Roxanne Assoulin
The year 2000 rang and it said so Y2K style is back. (Old news, but whatever.) It’s time to dig up all yours parachute pants, maxi skirtsand temporary tattoos. While there’s a nostalgic appeal to the Sidekicks, Nokias and Razr phones of the past, we’ll happily stick with our iPhones and Google Pixels instead. On the other hand, the little charms that we used to loop on phones? They are back, and they have taken on a more pragmatic form. Introducing: the phone strap, a whimsical pearl-shaped concoction that offers lanyard functionality and stylish personalization.
You might be familiar with the phone’s charm-centric Instagram account Hold onto the Bling, which rose to enormous popularity during the pandemic. Founder Alex Bass has since gone inactive on the account, but she told ELLE what makes these funky little accessories so great, saying the appeal lies in how it combines self-expression and practicality. She also echoes the insurmountable wave of nostalgia, citing her love of early things as core to her brand: “The ethos behind the brand really brings back the Y2K nostalgia we all know and love across generations, and accessories to our most used accessories – our phones! Each lanyard has its own background and was created with lots of love and inspiration from the depths of my brain, where all my Y2K obsessions are stored.”
You may have already noted the trend and its stamp of approval from people like Kendall Jenner, Dua Lipa and Addison Rae, so why not make your mirror selfies that much sweeter with your own strap (or several to coordinate with different outfits, as Bass suggests)? Ahead, the 26 coolest phone straps on the market.
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