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Whimsymaxxing for LIFE: Taking responsiblity for the microtrends and microplatics...with love, from a Bedazzling Queen

Aug 29
6 min read

A few weeks ago I found something ridiculous to gripe about and swore up and down that I'd do a whole blog about it- as one does. I was getting annoyed with the whole "bedazzling trend"...and not because I'm a rhinestone-hater. I'm not. You know this. My Ridiculous Gripe™ was actually with what I considered the misnomer. You see, in my world, bedazzling isn't the act of covering things with rhinestones. I would sooner call that "blinging out". OOO girl I know. It's getting controversial and I'm barely a paragraph in. Let me put it this way- as a 90s baby, when I think of bedazzling I think of something very specific. The BEDAZZLER. It's beguiling. BEHOLD:


the bedazzler original machine
This is the exact one I had in 2000 something...

There she is- the ORIGINAL BeDazzler. This is the packaging I remember getting the device in. Around 2000 and something, these things were actually...not very popular. Don't get me wrong. In fashion, there were a lot of rhinestones and bling, but hotfix crystals were the embellishment of choice. Unless you were using metal studs, in which case they were pronged. I used a lot of pyramid studs in this era. The thing about the Bedazzler is that it really showed up a lot on denim, where these rhinestones are effectively stapled onto the garments with the little plastic machine you see in the photo. I found out real quick that it was a lot easier for me to use a hand tool to place these very spiky stones exactly where I wanted them as opposed to loading up the glorified stapler. That's how I created this mod target design on a very The Who inspired upcycled purse (I thought the fringe reminded me of Roger in the late 60s and the target was a nod to their pop-art origins).


I know I know. Get to the POINT, Dollie. Well...the thing is, I have an issue with THIS being called a "bedazzling kit":

rainbow rhinestone kit with color coded stones and e-6000 glue tubes, tweezers and stone tumblers

Don't get me wrong. I own a few rhinestone kits like this. I got them as gifts and have used them. But it's not "bedazzling" to put rhinestones on things. That's what it's trending as. The bedazzling of the 80s/90s/2000s with the dedicated tool stands apart from these kits for one reason, and it's important- bedazzling is meant to be PERMENANT. And any time I bling out or bedazzle anything...I do it with my whole spirit because I'm trying to tell you, whimsymaxxing isn't about temporarily flinging rhinestones and glitter on disposable items. It's meant for life.


Perhaps if I told you where I first heard the word whimsical as it pertained to lifestyle and home decor, it would put my ire into context. It was the late 90s/early 2000s, and I used to watch the now defunct Style Network with my mom. Our favorite show was Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic as you might remember from my blog on her; but there was a program on that would pop up before our fave graced the screen. It took me ages to even recall his name because all I could remember about him is that he was balding, super-duper GAAAY, and he always (always) ALWAYS was talking about ✨whimsy✨! It's Christopher Lowell!! He had a show called Interior Motives (apparently on The Discovery Channel, I am re-learning on the job, here) and although the aesthetic is more gender-neutral/masc leaning and dare I say on the side of Global Village Coffeehouse ...he was always focused on adding items to any interior he was working on that he deemed whimsical. O! How far we've strayed!:



...Or have we? This episode is focused on some very cottagecore 90s themes. We all have seen how cottagecore morphed into castlecore and ultimatly landed us in whimsygoth land, but to me they all have (quite literally) the same CORES. All of it is whimsical. You might think core aesthtics are microtrends and i would tend to agree with you except that I truly believe that these are rebrands of lifestyles that have existed for so long that they will NEVER cycle out so long as you and I stay true to what we love and never let the warp-speed of fast fashion dictate to us what is cool.


stick on rhinestones that have gone viral on instagram, they come in all sizes shapes and candy colors
Makes me sick to think of all these in the trash

So anyway. What the fuck does all this have to do with plastic? AH! My favorite part of this rant. Hopefully where I help you maximize your whimsical life while paying attention to best practices. If your IG suggested feed looks anything like mine, you've been seeing people getting these rhinestone sticker sheets and putting them EVERYWHERE...on their faces, disposable plastic cups, in their hair. An like: I get it. Times are brutal right now. Who doesn't want plastic rhinestones in candy colors to adorn themselves and all of their earthly possessions? My problem is with the practice of using hunks of plastic for the express purpose of going viral on social media only to throw those plastic bits directly in the trash once that has been accomplished.

I showed you the original bedazzler to emphasize the point that those rhinestones are meant to be permanent! Whimsymaxxing isn't about being wasteful. Mother Earth is the most whimsical bitch in the galaxy (have you SEEN her?!) like...being mean to her is quite the opposite objective. I'm not saying I'm perfect and I constantly see the argument that all these plastic sticky gems are fine because it's the tech giants and oligarchs and huge corporations that are responsible for global boiling. I agree, but I also think the idea of reducing our personal carbon footprints is not a lost cause- and, when we participate in social media trends like whimsy-maxxing we are shoveling money in the general direction of our techbro overlords and their gahd damn data centers anyhow. I'm a big believer in taking personal responsibility wherever we can. It gives us a sense of purpose and control as the stewards of this spaceship called Earth: our one and only home!

earth as captured from space with the americas and part of russia in view

I have a few suggestions on how to stay whimsical without contributing to bad habits. Generally, if the rhinestones and gems come out for craft time, make sure that you're using them in a permanent way. If you have rhinestones you use for makeup looks...save them and reuse them like you do false eyelashes or fake nails! I mean I use fake nail until they are as dead as can possibly be. They help me focus and they're kind of a stim. You get it. As for some other things, how about this:


mason jar with rhinestones stuck on

*Instead of decorating single-use plastic cups for your coffee drinks, glitz up a mason jar and use diamond glaze for a permanent piece. Not sure if that can go in the dishwasher but mod podge does have a glaze thats supposed to hold up at those temps so either hand wash your creation or try the mod podge!


a woman's hands covered in green glitter

*Try eco-friendly glitter for your hair and makeup looks! Listen. I used to hair gel star spangles (those flat sequins with no holes) onto my hair when I was in jr high and it was very innovative at the time but when we know better, we do better...and there's a whole market for biodegradable and reef-safe glitters. What a time to be alive, right?!


*Autumn is just around the corner, so try collecting different color leaves and make the most whimsical confetti with a fun shaped paper punch. You can also use dried flowers instead of plastic stickers to decorate yourself...aloe vera gel makes a skin safe adhesive for this. I can't think of anything more whimsical than that!



a photo of the original deluxe bedazzler with a little girl using it to stud her pink t-shirt 80s and 90s style
How like, totally cool is this chick?

*Finally, when you're in deep need of rhinestone-ing...just plan it out! There is something quite calming in the process. I just know that if I'm blinging out my phone case, my clothes, any accessories or fashion projects; I'm doing it to LAST! Whimsy is not a phase, Mom, GOHHHHDDUH. I used to deco phone cases and they ended up so good that I kept them. No use throwing away all that work even when you upgrade tech. Although personally I've been really wanting to downgrade to a flip phone. But that's another story for another day. Until then...here's my receipts for being a life-long "bedazzler":



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