If You're Not Overloading Your Bag With Charms à la Jane Birkin, You're Not Doing it Right
The iconic actress and singer was famous for the way she accessorized her handbags, and TikTok is bringing her quintessential style back in revolutionary new ways.
As a young actress, model, and singer, Jane Birkin made her mark on the fashion industry in many respects, but perhaps most enduring—effortlessly chic French bangs aside—was her penchant for oversized handbags In the '70s, Birkin became synonymous with the large wicker baskets she carried as handbags.
Whether she was enjoying an early morning stroll at the farmers market, sipping on cocktails at socialite parties, or engaging in women's rights protests, Jane Birkin could be spotted with a straw basket—her handbag of choice for literally any occasion. As for why Birkin carried the iconic bag? The actress cited the amount of space, the versatility of the silhouette, and the bohemian chic aesthetic as defining characteristics that she looked for in her dream bag.
After running into Jane Birkin on a flight and learning about her seemingly endless search for the perfect leather bag, Hermès executive Jean-Louis Dumas tapped into the house's historic archives in search of a style that boasts plenty of space, a simple shape, and a chic, effortless style, and thus, the Hermès Birkin bag was born.
While the actress didn't immediately give up her straw baskets, she did turn to the Birkin bag later in life, giving it the seal of approval that led to the cult-classic status that the handbag enjoys today. After incorporating her Hermès handbag into her regular rotation, Birkin was often spotted with accessories like silk scarves, pieces of jewelry, charms, and patches adorning the sides of her purse, instantly providing style inspiration—and a new, chic way of individualizing your handbag—to thousands.
While '90s style minimalist totes and shoulder bags—think The Row's Margaux bag and Khaite's Elena bag—are trending in some fashion circles, in others, style icons are channeling the effortlessly chic, visionary spirit of Jane Birkin with their accessories. Celebrities like Dua Lipa and Yunjin, vocalist and rapper in K-Pop group Le Sserafim, have recently been spotted sporting Birkin's signature look, with scarves, keychains, jewelry, and keychains attached to their handbags.
While accessorizing totes and purses has emerged as a popular trend this season, the Birkin-esque personalization phenomenon doesn't just extend to handbags. Creators on TikTok and Instagram have taken the concept to a whole new level. Shoes, bracelets, phone cases, hats, and even hair have all become trendy ways to personalize your appearance and style. Users typically attach ribbons, cute keychains, pieces of sentimental jewelry, silk scarves, buttons, pins, and dainty charms to the next subject, whether it be a shoe or bag, of the personalization wave.
In an age where certain styles and pieces go instantly viral, it's hard to blame young social media creators for wanting to stand out from the crowd, especially when it seems that a quick scroll through social media suggests every influencer and street style enthusiast is wearing the same thing. Shoes like the Adidas Samba and the iconic Miu Miu ballet flat are just two examples of subjects—or victims, depending on how you view the current state of trend cycles—of the wave of individualization taking over fashion, especially in the digital sphere.
While the push for the era of personalization could be interpreted as a simple way to break free from the mold and stand out in your Sambas or while carrying your Staud bag, others have drawn inspiration from Jane Birkin's emblematic style and taken it as a chance to surround themselves with unique, sentimental objects—whether they be heirloom jewelry pieces, vintage scarves, or dainty charms—that would otherwise be difficult to display in one's day-to-day looks.
How to Join in on the Trend
Whether you're in search of inspiration on how to accessorize your bag with charms and keychains à la Jane Birkin, looking to dress up the super trendy sneakers that everyone you know has, or in the mood to switch up your phone's look, we've got you covered. Join L'OFFICIEL in exploring how the Internet has hopped onto the individualization wave and incorporated personalized charms and keychains into everyday style.
