Colours, clinks and viral trends

Jelly bangles sweep Eidul Azha markets as young shoppers chase social media's latest obsession

ISLAMABAD:

With flashy reels, influencer promotions and packed Eidul Azha markets, jelly bangles have become this Eid's biggest fashion obsession, as traders and vloggers once again turn a simple accessory into a viral craze chased by young girls across the country.

After Kashmiri bangles ruled markets during Eidul Fitr, transparent 'jelly bangles' in soft, candy-like shades have now taken over markets across Islamabad and Rawalpindi, attracting college students, young girls and women searching for matching colours for their Eid dresses.

From Karachi Company Market to Commercial Market and the crowded stalls of Sunday Bazaar Peshawar Mor, rows of pink, purple, blue, green and crystal-clear glass bangles can be seen shining under market lights, while customers move from shop to shop with mobile phones in their hands, searching for designs they saved from TikTok, Instagram and fashion vlogs.

"These bangles look simple, but their colours feel alive," said Fatima, a college student looking for matching bangles. Talking to APP, she said many metal and fancy bangles had become popular over the years, but the real beauty and sound of bangles still belonged to glass bangles.

"The real khanak (sound of bangles) comes from glass bangles," she said with a smile. "When girls wear colourful bangles on Eid, it feels like their dreams are shining in their hands." Laughing with her friends, she added: "Sacrifice work is for elders and men. Our job on Eid is to laugh, get ready and enjoy colours."

Nearby, Areej and Mona at Sunday Bazaar said they had come specially after repeatedly seeing jelly bangles appear in online reels and fashion videos. "We saw them online first, then suddenly every girl started asking for them," Areej told APP, while checking different shades of turquoise and pink.

At Commercial Market, crowds of women and students gathered around JD Bangles, where transparent jelly-style glass bangles hung in long colourful rows, reflecting market lights across the shop.

Young shopkeeper Abdul Hanan told APP that online orders had increased sharply over the last few weeks. "Customers now order from home because they worry their favourite shades may finish early," he said.

He added that vloggers and social media pages now played a major role in deciding market trends. "One viral reel can change the entire market within days," he said. "Earlier, we mostly sold traditional glass and metal bangles. Then Kashmiri bangles became popular on Eidul Fitr, and now jelly bangles are the new trend."

According to traders, locally-made Pakistani glass bangles from Hyderabad are selling between Rs300 and Rs500 per set, while imported Indian-style fancy sets cost between Rs1,200 and Rs1,800, depending on style and decoration.

Soft pastel shades, transparent colours and shiny light tones are dominating this year's trend, especially among students and young women.

In Moti Bazaar, veteran trader Shaukat, who has been selling bangles for nearly two decades, said shopkeepers now closely watched social media trends before purchasing stock. "Girls now come asking for the exact designs they see online," he told APP, while arranging fresh bangles inside his colourful shop. "We immediately arrange any design that starts going viral."

He said shopping excitement for bangles during Eid-ul-Azha had now become almost equal to Eidul Fitr. "Earlier, girls mostly bought bangles before Eidul Fitr, but now the excitement is the same on both Eids," he added.

Uzma, a university student choosing transparent pink bangles, told APP that girls now preferred styles that looked simple but different. "These jelly bangles shine softly and look beautiful in pictures and videos," she said.

As Eid shopping picks up across the twin cities, the soft clinking sound of glass bangles once again fills markets with colours, excitement and tiny festive dreams.