Silicone Bracelets: Anti Fashion, Sex Games and Noble Causes
Almost every company, organization, movement, school and foundations make use of this inexpensive but colorful rubbery item known as Silicone Bracelets. It goes by a lot of other names. It’s also known as Gel Bracelets, Jelly Bracelets, Sex Bracelets, Baller Id and many more.
How did this fad come to be and how did this all start?
After sifting through so many blogs, articles and websites involving Silicone Bracelets, I have learned so many things about this inexpensive but powerful object, which I would like to share to everyone.
Contrary to what most people believe, it’s not Lance Armstrong that started the fad. This accessory has been around since the 80′s and if you knew about its humble beginnings, you will be surprised with how it turned out to be.
Silicone Bracelets were first used as accessories during the 80′s. To be frank, it was never intended to be a fashion statement. During this time when women spent tons of money on hair spray and snake skin skirts, a kind of music was developed. It’s a genre that was usually associated with society’s young menaces and rebels. This genre was called “Punk Rock”.
Punk Rock enthusiasts have always been what we would consider “Social Deviants” and as such, those kids didn’t want to conform to the norms. They developed their own identity and created their own fashion.
They were the first to use this simple round rubber object as part of their clothing. As an anti fashion statement, these “Punks” wore black rubber bands on their wrists as they rocked their youth away. That is why it is quite surprising to see that almost everyone today is using the very accessory that was meant to deviate from what was considered a fad.
Then, between the late 80′s to the early 90′s, two rising teen pop stars rocked the world with their absurd fashion and rebellious attitudes. These two teen pop stars were Cindy Lauper and Madonna. Sometime during the early parts of their career, when their hair was still dyed pink and purple, they also wore Silicone Bracelets as part of their get up.
These two teen idols, just like the enthusiasts of Punk Rock never really conformed to the popular fashion of the time. They instead, influenced other teens to dress up like them. From hairstyle to fishnet stockings to Silicone Bracelets, teens emulated them and copied their fashion style. That’s how these inexpensive items gained its popularity and got an entry ticket into mainstream fashion.
A few years later, sometime during the late 90′s to early 2000, a rumor revolving around the cheap colorful items that teens were so fond of, spread that alarmed parents, educators and a lot of conservative adults. This urban legend was taken seriously by a lot of parents that Silicone Bracelets were banned from various High Schools around the United States.
This urban legend, involved a sex game called “Snap”. According to legend, the game had a very simple rule, just snap a Silicon Bracelet from someone and depending on the color of the band you snap, you’ll get sexual favors from that person ranging from hugging to sexual intercourse.
Of course, there’s no truth to this rumor. At least that’s what most teens would say. It was a foolish game to begin with and kids couldn’t really do something like that. The Bracelet was too thick for one person to just snap from another person that it was an almost impossible game to win. Nonetheless, parents has serious concern over this rumor that the cheap accessory was banned.
Then, some time during the middle part of the first decade of the second millennium, Lance Armstrong wore his yellow Silicone Bracelet as a sign of his battle against Cancer and support to Cancer Victims and Survivors.
This was the first time that anyone used the cheap material for any kind of noble cause.
After Lance Armstrong introduced this object to the world as an icon to his noble objectives, everybody started following his example and started using Silicon Bracelets for many campaigns and awareness programs.
Today, you can see Silicon Bracelet with various patterns, logos and messages on them. It has been widely used since then not only for fashion but also a means to get important messages across to teens, students, employees and businessmen alike.
From anti fashion to rumored sex games to noble causes, Silicone Bracelets, although very cheap and affordable has a very rich history. It won’t be surprising to see this item gain more popularity as time comes.
It is no longer just a fad or a fashion accessory, but a jewel with a power to change people’s lives.
By: Rio Regio
About the Author:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livestrong_wristband
http://www.snopes.com/risque/school/bracelet.asp
http://www.siliconeawarenessbracelets.net/
http://www.snopes.com/risque/school/bracelet.asp
http://www.siliconeawarenessbracelets.net/
