Breast Cancer Bracelet : Breast Cancer Bracelets : Swarovski Breast Cancer Bracelet : Swarovski Breast Cancer Bracelets : Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Awareness Merchandise Marketplace

Bracelets have been around since at least 5000 B.C., when the Egyptians wore them adorned with the ankh, a life symbol, and the eye of Horus, their sun god. Like many cultures, they believed the amulets protected them from evil.

Today, bracelets symbolize friendship, values, beliefs and connections, and are a subtle way to wear your heart on your sleeve, er, wrist.

And they're everywhere - on the arms of Olympic athletes, movie starts, musicians, politicians, business leaders, parents, college students, survivors of disease and people honoring those who didn't survive.

The most talked-about accessory this summer is a simple yellow rubber wristband that says "Live Strong," a Nike product that benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Since mid-May, 9 million have been sold worldwide - Armstrong's sixth Tour de France win on July 25 whipped fans into a buying frenzy - and the remaining 2 million likely won't last long.

Pins are taking a backseat to bracelets because they have a younger, hipper and more gender-neutral appeal, says image consultant Dianne M. Daniels. Their subtlety is a plus, too.

"A pin at your chest is more obvious than a bracelet, which can be hidden by clothing or a jacket," said Daniels, owner of Image & Color Services in Norwich, Conn. "Rather than put an opinion or favored cause front and center where it could be a topic of conversation or controversy, people may be choosing to display their political, social or charitable causes in a more private way, one that can be hidden when it's appropriate."

Here's a look at some of the popular bracelets:

NAME//CAUSE//POPULARITY//PRICE//WHERE TO FIND

POW/MIA//In 1969, California college students Carol Bates Brown and Kay Hunter wanted to make sure prisoners of war in Vietnam weren't forgotten. They drummed up support for aluminum bracelets to be made and engraved with a missing soldier's name, rank, service branch, loss date and country where loss.//At one point, requests topped 12,000 per day. Nearly 5 million bracelets were sold from 1970-76.//Priced at $2.50 then, the bracelets now start at $6.95, $8.95 for custom engraving.//
www.no-mac.com.

W.W.J.D.//In 1989, Janie Tinklenberg, then a youth leader at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, Mich., studied Charles Sheldon's 1896 novel, In His Steps, with her youth group. Parishioners in the novel prefaced every thought and action by asking "What Would Jesus Do?"

Tinklenberg came up with the bracelet concept as a tangible reminder for her class.//Millions have been sold worldwide.//Start at $1.50, depending on material.//Berean Christian Stores, www.berean.com, or www.whatwouldjesusdo.com.

Kabbalah//The red string, popular among celebrities, is a symbol of a branch of Judaism. Wears believe it absorbs negative energy and protects them from the influences of the Evil Eye - the unfriendly glances or unkind stares of others.//Seen on the wrists of Madonna, Mick Jagger, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Courtney Love and dozens of other celebrities.//Start at $3.99 eBay, up to $26 at the Kabbalah Centre.//www.kabbalah.com.

Live Strong//Nike asked the Lance Armstrong Foundation six months ago for permission to develop a wristband to honor the American cyclist, a testicular cancer survivor and now six-time Tour de France winner. The foundation said, yes, as long as it's yellow (Armstrong's favorite color).//Wildly popular, 9 million have been sold, nearly double Nike's original projections, and only 2 million are left.//$1.//Flew off retailers' shelves; available at www.laf.org.

Circle of Hope//Three days after the Live Strong launch, the American Legacy Foundation introduced its sunburst bangle bracelet to raise funds for and awareness of its stop smoking campaign for women. The foundation reports that 178,000 American women die annually from tobacco-related diseases.//During the first six weeks of the campaign, anchored by Jamie-Lynn DiScala of The Sopranos, 15,000 bracelets were sold.//$18.//Order at www.meetmark.com, an arm of Avon Products Inc.

Breast cancer awareness//Two types of delicate beaded bracelets are available through the Orange County, Calif., affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The foundation, named for a victim, raises money for research, education, screening and treatment of breast cancer, which affects one in eight women.//About 2,000 bracelets have been sold since last year.//$34.95-$37.95, depending on length, for the Swarovski crystal beads; $29.95 for the Czech bracelet with faceted pink beads. www.oneineight.org.

CAPTION: Lance Armstrong

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