Slap Watches to replace Silly Bandz? The next accessory craze

Silly Bandz are finally on their way out, and retailers are hunting for the next hot seller amongst the teen market. The New York Post is predicting Slap Watches, a fresh take on the Slap bracelets trend of the early '90s (remember how teachers had to take them away?), to be a major hit this year. These timepieces, which launched last year on Black Friday, come in various colors you can mix and match by snapping out the faces.

We're not so sure Slap Watches will be a huge childhood fashion fad. Yes, they're fun, they're colorful, and at $20 they're fairly affordable. But if there are only a handful of colors they are hardly as collectible as the infinite amount of Silly Bandz shapes, colors, and designs. And at $20 they're more an investment for a youngster-they definitely won't be trading them or able to have as many. Not to mention the fact that watches are becoming obsolete.

Like Silly Bandz, other brands have starting copying the design, which does imply we may have a trend quite literally on our hands. The $50 TKO Orlogi Slapper version is vibrant for spring, but sleek enough that adults may enjoy them as well. "We had a very aggressive plan with them during the holidays and we exceeded it-it was extraordinary," Scott Schramm, general merchandise manager for Henri Bendel, told the Post. Meanwhile, Allen Ash of Almar Sales Co., told the Post he expects to sell a million slap watches by the end of the year. He told the paper, "Silly Bandz may still have a little life on the West Coast, but they are completely over on the East Coast."

What do you think of Slap Watches, and what item do you feel could replace Silly Bandz as the next big accessory fad for youngsters?

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