What’s behind the Taylor Swift friendship bracelets trend? (2024)

If there is one thing that has become synonymous with Taylor Swift and her sold-out Eras tour, it would be friendship bracelets.

Seen as a nostalgic trend of the past in many ways, friendship bracelets have well and truly made a comeback thanks to Swift. Fans are making dozens – even hundreds – of them to swap with fellow Swifties at live shows.

So how did this trend start and why are fans so obsessed?

What are friendship bracelets?

In case you’ve never been a 12-year-old girl at a sleepover party, here are the basics: the bracelets are made using braided material or beads and shared with a close friend.

Taylor Swift fans being targeted by ticket scammers disguised as social media ‘friends’, Victoria police warnRead more

Some sources suggest they can be traced back to the Indigenous communities of Central and South America. Macrame friendship bracelets became common among hippies in the 1970s, and in the 90s and early 2000s, it was popular for schoolchildren to use “scoubidou” to create bracelets in a variety of knotted patterns, traded across the playground.

What are Taylor Swift fans making?

Friendship bracelets swapped at the Eras tour are typically made of beads, using a variety of colours and spelling out different words and catchphrases. It might be song lyrics, titles or fandom inside jokes.

The internet is flooded with tutorials on how to make your own friendship bracelets for the tour and fans are sharing their creations all over TikTok, racking up millions of views.

It’s not uncommon for friendship groups to catch up before a show to create bracelets together and there are even Facebook groups dedicated to swapping crafting tips and outfit ideas.

What’s behind the Taylor Swift friendship bracelets trend? (1)

Why are fans making and swapping them?

It is impossible to link this trend back to any particular Swiftie, but we do know where the idea came from – Swift’s song You’re on Your Own, Kid from her album Midnights.

The lyrics in the song are, “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.”

When did this trend start?

Midnights was released in October 2022, and when the Eras tour – chronicling Swift’s entire musical career – was announced just weeks later, some fans suggested they make friendship bracelets to swap with each other at the show. And thus, a worldwide trend was born.

Are beads really selling out?

There have been reports of craft stores completely selling out of beads, as well as a “great bead shortage” in Brisbane. The bead stores Guardian Australia spoke to in Brisbane hadn’t sold out quite yet, but said there had been an extraordinary uptick in sales since the Australian leg of the tour was announced last June. Swift’s Australian tour kicks off in Melbourne on 16 February.

Bead, Trimming and Co offers wholesale beads in bulk. Manager Paul Georgiou has seen huge demand in the past for dance concerts and movie costuming but said the Eras tour has been unique.

“Taylor Swift is her own economy,” he joked, having sold more than 20,000 individual bracelets since the Australian tour was announced.

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Finance service Klarna recorded a 915% increase in the purchase of friendship bracelet kits last September, and new data from eBay shows a 15,200% increase in sales for friendship bracelets.

How much is Taylor Swift making from the Australian concerts of her Eras tour?Read more

A cottage industry of Swift-themed bracelets has also emerged, with people selling their handmade wares through Instagram and Etsy.

Has the trend spread beyond Taylor Swift?

The short answer: yes.

While the resurgence of friendship bracelets can definitely be linked to the Eras tour, the trend has taken on a life of its own. What was once seen as a crafting activity for children has well and truly been reclaimed by Gen Z’ers and millennials. People have also been spotted handing the bracelets to other celebrities.

A video of the Brisbane Broncos being given individual friendship bracelets went viral on TikTok last month, and former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson was given a friendship bracelet outside the Australian Open last month.

The inescapable romance between Swift and Kansas City Chiefs NFL player Travis Kelce even started with a bracelet. Kelce had made a friendship bracelet with his phone number, hoping to shoot his shot at one of her shows. While he didn’t get the chance to give it to her, the rest is history, with the pair now officially dating.

What is behind the huge appeal?

As for why it’s taken off, it could be due to Gen Z’s apparent love of nostalgic 2000s trends. Another factor might be that it’s fostered a genuine sense of in-person community outside the online world and the chance to make new friends. And for those Swifties who have been there since day one, it gives them a chance to pass on an old hobby to their children, bonding over craft and a shared love of music.

