As a new creative trend gains momentum, many young adults are turning to bedazzling everyday items with colorful rhinestones and gems, finding a spark of joy in personalizing their belongings. What started as a modest craft has expanded well beyond clothing embellishments to include objects such as water bottles, laptops, pill bottles, and even cars.
Rebecca Williams, a 27-year-old nurse in Montreal, recently embraced the hobby after feeling a need to break from the monotony of her work routine. Applying small, shiny gems to various objects has become for her a form of “me-time” and self-care—a calming activity that allows her to unwind. “The time that I spend bedazzling is also a time that I consider as my me-time, self-care time,” Williams explained.
This growing enthusiasm appears to reflect a broader cultural movement among Generation Z toward what trend forecasters describe as “whimsymaxxing,” the effort to counteract the pressures of wellness culture, hyper-optimization, and burnout with playful self-expression. Mia Jacobs, a fashion strategist at WGSN, noted that adding sparkle to everyday items transforms them into sources of joy and creativity without requiring high skill or expenses. Rhinestones and sticker gems are widely available and relatively inexpensive, making the hobby accessible to many.
The resurgence of bedazzling is partly linked to increased visibility on social media, where users share their decorated creations under hashtags like #bedazzle, accumulating millions of views. Pop culture influence has played a role as well; for instance, Kylie Jenner’s recent Princess Kitty-themed birthday party featured abundant glittering decorations, inspiring fans to experiment with rhinestones themselves.
Content creator Ben Esqueda, 28, from San Diego, began by adorning his coffee cups and even parts of his body after seeing such posts. “It’s something to do with my hands other than being on our phone all day,” he said. Similarly, New York-based event programmer Phia Dennis added large, colorful gems to the hood of her pink Porsche and to her suitcase to express personality. Although Dennis later removed the gems from her car to reuse them elsewhere, she finds joy in breaking away from conventional fashion trends through the use of bold, colorful embellishment.
Industry insiders see the trend as a notable shift from recent years’ minimalism and muted palettes. Kerin Rose Gold, an artist known for decorating costumes for Beyoncé and Lizzo, described the movement as a rejection of the "old money aesthetic," which has emphasized understated style. “Everything looks so plain. Everything is sort of devoid of color. Everything is devoid of flair,” Gold remarked, suggesting that young people are seeking ways to inject vibrancy and fun into their daily lives without expensive investments.
Brands have started to respond to this enthusiasm as well. Luggage company Dagne Dover released a limited-edition bedazzled bag, and cosmetics brand Huda Beauty has incorporated sparkling gems in its promotions. Even manufacturers like Allstarco, a Canadian rhinestone supplier who typically serves large businesses, have begun marketing stick-on gems directly to individual consumers.
Though bedazzling is not a novel practice—having long been part of stage performances and costume design—the current wave appears broader, rooted in a desire for creative self-expression, escapism, and embracing imperfection. For many, the simple act of adding a bit of sparkle is a refreshing departure from digital overwhelm and societal pressures, offering a tactile and colorful outlet for personal flair.