Friendship bracelets, slap bracelets, What Would Jesus Do bracelets: Nearly all these trends have made an appearance in a girl's wardrobe. More recently, a retail mastermind attached some rocks to an elastic band, creating Power Beads, the newest trend in wrist apparel.
Each Power Bead bracelet is composed of a string of eight-millimeter beads made from a wide variety of rocks, with one larger bead sealing the bracelet.
According to the many manufacturers of this popular jewelry item, the type of rock each bead comes from holds a special significance.
One online retailer of the beaded apparel, YouGottaHaveIt.com, provides a list of meanings behind each stone, so superstitious consumers may select their "power" before making a purchase.
Each rock type boasts a different power: Aventurine offers wearers success, decisiveness and leadership. Tiger-eye inspires courage and confidence, while black onyx increases will power. Jade ensures a long life.
Some of the company's bracelets come with a warning. Magnetic hematite, a rock said to use its magnetic properties to attract happiness and ward off aches and pains, should not be worn next to a watch because of its magnetism.
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Other retailers attribute Power Bead-also known as mala beads or prayer beads-to various religions, which use such beads to help worshipers keep track of ritual prayers.
The most well-known example of beads used for religious purposes comes from the Roman-Catholic tradition of rosary beads, but similar practices also appear in Hinduism, Buddhism, Bahai and Islam.
Power Beads producers claim the bracelets have a connection to Buddhism, since the large bead contained in each bracelet is said to symbolize the head of Buddha.
But Assoc. Prof. Karen Lang of the religious studies department questions the connection between the new fashion trend and Buddhist religion.
"Many Buddhists wear something like Catholic rosary beads, which they use to keep track of [prayers]," Lang said. "Power Beads are not really coming out of Buddhism. If anything, it's a combination of Buddhism and new-age spirituality."
The connection between Power Beads and new-age spirituality is evident from looking at inventories of stores that sell the bracelets. Most companies pushing the new product also offer candles, incense, aromatherapy products and specially-designed therapeutic pillows to calm the soul.
While retailers may be trying to push the special meaning of each bead, discrepancies about stone meanings can arise between manufacturers. Various manufacturers attach different virtues to the same stone. Still, most fashion-savvy consumers make style their top priority when making a purchase.
"I have a whole set of those bracelets," fourth-year College student Sara Garrett said. "I don't know what each color means, but I wear [the bracelets] because they match my clothes."
Others, such as fourth-year College student Jake Gramlich, have seen the bracelets but never thought they meant anything significant.
"I thought to ask people what the 'What Would Jesus Do' bracelets meant, since they had letters on them. But I never gave these new bracelets much thought," Gramlich said.
The trendy nature of Power Beads has caused some students to question how such fads can sweep quickly across an entire nation. First-year College student Lindsey Heddleston alluded to the supposed significance of Power Beads before reaching her conclusion.
"Maybe the fact that we're all so willing to grab on to this trend means that there is something missing from our American culture, like the wisdom that some of the beads stand for," Heddleston said.
Even though many women claim at least one Power Bead bracelet in their accessory collection, many male students such as first-year Engineering student Bridge Cox never paid attention to the new jewelry.
"I never even thought about [the bracelets], I just thought they were another fad," Cox said. "But what do I know, I'm wearing clothes from World War II."
The controversy over the significance of Power Beads is not preventing students from purchasing the bracelets. Women can be seen sporting multiple bracelets on each wrist.
"I think people wear [the bracelets] because they look nice," Lang said.
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