What 2000s fad involved wearing colored silicone wristbands called 'jelly bracelets'?

The 2000s saw a resurgence of a fashion trend from the 1980s involving colorful, thin, round silicone wristbands widely known as "jelly bracelets" or sometimes "gel bracelets". These inexpensive and vibrant accessories became a widespread fad, particularly among younger demographics, who would often wear multiple bracelets stacked on their wrists, creating a distinctive fashion statement.

While jelly bracelets were initially a simple fashion accessory, their popularity in the 2000s was fueled by various cultural elements. Pop stars like Avril Lavigne were seen sporting the trend, contributing to their widespread appeal. Beyond mere aesthetics, an urban legend began to circulate, particularly around 2003, suggesting that different colored jelly bracelets carried secret meanings related to sexual acts. This rumor often involved a "game" where breaking a bracelet off someone's wrist supposedly obligated the wearer to perform a specific act associated with that color.

Despite the controversial connotations and the fact that many young people wore them purely for their aesthetic appeal, the rumored "sex bracelet" aspect garnered significant attention, leading to bans in some schools across the United States. This added to the notoriety and fleeting nature of the fad. Although charity awareness wristbands, such as the Livestrong bracelet, also gained immense popularity around the same time, jelly bracelets, with their varied colors and often ambiguous social meanings, stood out as a distinct and memorable fashion fad of the era.