Stanley tumblers. Labubu dolls. Trader Joe’s miniature tote bags. The popular trendy items you see on Instagram and other social platforms are trending towards the small — and cheap. And that might say something about consumers and the attention economy, according to a story by Vox culture writer Kyndall Cunningham.

“A lot of Gen Z is not spending money on luxury goods,” said Cunningham. “They're sort of reaching for things that are cheap, but are also really flashy and attention grabbing.”

While some signs point to what’s called the “lipstick effect,” where consumers under financial strain opt for so-called affordable luxuries, according to Cunningham, these trends might say more about what does well on social media.

“People are sort of always willing to buy little trinkets, but the fact that they're being used as a way to attain, social media clout is a key part of this,” said Cunningham. “Because they are pretty to look at and they're very wearable.”

"Marketplace" host Kai Ryssdal spoke with Cunningham about her reporting. To listen to the interview, use the media player above.