Keyring from accessory store Elfish (Zigzag)

Personalizing everyday items with accessories has emerged as a major fashion trend. Whether it’s decorating backpacks and purses with doll keyrings and chains or adding charms to shoes, customizing items has become a new way for people to express themselves.

The trend has even led to the coining of a new term, “decodentity,” a combination of the words “decoration” and “identity.”

The trend began with teenagers and young adults in their 20s, who popularized decorating diaries with stickers. Those in their 30s and 40s, familiar with the early 2000s Y2K aesthetic, helped it grow by adorning purses with keychains and other accessories.

“People’s tastes have become so diverse. Expressing individuality has become important, and ready-made products often fail to meet these unique needs. This is why the term ‘topping economy’ has gained attention. The ecosystem of toppings, where consumers actively interpret and recreate products using customizable additions, has never been more significant,” said Lee Jun-young, a professor at the Department of Economics and Finance at Sangmyung University.

Decorating bags, however, is not entirely new. Miuccia Prada brought it to the runway during Prada’s 2004 f/w show, introducing bag and belt accessories under the name “Trick.” These accessories were a modern take on the “chatelaine” — a Victorian-era item women used to attach everyday tools like scissors, thimbles and keys to their clothing, much like today’s keychains.

According to fashion platform Zigzag, search volume for keywords related to “decorating” increased 24-fold in November compared to the same month, last year. Searches for “patch,” a simple accessory that can be attached to clothes or bags, also surged by 198 percent.

“Even when similar items are trending, people increasingly want products that reflect their personal tastes. We expect the trend of customized decorations to expand into other areas,” said an official from Zigzag.

Kwon Eunbi wearing a Crocs sandal decorated with jibbitz (Instagram)

Shoes, too, are becoming a canvas for personal style. Changing sneaker laces to ribbon straps, for instance, is a popular way to make ordinary footwear stand out.

Crocs sandals have gained renewed popularity, as wearers can customize them with charms, or “jibbitz,” tailored to their preferences.

K-pop artist Kwon Eunbi, for example, styled a feminine white dress with ribbon-detail knee socks, pairing them with chunky Crocs adorned with butterfly and pompom charms.

“It seems that the MZ generation finds satisfaction in creating their own ‘limited edition’ items at a reasonable cost, rather than chasing expensive and hard-to-find exclusive products,” a fashion industry insider said.