What Do Rubber Bracelet Colors Mean?

Types

There are two main types of rubber bracelets: jelly bracelets and silicone wristbands. Jelly bracelets are thin rubber rings, often worn by tweens and teenagers. They are frequently worn in batches of 10 or more, either in a row all the way up the forearm or twisted together in intricate patterns. Silicone wristbands, on the other hand, are flat and about 1/2 inch wide, and they typically have words or symbols imprinted on them. Adults are just as likely to wear these silicone wristbands, known as awareness bracelets, as teenagers are.

Social Significance

The colors of jelly bracelets reportedly hold a very different social significance than the colors of silicone awareness bracelets. Awareness bracelets typically stand for a social cause, which can be identified by the bracelet's color. The color of jelly bracelets are rumored to signify the types of sexual acts an adolescent has or is willing to perform.

History of Jelly Bracelets

Jelly bracelets originally gained popularity in the mid-1980s when Madonna first hit the music scene. As part of her look, she wore armfuls of black, rubbery bracelets, a fashion statement that was emulated by teenagers all across the world. Although the interest in these bracelets waned for a decade or so, as everything 1980s became retro-chic in the late 1990s, the bracelets hit the market again, this time in bright colors.

Theories/Speculation

As the bracelets became fashion again, rumors began to fly that each color played an ominous role in a preteen and teen game called "Snap." According to Snopes and other sources of urban legends, if a boy manages to snap a bracelet off the wrist of a girl, she "owes" him the corresponding sexual favor. At its most basic, the colors mean the following: yellow equals a hug, purple equals a kiss, red/blue equal a lap dance or oral sex and black equals intercourse. There are other variations according to hues, which is something these bracelets have in common with awareness bracelets.

History of Awareness Bracelets

Unlike jelly bracelets, silicone wristbands are a relatively new trend. It started with the 2004 introduction of the yellow Livestrong wristband by the Lance Armstrong Foundation as a way to raise money and support for cancer research. Since then, other charitable causes have claimed certain colors, the most recognizable of which are the rainbow-colored bracelets for Autism Awareness and the pink for breast cancer research.

Common Colors

Other common colors and meanings of awareness bracelets include marbled blue to "Beat Bullying," purple for cystic fibrosis awareness, red for Burma, camouflage to support troops and dark pink to support diabetes research. Typically, the color of the bracelet either corresponds to the cause's awareness ribbon or uses a color that represents the cause. For example, a drive to raise money to save the rain forest may use a dark green bracelet to symbolize the foliage of the rain forest. Luckily, awareness bracelets tend to have the cause imprinted on them. When in doubt, read before wearing!