FAD ALERT: Silly Bandz

(SI, PSN)
A fish, a palm tree, a baseball, a microphone and even Spiderman decorate the wrists of various students all across the nation. They are all the colors of the rainbow and the website features the phrase: “Collect ‘em, Trade ‘em, Wear ‘em.” They are silly Bandz, the newest and most popular fashion accessory today.
Silly Bandz can entertain during long waits or seemingly never-ending lectures. They can describe your personality: sophomore Leila Malsam owns a soccer ball shaped Silly Band to show her passion for the sport. Or they can just serve as a bracelet, a colorful addition to any outfit.
Senior Karie Powell Breaks down the obsession over the simple bands to try and explain it to me: “First you think they’re dumb, and then someone gives you one and since you didn’t have to pay for it you’ll wear it. Then you start to like it because it looks trendy and you can take it off and play with the shapes whenever you want [or] when you’re bored. They aren’t necessary but they are fun,” she said.
Okay, so they are momentary cures for boredom, but are Silly Bandz just another fad, like Pokémon or Spandex?
“They could be just another fad,” said junior Kaela Martins. “That’s the way it is with teenagers, something’s in one minute and it’s out the next.”