What’s with everyone buying accessories for their accessories?

livemint.com:

It’s no longer enough to accessorize with jewelry or to match the day’s outfit with a cute handbag. The new thing is buying accessories for your accessories. These include lip-balm holders that attach to Stanley tumblers, and charms to decorate the tumbler and the lip balm.

Bogg sells $20 cup holders that hook onto its beach bags, while kids across the country (and many adults) are fans of the themed Jibbitz charms that adorn Crocs. People are even buying PopSockets for their Kindles and special bags to carry them. The baubles aren’t just a testament to the wearer’s personality.

They also show how easy it is to buy stuff from Instagram and TikTok. Nearly three out of every four U.S. adults who are active on social media have purchased something they saw there, according to a survey from buy-now-pay-later service Citizens Pay.

People tend to go to Amazon.com and other retailers for items they already know they want, while they go to social media for inspiration and impulse buying, says Forrester analyst Kelsey Chickering. “You’re discovering things you probably didn’t know you needed." It is easy to be tempted into buying more accessories in the name of keeping up with trends. They are often cheap, and online shopping is frictionless.

Just because someone bought a new bauble doesn’t mean they won’t buy another in a week—especially if they consider the purchases a way to express their personalities online and off. According to data from consumer research firm GWI, 28% of Americans who are interested in accessories want other people to like and notice what they wear. Liv Reese, a 21-year-old beauty and lifestyle influencer in Boston, describes her style as maximalist.