Friendship bracelets that you have to REALLY like your mates to buy

Friendship bracelets from Links of London

As a tween (except back then the word was yet to be invented) I would love nothing more than taking my pocket money down to the local haberdashery and stocking up on colourful embroidery thread with which to make friendship bracelets.

The social power those banglets wielded (were you a worthy recipient?) should not be under-estimated. The fall-outs were monumental considering we were a bunch of girls who didn’t even wear deodorant yet.

Well, the good news is that friendship bracelets are back! And with them all the closeness, jealousy and petty miseries they bring. Links of London, purveyor of fine jewellery, has a best-selling selection that don’t look that dissimilar from my pre-pubescent efforts, except that they’re considerably neater and they’re woven around bits of silver. Oh, and these ones – the new season’s colours are out now! – will set you back £140. For £150, you get a woven rainbow cuff that has hints of the Care Bears about it that you can add little silver charms to. There are even higher-end friendship bracelets available that come with a watch-face attached.

If you’re keen for a bit of retro jewellery but lack the funds (or you just think there are better things to spend your money on), YouTube offers tons of tutorials on how to make your own. Check out the TyingItAllTogether channel if you really want to up your bracelet game. Just be careful who you give yours to.