Unicorns, dinosaurs and even Justin Bieber; Silly Bandz, the bracelets with fun colors and unique shapes have made their way into teenage fashion and culture.
Silly Bandz were created by Robert Croak, a former Toledo bar owner. Croak originally designed the silicone bracelets for children, but South High students have embraced them as their own.
“They’re pretty and fun!” said senior Leah O’Loughlin. O’Loughlin likes to represent some of her favorite sports teams with a yellow Green Bay Packer’s “G.” She owns 20 other Silly Bandz, 16 of which she wears on a normal school day.
Some students use them for entertainment: “When you’re bored in class, you can mess around with them,” said junior Liliana Badertscher.
Senior Emily Mann got her first Silly Band at her summer job at the Nokomis Community Center. “Some of the kids gave them to me, then I decided to go buy some.” Mann now owns over 30 Silly Bandz and calls herself “addicted.”
For other students, Silly Bandz have a completely different meaning than just fun. Senior Cat Ruddy, captain of the girls dance team, wears them to represent her team. “We got them to represent our team even out of school,” said Ruddy. “They bring us closer together and they have sentimental value.”
Not all students, however, are enjoying the Silly Bandz craze. Seniors Peter Goldstein and Devon Ramsarran don’t like Silly Bandz. “They’re kinda corny…and they make people look a lot less mature,” says Goldstein. He also thinks Silly Bandz put you on “scrub status.” According to Ramsarran, ‘scrub status’ for people who are “busters, followers and a trashy bum.” Goldstein agrees: “Scrub status is for trashy busters.”
Whether you’re a fan of Silly Bandz or not, it’s undoubtable that they’re a big trend right now, especially among South students. As Mann says, “They’re really cute, easy to collect, and fun to trade.”
Silly bandz trend spreads through South Sorry, there was an error loading this poll.
