Bag Charms: How to Style Crochet Keychains on Your Bag

A bag charm is a small keychain worn on the outside of a bag instead of on your keys. It used to be something you saw only on designer handbags. Now it is on college totes, office laptop bags and school backpacks, and it is one of the easiest ways to make a plain bag look like yours.

Crochet charms are a favourite for this because they are soft, light and colourful, and they do not scratch the bag. This guide covers how to choose one, where to put it and how to keep it looking new.

What is a bag charm?

Any small decoration that hangs from a bag: a keychain, a tassel, a pom-pom or a little plush toy. It usually clips to the handle, a strap ring or a zip. It has no job except to look nice and to make your bag easy to spot in a pile of identical black backpacks.

At Felofey, every crochet keychain works as a bag charm. They cost ₹169 each, with delivery included anywhere in India.

Which charm suits which bag?

• Canvas tote: go big and playful. A pink jellyfish with its long tentacles swings nicely from a tote handle, and pastel colours stand out against beige or white canvas.
• Backpack: something compact and sturdy that will not catch on things, such as the mini chick or the cat paw. Clip it to the top loop or a side zip.
• Office or laptop bag: keep it to one small, simple charm. A white bow or a black bow looks neat against leather and dark fabric.
• Handbag or sling: a bow on the strap ring is the classic look. Match it to something you wear often, not to the bag.
• Kids' school bag: bright and easy to recognise. The chick and the blue jellyfish are the ones children pick for themselves.

Where to clip it

• The handle base, where the handle meets the bag. This is the most common spot, and the charm hangs against the side of the bag.
• A strap ring or D-ring. Best on handbags and slings, because the charm stays still instead of swinging into your hand.
• A zip pull. Good on backpacks and pencil cases. It also makes a small zip easier to find and pull.
• Not on the handle itself. A charm on the part you hold gets squashed, rubbed and dirty quickly.

How many bag charms is too many?

It depends on the look you want. One charm is tidy and works anywhere, including at the office. Two or three clipped together on one ring is the cluster look you see on social media, which suits totes and college bags.

If you stack them, mix sizes and keep one colour family. A pink bow, a pink jellyfish and a red rose look like a set, while three random colours look like a key ring that got lost. More than three on one bag starts to get heavy and tangled.

Ideas by mood

• Soft and pretty: bows in pink or white, the flower pot keychain and the bell flower.
• Cute and fun: the jellyfish, the chicks and the cat paw.
• Lucky and protective: the evil eye, for anyone who likes a little nazar protection on the go. Its meaning is explained in the evil eye and Indian homes.
• Festive: the Santa hat for December, or a red bow for Diwali and weddings.

Make it useful, too

A charm can carry something small. Our crochet lip balm holders, ₹199, are made to hang the same way, so your lip balm is on the outside of the bag instead of lost at the bottom. Try the mushroom or the flower.

Bag charms as gifts

A bag charm is one of the easiest small gifts to get right. It does not need a size, it suits all ages, and at ₹169 it works for a friend, a classmate, a colleague or a whole group of bridesmaids. Choose by personality: a bow for the friend who is always put-together, a jellyfish for the one who loves anything cute, an evil eye for the one who has just started a new job.

Two or three charms in matching colours make a lovely set for a birthday. More ideas are in birthday gifts for your best friend.

How to keep a crochet bag charm looking new

• Clip it where it will not rub against a zip or buckle all day.
• Spot-clean marks with a damp cloth and a little mild soap, then let it dry flat.
• For a proper wash, hand-wash in cool water, press out the water in a towel and reshape it while it is damp. Do not wring it or put it in the dryer.
• Take it off before the bag goes in the washing machine.

There is more detail in how to wash and care for crochet accessories, and the full range is explained in the complete guide to crochet keychains.

Common questions

What is a bag charm?

A small decoration, usually a keychain, worn on the outside of a bag. It clips to the handle, a strap ring or a zip, and makes the bag look personal and easy to spot.

Can a keychain be used as a bag charm?

Yes. Any keychain with a ring or clip works. Soft crochet keychains are especially good because they are light and do not scratch the bag.

Where should I put a bag charm?

On the base of the handle or a strap ring for handbags and totes, and on the top loop or a zip pull for backpacks. Avoid the part of the handle you hold.

How much does a crochet bag charm cost at Felofey?

Crochet keychains cost ₹169 each and lip balm holders ₹199, with delivery included anywhere in India.

Are bag charms a good gift?

Yes. They need no size, suit all ages and are easy to choose by personality, which makes them a safe small gift for friends, colleagues and groups.

Ready to pick yours? See all crochet keychains.