They\u2019re tiny, trendy and taking over New York.<\/p>\n
From thrifted knick-knacks to $10 blind-box toys, city girls are turning their apartments, backpacks and purses into shrines of \u201ctrinketcore\u201d \u2014 the aesthetic where the smaller the object, the bigger the obsession.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat makes a trinket? Anything nostalgic and wholesome,\u201d QingYing \u201cMimi\u201d Guan, 26, of Chinatown, told The Post.<\/p>\n
Guan, whose Chinatown apartment feels like a \u201cpersonal museum,\u201d has toys like Sonny Angels, Nyota figures and Hirono statuettes on display in \u201calmost every nook and cranny of every room.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I think of \u2018trinketcore\u2019 as an aesthetic, I think of the \u201990s \u2018I Spy\u2019 books,\u201d QingYing \u201cMimi\u201d Guan, 26, of Chinatown, told The Post. \u201cI just want my life to feel like one of those photos, surrounded by wholesome trinkets.\u201d Tamara Beckwith\/N.Y.Post<\/p>\n
When it comes to cult-fave toys that New Yorkers collect, there are Miffy figurines, Smiskis, Calico Critters \u2014 and now ubiquitous Labubus, with fans lining them up like trophies or dangling them off purses as charms.<\/p>\n
That latter latest \u2014 featuring a sharp-toothed, big-eared plush monster from Hong Kong illustrator Kasing Lung \u2014 has become a billion-dollar juggernaut,<\/a> with collectors shelling out anywhere from $40 to several thousand for the real deal.<\/p>\n From Sonny Angels to Monchhichis to Sanrio cuties, Bushwick\u2019s Alice Kim, 26, is snatching up every cult-fave toy New Yorkers can\u2019t stop hoarding. Emmy Park for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n For young New Yorkers, regardless of the type of trinket they gravitate toward, shopping for and collecting these little jolts of joy serves as a form of escapism and nostalgia, especially in this social media-obsessed world.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what trinkets are \u2014 they are what we hold onto, what grounds us and reminds us of a simpler time,\u201d avid thrifter Katlyn Le Leal, 25, of Bushwick, told The Post. \u201cThey\u2019re like time capsules. Collecting trinkets feels like healing your inner child.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI collect a mix of Sanrio, Monchhichi and San-X toys and vintage trinkets as well. I\u2019ve been collecting Sanrio toys since I was a child, specifically Hello Kitty ones,\u201d Kim told The Post. Emmy Park for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Alice Kim, 26, of Bushwick, specifically collects Sanrio, Monchhichi and San-X toys, calling trinket collecting \u201can homage to enjoying life and living simply.\u201d<\/p>\n The designer, dominatrix and mega-fan of Hello Kitty and My Melody added, \u201cIt\u2019s fun to collect trinkets in your free time as an adult because it feels like getting a little prize. The last thing you want to do after working is more work. This feels like fun. I definitely consider myself a maximalist when it comes to collecting.\u201d<\/p>\n Like many Gen Z New Yorkers, Kim (above) loves a \u201cblind box\u201d \u2014 mystery packs where the gamble\u2019s half the fun. TikTok \u2018unboxing\u2019 videos and buzzy brands like PopMart have only fueled the craze. Emmy Park for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Many youngsters also turn to trinkets as a form of self-expression, especially in their homes. And for some \u2014 like Bushwick resident Kristen Alvarenga, 26 \u2014 the older and dustier they are, like vintage candelabras, old matchboxes, moody lampshades, the better.<\/p>\n \u201cThrifting ornate trinkets makes my space feel cinematic,\u201d she told The Post, adding that each item \u201chad a whole life of its own, and it\u2019s fun to imagine who the previous owner was and wonder what life they lived \u2014 the older the item, the more extensive the lore.\u201d<\/p>\n For New York\u2019s youngsters, trinkets aren\u2019t just clutter \u2014 they\u2019re calling cards of self-expression, proudly displayed at home. EMMY PARK<\/p>\n Le Leal, another Bushwick thrifter with an affinity for vintage tinsel, ribbons, tin containers and crystals, is on the same page.<\/p>\n \u201cI really love specific trinkets that remind me of the 18th-century Rococo art style and thrifting for art nouveau-inspired things,\u201d she said of her retro trinket stash.