Taylor Swift friendship bracelets explained: What are they and why do Swifties make them? (2024)

Taylor Swift once taught her fans how to put on her Love Love Love bracelets. Almost 15 years later, it has come full circle, with Swifties trading friendship bracelets during her shows.

The Grammy Award-winning singer has just landed inSingapore for her six sold-out shows at the National Stadium. And with concerts starting on Mar 2, fans have been scrambling to finish making their armful of friendship bracelets.

WHAT ARE FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS?

As the name suggests, these are bracelets people give to each other as a symbol of friendship. Often handmade, they can be crafted using embroidery thread, beads, and in some cases, plastic bands (think loom bracelets).

WHAT KIND OF FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS DO SWIFTIES MAKE?

A quick Google (or TikTok) search would show that the friendship bracelets swapped at the Eras Tour concerts are usually colourful.

These Taylor Swift-themed bracelets often spell out song lyrics, titles and inside jokes within the fandom.

While most use beads, charms and string, there isn’t a right or wrong way to make these friendship bracelets. TikTok user fatynanana, for instance, uses ribbons in her designs.

As for how long it takes to craft each one, that depends on the complexity of the design as well as the experience of the maker. Each bracelet can take anywhere from less than 5 minutes to over 30 minutes, some Swifties told CNA Lifestyle.

One of them, Zoe Yan, has made over 700 bracelets since August last year.

The 29-year-old shared that she initially began crafting them to trade at the Eras Tour shows. But as she posted about her creations, Swifties who lacked the time to make their own started seeking her help in making them. Soshe created an Instagram account @imaginarybeads dedicated to selling these.

SO DID TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS START THIS TREND?

While they made it popular again, the act of trading bracelets dates back to before the singer even debuted.

The exact origin of friendship bracelets is unknown, but some believe they came from the indigenous people in Central and South America. Trading such bracelets specifically at music events, however, began a few decades ago.

Kandi (pronounced as “candy”) bracelets from the 1990s, for example, were popular among rave and EDM concert attendees. Like the Taylor Swift friendship bracelets, they were often made using coloured and lettered beads.

Ravers would also trade their homemade kandi bracelets after doing a four-part PLUR – which stands for peace, love, unity and respect – handshake.

HOW DID SWIFTIES START TRADING FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS?

Ask any Swiftie and they’ll tell you it started at midnight. More specifically, Swift’s song You’re On Your Own, Kid from her tenth album Midnights.

Sarah Tan, who has been a fan of Swift since her debut in 2006, said Swifties can take things quite literally. As Taylor had sung: “So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it”; her fans listened and made them.

Thanks to the Eras Tour, social media pages have been brimming with fans sharing their creations. While some are posting tutorials, others are encouraging fellow fans to trade with them.

This infectious hype has prompted some to partake in the trend, including 21-year-old Layne Lee, who has been a Swiftie since she was 10 years old.

Lee said she initially didn’t have much interest in the bracelet trend. But after seeing how it gained popularity and became almost synonymous with the Eras Tour, she grew receptive to the idea.

Although she may have started because of FOMO, she believes the friendship bracelets make the concert experience more fun and even help bring Swifties together.

Likewise, Tan said:“This trend has become widespread among Taylor's fans worldwide, uniting Swifties all around the world…. This also drives concert-goers to put in effort to dress up, and have this ‘pre-concert prep’ before the big day.”

WHAT DO FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS MEAN TO SWIFTIES?

From crafting to trading, it seems that the bracelets serve as both an experience and a souvenir to most Swifties.

Darryl, who is 17 and has made over 250 bracelets, found that crafting the bracelets brought him closer to his sister and friends.

He recalled how they’d blast Taylor Swift’s songs as they craned their necks and made bracelets for hours on end. He added that they’d sometimes challenge one another to a speed bracelet-making contest, and make matching bracelets.

“(The bracelets are) something I can keep for a lifetime so even after the concert, I will find a way to display all these bracelets in a special way, somewhere in the house, so I can remember the experience forever," he said.

As for Tan, she sees trading bracelets as a special and thoughtful gesture. Before even going to the Eras Tour, she already traded three Fearless bracelets with her friends.

“Even though they share the same song title, each one carries a distinct interpretation in terms of colours and style. This individuality is what makes each bracelet special and unique,” she said.

It's also a symbol of the community.

“(Whenever I see) someone in public wearing a friendship bracelet, there’s a sense of familiarity. It represents the whole community of Swifties – no matter what gender, ethnicity or age – we’re just here to share the love we have for Taylor," said Yan.

ARE THERE ANY RULES TO FOLLOW WHEN TRADING THESE?

As a fan-driven initiative, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to trading these friendship bracelets. But to make the experience enjoyable for everyone, there are some etiquette guidelines Swifties can follow.

Lee shared that many fans avoid inadvertent re-trading, and distinguish their own bracelets from those exchanged with others by wearing them on different hands.

Meanwhile, others make the distinction by using carabiners and book rings to hold the bracelets they brought.

Fans can also refrain from turning down trades, suggested Gabrielle Teo, who has been a Swiftie for about 15 years.

“It can be hurtful or sad for the other person, so try not to reject trading with other people just because you don’t like their designs or bracelets,” she said.

Etiquette guidelines aside, some Swifties might wonder how they can successfully trade at this Eras Tour.

Teo recounted her first trading experience, which was at the screening of the Eras Tour movie in November last year.

“Most people were quite shy to do so, so it generally takes someone to take the first step and offer bracelets to trade,” she explained.

Having initiated a few trades herself, Teo assures bracelet trading novices that there’s no need to worry as most Swifties are friendly.

“Just be fearless and take the first step.”

Mediacorp Class 95 and 987FM are each giving away 15 pairs of VIP 3 tickets to Taylor Swift concerts, courtesy of UOB Cards. The contest runs until Mar 1 on 987FM and Mar 6 on Class 95. Stay tuned to both radio stations for details.