Keychains, cute figurines and small souvenirs are all parts of a growing trinket trend for many, such as senior Ina Wu. These collectibles can take many forms, and the light-hearted fun of collecting to showcase their personality and customize their gear is drawing people in.
Wu explained the importance of the trinkets on her purse.
“I have a Pom trinket on my purse, and I carry her everywhere with me. I love that,” Wu said. “It just adds personality, adds a little bit of charm to whatever you’re carrying, like a backpack or a bag.”
Junior Mindy Nguyen credits online communities with bolstering the trinket trend. Nguyen believes that short-form videos of collectible figurines like Smitskis and Sonny Angels popularized the idea of collecting.
“I feel like social media has a big influence on collecting these toys because if I had never seen them on my TikTok, I feel like I wouldn’t be as interested,” Nguyen said.
Some, like Wu, took inspiration from others to begin their collections. Rather than learning about the trend through online platforms, she was influenced by her peers.
“Around middle school, I started to notice people would put these things on their backpacks. I didn’t even know what they were. I was like, ‘That’s pretty cool. I want some,’” Wu said.
Along with word of mouth, blind boxes have become a common way to market collectibles. A blind box is a sealed package that hides the item inside, leaving customers unaware of the object until it is opened. For junior Valarie Valverde, the mystery is a key part of the experience.
“It’s exciting when I get the one I wanted. I love the thrill of opening a blind box,” Valverde said. “There’s something fun about not knowing what you’ll get and the anticipation that comes with it.”
Although blind boxes encourage individuals to buy more trinkets, many feel the price of various collectables, such as Sunny Angels, come at a high cost.
“I honestly think that Sunny Angels are overpriced, but they still have me collecting it,” Nguyen said. “It is a waste of money because they do not really have a purpose besides just sitting there and looking pretty, but I would still get them.”
Despite the total price, Nguyen sees the experience of collecting figurines as a nostalgic journey into her childhood. She added that trinkets can be placed anywhere, including study spaces.
“It’s like when you were little, a lot of people had stuffies and toys they loved,” Nguyen said. “Sonny Angels are like that, just a little more grown up. It’s like a fun desk decoration and a thing to have.”
While collections can bring back childhood memories, Wu believes they can also become a form of self-expression, and each piece can represent an individual’s interests. To her, building a collection is about the meaning behind the pieces.
“The fact that the thing I collect represents a piece of me, is very special to me. I can put it on something that other people will see,” Wu said. “If I’m walking in front of someone, they see my backpack. They probably don’t think ‘Oh, she likes persimmons’ when they see my trinket, but it’s special to me because I put it on my stuff. It’s like a form of self-expression, the personal meaning behind it.”
To stay consistent with the trend, Wu encourages individuals to discover new trinkets and find something that is relatable to themselves. She believes that starting with a small collection can be a memorable experience for many.
“If there’s an anime character or any character from any franchise that you really like, there are probably trinkets of that character as well,” Wu said. “It’s a nice little keepsake to carry around.”
Wu mentioned that when trinkets become a form of self-expression, they can also become conversation starters that help connect people.
“It’s just something that’s not so serious, but you can talk about it, and it’s cute,” Wu said. “They’re fun to collect, and they’re inexpensive. I see it as a great thing.”