When Taylor Swift tells us to “make the friendship bracelets / take the moment and taste it”, our innate schoolgirl spirit forces us to oblige.
You only need to look to Swift’s new beau Travis Kelce crafting his very own friendship bracelet featuring the digits of his phone number to (rather successfully) win her attention, or the star-studded The Eras Tour attendees Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Garner and Paul Rudd trading homemade beaded creations with pit-dwelling fans to see that friendship bracelets are back and better than ever.
Previously popular among Nineties and Noughties kids, friendship bracelets have been worn as a symbol of affection for decades. Whether handmade or purchased from a local jeweller, touting a sparkling pendant featuring one half of a broken heart that can only be made whole with its sterling silver sister was all the rage from primary up until secondary school.
Plastic Scoubidou bracelets were lovingly woven in intricate styles and tied stiffly and uncomfortably around one another’s wrists – though we’d never object if one was bestowed upon us in our favourite colours.
Summer camps had children weaving kaleidoscopic fabric creations as soon as little hands were nimble enough. Before summer’s end, chevron-patterned bracelets were stacked up to elbows; sodden with a cumbersome mixture of chlorine and sun cream.
Nevertheless, Taylor Swift fans have shown us how to elevate the handmade friendship bracelet trend by sharing their whimsical, lyric-clad, beaded designs on social media.
For those inspired by the re-emergence of delicate beaded friendship bracelets like those traded between Swifties, we’ve curated a selection of elegant designs to gift your best pals. Keep scrolling for unbreakable bonds.
