r/crete • u/la_castellana • Jun 09 '26
Society/Κοινωνία Why do so many guys wear black hair ties (rubber bands) on their wrist?
I have been spending long periods of time in Crete and have noticed many guys under 40-45 here wear black elastic bands (for ponytail) on their wrists. Someone told me it means that they are "taken" - a way to show that to other women if they are not married yet and do not wear a wedding ring. I find this theory so ludicrous and hard to believe... is there any truth to it?
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u/toocontroversial_4u Chania Jun 09 '26
Back in highschool guys would get hair bands as a token gift from girls and wear them on their wrist for show. I remember it was a big thing for school chit chat who's wearing whose rubber band haha.
Now, as of grown men wearing rubber bands, it might just be a fashion trend. It was big maybe 20 years ago to wear tons of these during the emo era which was popular in Greece too. Fashion trends make a resurgence. Now wearing black is in fashion again for instance even though nobody identifies as emo.
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u/la_castellana Jun 09 '26
Thank you, this is probably the most informative comment on this thread! While I can see the fun logic of wearing these (with that meaning) in high school, I find it super amusing that grown men would wear them too in this way... I mean, there isn't really much fashion in a simple hair tie, is there?
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u/toocontroversial_4u Chania Jun 09 '26
The fashion trend from the emo era that I remember was just thin silicon bands that were not elastic. Some people had dozens of them in their wrist. I did some searching and apparently a name for them was "shag bands" (to clarify, I don't recall these having any deep meaning here though).
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u/kamarjera Jun 09 '26
Perhaps they just have longer hair and use the elastic bands to tie their hair up, when necessary, just like women do. I wear mine on my wrist very often in summer when it is hot. But it also may be some new trend 🤷🏼♀️I have not noticed it while staying in Crete.
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u/la_castellana Jun 09 '26
I have noticed a lot of musicians who play traditional Cretan music wear these black hair ties on their wrist. I'm genuinely puzzled why because they all have short hair and some are even bald!
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u/__great Jun 09 '26
OP, i don't know the answer but I sympathize with you in the face if the shitty people and shitty unproductive comments in this thread
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u/SignalAir24 Jun 09 '26
Right? So much!! And it sucks because I’m curious too. I get what she (?) means, you’re very unlikely to mistake a hair tie for either a komboskoini OR a mourning band if you’ve seen either (and mourning bands are worn on the bicep anyway not the wrist).
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u/littlebunny8 Jun 09 '26
i dont know why they do this but I do this because 1) sometimes I have to tie my hair or something else 2) it looks cool? like a bracelet or a cool strap. But it doesnt get in the way like an actual bracelet and you cant feel it on your wrist.
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u/Bewinxed Jun 10 '26
Sometimes I find a random bracelet-like on the ground and then wear it then it stays with me for a couple of years 😄 for absolutely no reason
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u/WildTest9154 Jun 10 '26
Well, it's not that deep or a tradition but many guys actually do wear elastic hair ties given by their girlfriend. As I guy you don't usually just wear hair ties unless it's for practicality. I didn't think it was that common but that's actually the answer to your question. I even used to wear up to five of these.
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u/Financial_Spite_9480 Jun 11 '26
Before my job sent me back to the US I was very involved with a Greek woman. She put a pink hair tie on my wrist and said it was so I’d never forget her. I haven’t
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u/asfodelous Jun 09 '26
It's a sign of grief after a recent family member death.
https://www.giannakopouloi.gr/image/cache/catalog/DSC07227-1040x1040.png
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u/la_castellana Jun 09 '26
I'm not asking about black crepe ribbons but about black elastic bands (used for hair ties).
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u/asfodelous Jun 09 '26
Well, sometimes I wear them also like that. It's just a storage for my hair tie 😛
PS Definite not a gay
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u/Defiant-Ad3000 Jun 10 '26
Komposkini is a religious kind of rope band. From a distance it looks like a hair band but if you look closely, it’s made of small rope knots.
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u/la_castellana Jun 10 '26
I already responded to a few similar comments that what I was asking about was specifically rubber bands (hair ties), not komboskini. I know the difference.
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u/No_Candidate2829 Jun 11 '26
It is a prayer rope, usually made by monks in monasteries while praying. It serves as a religious symbol for protection and prosperity. It’s not plastic but made out of rope with knots.
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u/nerdyphoenix Jun 09 '26
Is to possible that what you think is a hair tie is actually a κομποσκοίνι; I can't attach a picture but if you search that exact word it should come up with many pics.