If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, there’s no point in denying you had one.  Bringing out the masochist in each of us, the slap bracelet made it okay to hit yourself with something, all in the name of fashion. 

Slap bracelets were typically made up of metal spring bands that were covered with some sort of cloth, the more colorful, the better.  The fun came in the bracelets ability to curl upon itself.  One slap (if you were talented) and BAM! you’re wearing a bracelet!  Sounds easy, right?  Wrong.  Being a good slapper, as we will call it, henceforth, doesn’t come without some practice and a bruise or two.  Angled just slightly the wrong way, hit upon at the wrong spot, or the wind blew a little too hard and the slap would go totally awry.  Let’s just say perfection was hard to come by.

Their first big foray into pop culture was during the day-glo days of the 80s, when tie-die was making a comeback in the brightest way possible.  Oversized t-shirt, big scrunchie, a slap bracelet or two and the look was complete.  Slap bracelets were also a seemingly necessary school accessory, until the distractions and occasional injury forced most schools into placing a ban on the slap-happy bands.  School policy combined with parental annoyance (and the inevitable removal of slap bracelets) was devastating for the slap bracelet.  It would take the rave scene of the 90s to bring back this childhood favorite for a new generation to slap one on.