The new mom jewelry

I remember the time that I swore becoming a mother wouldn’t affect my style.

I eschewed “mom jeans” and “mom shoes” (well, mostly, save for one pair of thick-rubber-soled, Park Slope-friendly Mary Janes from Tsubo) and even when the postpartum arse was all but unconcealable, I stockpiled A-line skirts instead of a drawer full of sweatpants.

But now, there’s no escaping it: I’ve been marked as a mom.

rainbow loom bracelet | mom101

Oh tell me you’re not wearing one too. Or two. Or 16. Double Rhombus Rainbows, Double Braid Multis, Hexafish, Chevrons, Honeycombs, Tulip Towers.

Just look at the wrist of any adult these days and you’ll know instantly who has spawned. It’s a faster way to say “mom” in 2013 than a breast milk stain on a silk shirt.

I remember the time that I swore becoming a mother wouldn’t affect my style.

That was before I knew that those lopsided necklaces, those frayed string bracelets, those stretchy, disposable Rainbow Looms were imbued with so much pure love. And before I knew that if one kid gives you one, the other has to give you one too. And then when kid #1 gives you a third one, kid #2 has to give you a third one. Next thing you know, you’re up to your elbows in plastic rainbows.

Oh, you parents of four children  or more–I do feel for you.

And yes, I wore them to a business meeting last week.

But you know? I wasn’t the only one.

Solidarity.

—-

PS I just put up a huge guide to Rainbow Loom Bracelet Tutorials on YouTube at Cool Mom Picks so you can find some new patterns, or buy one and support an Etsy artist if your kids are too young/too old/ too stingy to give you one.

{36 Comments}

36 thoughts on “The new mom jewelry”

  1. Not alone at all, 3 friendship bracelets on the wrist and a milk stain on the shoulder. My 7yo made me 2 bracelets and I had to make the 3rd one since my 4 yo gets frustrated but insists I wear one that SHE made.
    Milk stain is from the 2mo old. Yey mom!

  2. I am requesting that my 18 and 21 year old make me bracelets! I have never minded identifying as a member of the parent pack. I’d say that the middle of the night texts, requests for money and food, and boundless joy and worry prove that parenting doesn’t end. Or, maybe I just get them to make me breakfast. You know, next time they’re home.

  3. I never had a style worth worrying about losing, so the love jewelry is probably an improvement on me. My kids go in and out of bead phases, and some of my prettiest bracelets and necklaces were made by them, actually. I just make sure to keep them supplied in really nice beads.

    1. Come on over Julie. We have 6,742 of them under the couch. I’m sure one of them will look perfect with your complexion.

  4. I keep seeing these and I am itching to get my girls into them, but I’m not sure they’re old enough! Someday…

    1. My six year old is into it, but much younger might be tough. Or uh…you could make them “with” your girls?

  5. Evidently this is one of those things that hasn’t made it alll the way inland to the Midwest yet. Or maybe it’s just that all my older kids are boys? I gotta get Clara hip to this trend…probably by the time she starts next year, it’ll just be reaching us in Michigan.

  6. I have a “fishtail” that the 2 year old likes to steal and wear on his upper arm like those cool african women.

    I have 4 kids but only 1 girl, so the kid-made jewelry is kept to a minimum. Wonderfully, she made bracelets for her 13 and 8 year old brothers before she made one for me.

  7. I actually love these bracelets but I have three boys so no bracelets for me , although the boys have received them from girls. 🙂

      1. Maybe not. My boys wear them but they haven’t expressed much interest in making them. I think maybe a couple years ago the older boys may have wanted a loom but they’ve become less interested in crafts as they’ve gotten older. The younger one wants to do whatever big brothers are doing.

  8. Attended a committee meeting and saw one on a male neuropsychiatrist’s wrist. He later confirmed his daughter made it for him. He wears it everyday.

  9. Now I’m kind of sad my kids haven’t offered me one!! Love them though – keeps my 8 year old boy so engaged (read: not bugging me to play video games). He just asked about the hexafish so I’m excited for all the new ideas via CMP’s for the weekend!!!

  10. Multiple bracelets. Everyday. Interspersed with my good jewelry. Everyday. No matter what I’m wearing.

  11. Have one on now! Thanks for the great tutorial links on Cool Mom Picks…

  12. my 7-year old boy loves these and i just emailed him your link to all the videos – there were some designs i had not heard of in there. these look pretty cool. i actually spent most of rosh hashana (bored at my in-laws all day) learning how to make a starburst bracelet, and once he got wind of my skills, i have been called upon to “help” him make bracelets almost daily. i have to say, this thing is teaching him some serious determination. he will mess up on a bracelet and have to start all over again, which is frustrating, but he’s slowly learning to work through that. makes it worth the $40 or whatever that i’ve spent on it so far.

    1. What a great story, that’s so sweet. I think it’s a nice bonding activity–should my kids let me anywhere near theirs.

  13. Someone gave my son a rainbow loom last week and he and I sat down and tried to make the simplest pattern….we couldn’t figure it out. We are rainbow loom flunkies! I’m starting to feel like the left out mom without a bracelet!

  14. My wardrobe is hopelessly out of style, yet I own two of these from my daughter – so I’ll use your post as proof that I am on trend, for once.

  15. I used to buy my mom the most awful jewelery at the Secret Santa shop when I was in school; she wore it proudly even as her skin turned green. We’re lucky she has ear lobes left! Now that I have my own child, I look forward to the day when I too, can wear something hideously ugly to proclaim I am loved.

  16. Or you’re a teacher.

    And your son who is past the jewelry making age but still only 11 is a little peeved that someone (or many ones) else is making you jewelry.

  17. Yep. My 12 year old asked to buy a little packet of MLP bands and I am now wearing a purple and blue one with a MLP charm on it, along with my own handmade bracelets (I’m a major crafter, my primaries are crochet and beading).
    I’m always so happy when she makes something for me to wear.!
    We both got interested so we did some research and bought a package of 500 mixed color bands at Joann’s. We have yet to get the loom, but my daughter has a bunch of requests from schoolmates and her aunt already!
    I really want to find more of the lovely little laser-etched rubber charms somewhere!

  18. Proud aunt of 8 here……and I’m covered. And I have to admit that making the little things with my nieces and nephews is fun and addictive!

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