The advent of compact discs nearly shoved vinyl to the brink of extinction. But rather than go the obscure way of the eight-track, records have stuck around, filling the well-thumbed bins of used-record shops, crowding the shelves of proud hi-fi purists, and, lately, becoming an emblem of eternal cool. We might live in a digital world, but when it comes to old-school aesthetics, the 12-inch platter outclasses the CD and its virtual spawn.

Part of the appeal of records is their solid feel, and that sturdy cardboard sleeve provides a broad medium for album art, a treasure among music buffs. Urban Outfitters sells album frames ($19/two) sized to fit album covers, which can be hung right on the wall with a little picture wire. To buffer the ol’ LP-art collection, check out the Dance Paks (99 cents) at Nuggets. Sold in stacks of 10 and wrapped in plain brown bags, these bundles of singles leave a lot to chance, but that’s half the fun. Tear through the paper and discover lost disco tracks mixed in with discarded Backstreet Boys B-sides.

The people folding the shirts at Urban Outfitters are wise to this vinyl fever; their men’s graphic T-shirts ($24), including one that says DELICIOUS VINYL, are wrapped in 12-inch-square packaging that mimics an LP’s. Ladies of the ’80s will appreciate the record-cover bag ($54.99), featuring the Flashdance soundtrack-album cover complete with the record sealed into the interior in clear plastic. For the moment, the bag is only available at Urbn.com, but the stores expect to have them in stock for back-to-school time.

Objects made from records pop up now and then in eclectic places, from the Punk Rock Flea Market to Black Ink. Some of the finer pieces are made by RISD graduate Jeff Davis, who recycles scratched 33s into bowls ($35), clocks ($40), and label coasters ($20). Find Davis’s wares at Eco-artware.com. Although the site can’t cater to specific album requests, it does provide four musical genres to choose from. Or take one of those bargain LPs out of its sleeve, stick it in the oven, and make a bowl yourself — instructions abound on the Internet (but we’re not responsible if you burn the house down).

Mix-CD masters with an eye for presentation will appreciate Verbatim’s Digital Vinyl CD-Rs ($3.99–$12.99). These 80-minute blank CDs are available at Micro Center and have a record-style label printed on the front of the disc. Regular mix masters might instead save their pennies for a proper DJ bag. Falling somewhere between a messenger bag and a laptop case, these shoulder bags are designed to hold a DJ’s records. Spin-haven Satellite Records sells the heavy-duty Ultimate DJ Gear (UDG) bag ($45) with the store’s own orange logo embroidered against midnight-blue nylon. The bag can hold 40 records, but also has compartments for things like pens and a cell phone — these days, it’s not just the record hounds who are claiming to be vinyl aficionados.

Where to find it:

• Micro Center, 730 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, (617) 234-6400; www.microcenter.com.

• Nuggets, 486 Comm Ave, Boston, (617) 536-0679.

• Satellite Records, 49 Mass Ave, Boston, (617) 536-5482; www.satelliterecords.com.

• Urban Outfitters, 361 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 236-0088; 11 JFK Street, Cambridge, (617) 864-0070; www.urbn.com.

• www.eco-artware.com.