Friendship Pins

80's Fashion Trends Friendship Pins

Although friendship pins are still being created and shared by elementary school children today, as far as we know, the trend originated in the 1980's.  Growing up in the Midwest, there was a time when both boys and girls were giving away friendship pins.  Basically, a friendship pin was nothing more than a safety pin with beads placed on one side (refer to the photo on this page).  The patterns and colors used were entirely left to the creators imagine (and store of beads).  And if you were the recipient of a friendship pin, you would take it and clip it onto your shoe laces.  The more friendship pins you had, the more friends you had.  Even with something as innocuous as friendship pins, it came down to a competition.