Comfort Couture: A New Armor
Jellycat's Bashful Bunny Bag Charm
I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to dress like a kid lately. And not in a juvenile, trying too hard, “How do you do, fellow kids” kind of way – but in a fun way. In a way that captures the kind of experimentation and fearlessness most kids have in getting dressed. And fashion at large seems to have something similar on the mind.
After Christmas, my TikTok was filled with people posting their holiday hauls. A surprising part of almost every haul was some kind of Jellycat. Sure, I was familiar with the plush creatures before this point. Still, I don’t think I understood how they had permeated the culture of young women.
The Jellycat takeover of TikTok
Large, soft elephants sat next to women as they shared their 5-9 routines. Small bunnies dangled from a bunch of keys in a fit check. Jellycats weren’t just cute; they had become fashionable emotional support creatures.
But it’s not just Jellycats speaking to our inner child at the moment. The surge of bag charms from brands like Loewe, Miu Miu, and Maison Irem offers a playful way to personalize this season’s It Bag. Whether that be with a mini version of an iconic Miu Miu button-up stamped out in leather to resemble a paper doll or the slightly chicer cousin to the Jellycats, Loewe’s felted animal charms – each speaks to a larger trend of childhood nostalgia in fashion.
Bag charms to live out your Jane Birkin dreams.
While “childlike” trends of the past have leaned into signifiers of girliness – bows, babydoll silhouettes, Mary Janes – this new wave focuses on a type of eclectic, tactile curiosity.
Bags and phone straps made of crocheted rope, charm bracelets, oversized fuzzy hats, cherubic Sonny Angels attached to your cellphone... And yes, even designer Crocs are part of a type of this 90s childhood nostalgia that borrows vibes from places like Lindsey Lohan’s version of The Parent Trap, friendship bracelets, camp crafts, and the distinctly middle school experience of putting stickers on your face.
Should we call it Kiddie Couture? Comfort Couture?
No one is doing this quite like Jonathan Anderson. For his namesake label and for Loewe, Anderson has taken these childhood references like stuffed animals, tie-dye, and a favorite childhood pet, and created beautiful fashion moments.
This sweater from the Fall ’24 collection has a digital print of a long-haired calico so similar to my own that I feared the targeted marketing had become too targeted…
J.W. Anderson, the king of comfort dressing
So why this, and why now? You could make the case that it rejects the 90s sleek office siren aesthetic. A rejection of fashion as clothes for either seduction or capitalism. You could also point to it as a logical move from last year's Barbie and Polly Pocket craze.
"We must add brightness and optimism to our day through little things like plush keychains and pimple stickers that look like stars."
But to add a finer point – fashion is emotional.
Clothing is our armor in the world. And for the past few years, the world has been a scary and unpredictable place.
My current childlike comforts. A fuzzy hat, Marni Kid's Bucket bag, VTG Timmy Woods Cat, and morning cuddles with my long haired calico. Don't you see the resemblance? J.W Anderson, expect to hear from my cat's attorneys...
Our clothes must now not only protect but also comfort and delight.
We must add brightness and optimism to our day through little things like plush keychains and pimple stickers that look like stars. We use these things to revert to when we felt things were simpler (rarely the truth) or reference a time we never even truly knew. (See kids of the 00s fascination with the 80s, kids of the 80s fascination with the 50s, etc.)
This last week in LA has been insane. So much loss, so much confusion, and pain. Seek comfort where you can. In loved ones, in neighbors, in pets, in your favorite snack, or maybe even your new Jellycat keychain.
I ordered the pig. 🐖💛
✨Shop the Story✨
This page may include affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission if you purchase from these retailers through the links provided.
← Older Post Newer Post →
