that.”

"Exciting news! Mid-day is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!