<\/p>\n 4 trinket spots where many NYC collectors score their finds:<\/strong><\/p>\n Where you can get a Labubu-themed bong, a Kewpie doll blind box or classic New York City-themed souvenir<\/p>\n Bushwick\u2019s Friends NYC, at 56 Bogart St., is a treasure trove of quirky cool \u2014 think Labubu bongs and beyond. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n For those looking beyond toys, there are \u201cfood-shaped candles, cheeky tube socks, and plenty of NYC-themed souvenirs,\u201d marketing director Janine Lee says \u2014 making Friends as much a tourist stop as a Bushwick local hang. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n In Bushwick at 56 Bogart St., Friends NYC<\/a> is a wonderland of quirky finds \u2014 mushroom-shaped nightlights, tarot-card ring trays, cowboy-boot vases, books, jewelry, vintage clothes and more.<\/p>\n Opened in 2012 by best friends Mary Meyer and Emma Kadar-Penner, the shop originally started as a vintage clothing store and has been wowing Brooklyn collectors \u2014 especially lovers of toy blind boxes \u2014 post-pandemic, when they began selling more of them.<\/p>\n Marketing director Janine Lee calls Friends \u201ca girly playground,\u201d now best known as a hub for \u201ccult-fave figurines like Sonny Angel, Smiski, Miffy and Monchhichi.\u201d<\/p>\n Where you can snag miniature furniture, realistic-looking food pieces or handmade porcelain dolls for your dollhouse<\/p>\n Got a thing for dollhouse d\u00e9cor? Head to 314 E. 78th St., where the Upper East Side\u2019s Tiny Doll House is a pint-size paradise for hobbyists and trinketcore obsessives. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n For 30+ years, Leslie Edelman\u2019s Tiny Doll House has been a miniature mecca \u2014 now TikTok-famous and packed with everything from artisan doll furniture to kiddie playthings. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Tucked at 314 E. 78th St. on the Upper East Side, Tiny Doll House<\/a> is a teeny paradise for hobbyists and trinketcore fanatics alike.<\/p>\n The shop, run by Leslie Edelman for over 30 years, has become a TikTok-fueled hotspot, offering everything from miniature furniture to tiny decorations and dollhouses that collectors can\u2019t resist snapping up.<\/p>\n Edelman\u2019s shop caters to everyone from toddlers to senior collectors, offering everything from high-end artisan miniatures to playful items for kids.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a varied selection and our clientele reflects that as we have everyone from age 2 to 92 coming in,\u201d he added, noting that thanks to TikTok, the clientele has been getting \u201cyounger and younger lately.\u201d<\/p>\n Where you can buy personalized stationery, scratch-and-sniff stickers or coquette bookplates<\/p>\n At 15 Christopher St., Greenwich Letterpress is a West Village gem stacked with cheeky cards, quirky gifts and trinkets too tempting not to take home. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Sisters Beth Salvini and Amy Salvini Swanson launched the shop in 2006, blending their family\u2019s printing roots with a passion for handmade treasures. Stefano Giovannini for N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Over at 15 Christopher St. in the West Village, Greenwich Letterpress<\/a> doubles as a quirky shop, packed with fanciful greeting cards, one-of-a-kind gifts and a treasure trove of trinkets begging to be collected.<\/p>\n Beth Salvini and her sister Amy Salvini Swanson opened the store in 2006, inspired by their family\u2019s printing legacy and a love for handmade, specialty items.<\/p>\n In recent years, Beth Salvini has noticed a younger crowd showing up, drawn to the tiniest items tucked among the store\u2019s shelves and loving the indie rock playing in the store on any given day.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems like people are coming here more and more for small, collectible items like stickers, matchbooks and little decorative items. We\u2019re definitely seeing an uptick in people being interested in that, for sure,\u201d she told The Post.<\/p>\n Where you can grab Precious Moments dolls, shot glasses adorned with pin-up girl prints or ruffled hats for your furry friend<\/p>\n Fresh from Nashville, A Shop of Things lands on the Lower East Side with its women-run, sass-packed spin on \u201ceveryday-but-cuter\u201d housewares. Tamara Beckwith\/N.Y.Post<\/p>\n Mia Calotta\u2019s cheeky shop, born online in 2015, put down roots at 30 Orchard St. in April \u2014 and TikTok is already crowning it \u201ctrinket heaven.\u201d Tamara Beckwith\/N.Y.Post<\/p>\n