So What’s the Deal with All the Pompom and Tassel Bags This Spring?

From beach totes to tailored shoulder bags, these Instagram-friendly details are all over the season's accessories

I’m not sure exactly how pompom’s started to take over the world, but I’m pretty sure it happened at Coachella circa 2015 and was then beamed out to the world via Instagram. Even though I don’t have a Patient Zero to offer up, that particular social network was definitely where the trend percolated throughout 2016, and now that we’re firmly ensconced in 2017, The Brands have had a chance to catch up and offer us as many pompoms (and their older sisters, tassels) as our little social media accounts could desire.

It’s not hard to figure out why these kinds of adornments took off on a lifestyle-centric photo platform. Pompoms and tassels are usually brightly colors, and they offer texture, dimension and visual interest on everyday items that might otherwise not make good statement pieces. They also tend to be purely add-ons, which means they don’t obstruct the use of the bag in question, which is always a bonus for consumers looking to get inspired for a shopping trip.

Summer is the natural habitat for pompoms and tassels; they look most easily at home on woven straw bags and beach totes, plush and bright, ready to be taken to the beach. The adornments can work on more serious day bag, too, though. Below, we’ve picked out 20 of the most notable embellished bags of the season, from simple to maximal, ultra-casual to super sophisticated.