Key chains for women: metal charms and plush

What key chains are actually made of

Cast metal is the one you hear. It holds its outline for years, but it clinks against everything else at the bottom of a bag. Plush makes no sound at all and barely registers on a key ring. Moulded resin sits between the two, hard on the surface and light in the hand, which is how a resin figure can measure just five and a half centimetres and still be easy to pick out on a crowded bunch.

Silver-tone and gold-tone charms

The metal side is all silhouettes. Sitting dogs, a koala on its branch, a cow with a daisy, turtles, a cat on a scooter, high-heeled shoes, a striped handbag, a perfume bottle, gingerbread men, triple hearts in relief. Many carry rhinestones set into the metal, which catch the light on the dressier pieces. Because the finish stays silver-tone or gold-tone, these charms sit happily next to a watch or a bracelet you already wear.

Where fabric takes over from metal

Ever tried picking out your own bag on a coat rack full of them? One corner of the range answers that. The bunnies, and one cat, in our shabby-chic plush selection wear tutus, tulle or lace in washed greys, pinks, creams and taupes, and several are finished with a small star. They soften a plain work bag rather than fighting with it, and they clip just as easily onto a school satchel or a basket handle.

Bright colours, bells and braided straps

A second wave of plush goes the other way on colour. Rabbits and teddy bears arrive in two-tone blue, in anthracite, brown or green, and in pastel yellow or fluorescent pink. Alongside them sit a unicorn with a bell, a 3D dinosaur, a trainer, an astronaut and small figures perched on a macaron or a sweet. Several swap the bare split ring for a braided or silicone strap, which gives enough length to let the figure hang outside the bag rather than disappear into it.

How each material wears

The motif is the easy part. Whether a key chain still looks right after six months of keys, coins and coat pockets comes down to the material it is made from.

Patent and croc-grain: the models that hold coins

A handful of models double as tiny purses. The ring is fixed to a small pouch, so keys and change travel together and you can pop out for bread without taking a bag. Colours here are bolder: red, royal blue or black. The surface is either glossy patent or crocodile grain, and both wipe down with a cloth. If the idea appeals but the capacity falls short, the zip-round coin purses answer the same need with room for cards.