If you’re an avid follower of Instagram thrift shops, you’ll have noticed an uptick in little beaded bags being sold at neck-breaking speeds. Whether it’s a white beaded top-handle clutch from the 1950s or a neon pink plastic “grandma” tote that saw life in the ’70s, vintage curators can hardly keep one of these embellished bags for longer than it takes a use to DM their credit card info. But while these pretty vintage pieces clearly have their own trend history, they’re sudden re-popularity is a small reflection of a bigger trend.