What’s behind the Taylor Swift friendship bracelets trend? (2024)

FAQs

What’s behind the Taylor Swift friendship bracelets trend? ›

Why are fans making and swapping them? It is impossible to link this trend back to any particular Swiftie, but we do know where the idea came from – Swift's song You're on Your Own, Kid from her album Midnights. The lyrics in the song are, “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.”

What's the deal with Taylor Swift friendship bracelets? ›

“So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it,” Swift sang in “You're On Your Own, Kid.” Fans took her seriously and started making bracelets spelling out words, lyrics, album titles, phrases and memes. They made extras and started trading them. It became a thing!

What is the story behind friendship bracelets? ›

Although it is generally accepted that the origins of these colorful bands lie with the indigenous people of Central and South America, some decorative knots can be traced back to China from 481 to 221 BC. Friendship bracelets first became popular in the United States during the 1970s.

What does the friendship bracelet symbolize? ›

According to tradition, one places a bracelet onto the wrist of a friend as a symbol of friendship and may wish for something at that moment. The bracelet is worn to honour the time, energy and love put into their friendship. The idea of a bracelet to symbolise friendship is beautiful.

Did Travis Kelce try to give Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet? ›

In July 2023, the NFL player told his podcast listeners that he tried to give the pop superstar a bracelet with his phone number on it when he attended her Eras Tour stop in Kansas City, Mo.

How do the Eras tour bracelets work? ›

The wristbands are equipped with a signal receptor and a tiny computer to process the signal into lighting colors. An operator would send out the signals from a small control board, and change the colors in different sections of the audience.

What did Travis Kelce say to Taylor Swift? ›

Thank you for coming," Kelce said to Swift. "Thank you for making it all the way across the world. You are the best, baby. The absolute best."

What does a black friendship bracelet mean? ›

Black is a bold, strong colour that represents the positive energy which radiates throughout your friendship.

How many bracelets should I make for the Eras Tour? ›

1. How many bracelets should I make for the Eras Tour? It's recommended to bring around five to 10 bracelets to the Eras Tour to trade with other fans.

What does it mean when a girl gives you a friendship bracelet? ›

When someone gives you a bracelet, it's a sign of thoughtfulness, appreciation, or even love. It's a gesture that says, "You're special to me," and it can symbolize a variety of things depending on the context. Perhaps it represents a milestone, a shared memory, or simply a token of gratitude.

Which wrist do you wear a friendship bracelet on? ›

A friendship bracelet is typically worn on the left wrist. However, many different bracelets designs can also be worn on the right wrist. There is no one "correct" way to wear a friendship bracelet, so feel free to mix and match different patterns and styles.

What does it mean when a man gives you a bracelet? ›

And in love, bracelets are usually regarded by men as a metaphor for love, expressing the desire to spend a lifetime with his girlfriend, life is closely linked. 2、Best friends give each other bracelets to express the importance of each other, hope that the friendship can be long-lasting and be good friends for life.

What is an interesting fact about friendship bracelets? ›

First, friendship bracelets have been around for centuries. Historians think they originated from Central and South America, where they were invented by the indigenous people. These bracelets are made using a simple knotting technique, also beautiful patterns are created using brightly colored fibers or string.

Who gave Taylor Swift a friendship bracelet? ›

The bracelet you see here on Taylor Swift's wrist was gifted to her from Travis Kelce and he got it from a jewelry store here in Central PA! "Wove" in Lancaster County sold the just under $6,000 bracelet to Travis.

Do I need friendship bracelets for the Eras Tour? ›

Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged,” she wrote, before asking fans, “What's your friendship bracelet going to say?” Her people have said the idea of showing the concert in theaters was designed so that people who couldn't afford a concert ticket or airfare can still get the experience.

Why do Swifties write 13 on their hands? ›

Taylor Swift, the globally renowned singer and songwriter, holds a special belief in the numerology number 13, and for Swifties, this is no secret. Before gracing the stage for a concert, Swift would mark the number 13 on her hand, symbolizing fearlessness, reminiscent of her second studio album, also titled "13."

What is the most popular friendship bracelet? ›

Some of the most popular friendship bracelet styles are based on Native American patterns. Most of these use the half-hitch knot. Some of the most common patterns include the chevron, broken ladder, totem pole, and diamond. Some of these patterns are based on the styles of Navajo weaving.

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