I love stuff, especially stuff that feels like it might add an element of personalization in a society that so often subscribes to materialistic monoculture. It’s evident from the trinkets that live on my desk, in the depths of my closet, and in my childhood bedroom. But lately I’ve been wondering if accessorizing has gone too far.
Snack rings. Novelty straw caps shaped like berries, cowboy hats, clouds, and flowers. Silicone boots. Initial charms. Personalized name plates. Water bottle carriers. Bows. The list goes on.
The viral Stanley Quenchers aren’t just cups. They’re now a gateway to an entire market of accessories—beyond what the brand offers itself—that look cute and may be semi-functional but like many impulse purchases are likely to one day live in a landfill.
Stanleys are just the latest accessories to be accessorized. TikTok and Instagram users have been posting their ventures accessorizing handbags, shoes, and more. And classic charm jewelry like bracelets and necklaces has been having a moment, too.
“I think it gives people a chance to showcase our differences,” said Mazi West, a micro-influencer from Virginia. “At the beginning, Stanley didn’t have many colors available so everyone was buying the same cup. The only thing setting others apart were the accessories.”
West’s most-used accessory is her Stanley bag or pouch, which she said is quite functional—she sometimes uses it in place of a purse. It can hold credit cards, hand sanitizer, and more. And she does accessorize in other areas of her life, too, she said, pointing to various tassels she has for her Bogg Bag. A video she posted featuring her favorite car accessories got more than 190,000 views.
Brands big and small are finding ways to help people outfit the Quenchers that already sit in their cabinets—in an effort to maintain their novelty, perhaps—if not tempting them to outright buy a new one to add to their collection
Charlotte Trecartin, founder and owner of CharCharms, which sells water bottle charms and is looking to expand to other accessory categories, appeals to shoppers looking to personalize.
“As we grow, especially through our tween and teen years, but even into adulthood, we find little ways to express our identities to others,” said Trecartin. “While many consumer products are popular for a reason, people still want to have a unique version of a popular product.”
And while plenty of social media users are touting their Stanley add-ons as “must-haves”—with upward of 4,000 posts tagged #stanleyaccessories—many more have taken to the platforms to poke fun at the trend, some even stitching videos made by other creators with captions like “this is so out of control its not even funny.”
But the desire to trinket-load makes some sense.
“At a basic level, we desire to be similar enough to others to fit in but different enough to feel special,” said Kelly Herd, associate professor of marketing at the University of Connecticut. “Of course, people vary in how much they value uniqueness, but for most consumers, purchasing accessories and combining them in unique ways allows us to signal—both to others and ourselves—that we are special.”
Accessorizing provides an effect similar to personalization or customization, like West and Trecartin mentioned. When we accessorize, Herd said, we’re putting a “personal spin” on an off-the-rack purchase. There can be a functional reason for this at times, but often the goal is to feel unique and express personal style.
Trecartin caters to that exactly.
“You buy the current, trending water bottle, but then there’s a desire to express other groups you’re a part of, whether that’s your favorite sports team, your university colors, or your favorite musical artist,” she said.
On the surface, there is nothing harmful about accessorizing your water bottle or adding a little extra flair to your handbag—especially since humans are so intrinsically focused on creating identity.
But there are some downsides.
Accessorizing—and the popularization of it—breeds cupidity, to a degree, which has been accentuated by social media, according to research. Herd said it can lead to issues with materialism and have environmental consequences, too, a bit like fast fashion.
West said: “I can’t even begin to tell you how many things I have bought because of social media, then found them useless for myself and ended up tossing them out.”
Trecartin disagreed—she believes the practice of accessorizing something like a water bottle, in particular, can be a positive.
“The most wasteful products are single-use plastic water bottles,” said Trecartin. “Any product that encourages and reminds consumers to bring their reusable water bottle with them every time they leave their home, everywhere they go—and thereby prevents them from buying a bottle of water—is less wasteful.”
Herd said the number of choices can also be overwhelming for consumers—but that’s not likely to hamper the growth in the number of options available to them.
“As consumers, we would be better off with fewer options, but ultimately, if the market is there, companies will continue to produce,” said Herd.
