In 2024, the team at Yukai Engineering in Tokyo held an internal Make-a-Thon, and out of it came the idea of a spirit-like companion. That idea became Mirumi, a fluffy robot with long sloth arms that clips onto a bag strap and turns to look at people. Kickstarter backers sent it past half a million, reached Japan in April 2026, and had a September US release planned. So here we are in October, and this little robot is the thing everyone with a tote is eyeing.

Yukai is also the studio behind Qoobo, the tail-wagging pillow, which tells you what kind of company this is. The engineers studied animal behavior and built in touch and sound sensors without using any AI. Mirumi reacts to sound and touch in nearly 100 movements, with no app and no screen to manage. I like that it asks nothing of you. It is a charm that happens to be alive-ish, and that is a very specific kind of joy.

Mirumi itself is sold mainly through its own site, so it is not in the picks below. What is here are its closest relatives, the charms that do something. The Tamagotchi in Starry Shower, a navy glitter egg on a ball chain, is the obvious one, and the Tamagotchi x Sanrio Nano in My Melody is the small pink answer. The Pac-Man and Tetris arcade keychains are playable, and the Kodak Charmera blind box is a tiny working camera. For a bag that needs a little noise, the BB-8 light-up keychain beeps. The chrome Hoptimist Bumble bobs on its spring as you walk.

My tip: clip the heavy ones to a sturdy handle or a D-ring, never a thin zipper pull, and keep one hand-sized gadget per bag so the strap does not tangle.

A bag charm lives or dies by its clip, so look at the hardware before the face. The Jellycat Smudge Bear in honey and the Peanut Penguin in gray and white both hang from a clip you can swap between bags in a second, which is the whole point of a soft charm. The penguin has an orange beak and feet that read from across a train car.

Then there are the grown-up bears. The Coach Teddy in brown shearling has gold clip hardware and looks right on a leather shoulder bag. The Burberry Thomas Bear in Bow Pink is Burberry Check cashmere with moveable arms and legs and an oversized bow tie, and it is not a toy, it is made for ages 14 and up. I would hang it on a plain black tote and let it be the only color. The Polo Ralph Lauren bear in tan suede, wearing a fringed Western jacket and a cowboy hat, is great with a denim jacket and boots.

For a lighter touch, the A New Day bear in a purple cape and hat is a small, simple one. The Monchhichi in a lacy leopard bib is fluffy and a bit silly. The Barbour tartan animal is the quiet one, good with a waxed jacket.

Test it by hanging it on your bag and walking a block. If it spins or sags, the clip is too loose for the weight. What I would skip: a big shearling bear on a small clutch, because it will drag the whole bag forward.

Designer charms are the miniature version of a handbag's best idea. The Coach Cherry charm is a pair of glossy red cherries in metal and enamel on a silver-tone leaf with a trigger clip, and it is the one I would put on a black bag in October, when everything else is brown and gray. The Tory Burch Strawberry in pink leather with gold hardware does the same job, sweeter.

If you like a charm that looks like a bag, the Tory Burch Romy suede bucket in brown and the Campomaggi Tania micro in woven brown leather are both tiny replicas, and both look best on a bigger bag in a similar tone. Kate Spade gives you the Charmed Rose in cream patent leather and the Dog Dangle, a leather dachshund on a long strap that suits a tote or crossbody.

For noise and shine, the Marc Jacobs Domino Effect is a silver chain with dice, keys and star pendants, and the Chloé Symbols charm is a cluster of goldtone chains and pendants on key rings. Both jingle, so you will hear your bag arrive.

Before you commit, turn it over and check the clasp, the ring and the tiny seams. Hold it by the clip and give it a tug. What I would skip: two statement charms on one bag. One with a story is plenty, and the cherries will carry it.

Collectible charms come with their own small ritual: you do not always know what is inside. The Smiski strap accessories, Series 1 and Series 3 in glow in the dark, arrive in sealed blind boxes, so the figure is a surprise, and they attach to a bag, zipper or purse. Series 3 has six mini figures plus a hidden one. The Chiikawa Heart Rubber Mascot is another blind box, a heart-shaped rubber keychain with a clip.

Then the famous pair. The Pop Mart Labubu pendants are here as a pastel tie-dye bunny hoodie and a boxed one sitting on an orange pumpkin for Halloween. Both are listed as verified and new, so check the box and the tag before you buy a sealed one. I would clip the pumpkin one to a black bag this month and move to the hoodie in spring.

The rest are cozy. Calico Critters has a tiny animal in a dress on a ball chain, the Fuggler Care Bears keyring is a pink plush monster in its box, and the Hello Kitty and Friends snow globe mystery keychain has a lobster claw clasp and split ring.

The test: shake the box gently, look at the clasp, and make sure the split ring is not bent. What I would skip: hanging a boxed collectible and expecting the box to survive a commute. Keep it on the shelf, and let the loose ones travel.

Beaded charms are the calm end of the trend. They have no moving parts, which is exactly why I would reach for them on a day when the bag is already busy. BaubleBar has two. Bead All About It is three strands of colorful beads on black-and-white paracord with a carabiner, and Bead My Guest is brown and pink tonal beads on a tan loop cord. The first suits a canvas tote, the second a leather bag in brown.

The A New Day swag chains are the longer ones. The Beaded Swag Chain is 12.6 inches in dark brown and black, and the Pearl and Heart Dangle is 12.9 inches with a pearl, a gold heart and a red bead. Both have a lobster claw clasp. The Universal Thread Heart and Beaded charm is shorter, 6 inches, with a navy strand and a tiger-eye style heart.

Then the special ones. The Lisi Lerch hand-beaded charm has little watermelon and lime motifs, the bridal-label Pearl charm is a strand of white pearls, and the Nadri Wifey charm is a crystal heart with pearl accents.

Test the strand: lift the charm by the clip and look for gaps or loose knots. What I would skip: a long pearl strand on a bag with a chain strap, because the two will clink and tangle.

I would start with a Mirumi if I could get one, since it is the only charm here that looks back at you. Failing that, I would pick one moving charm, the Tamagotchi in Starry Shower, and one still one that fits the bag, probably the Coach cherries or a Jellycat bear.

Check the clip, hold the charm by it, and walk around the room. Then retire it to a pocket for the plane.

Yukai wanted a robot that spreads delight, and I think any charm that makes a stranger on the train smile has done the same job.